Where does this idea come from? Do you notice it in your own life and your surroundings? If so, why do you think we run on our own schedule?
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CP time is real. Personally I'm hyper anal about being on time. But I see it throughout my family and if I'm a stickler about being on time now it's because of the way I grew up when nothing was on time.
I'll add that I also see it in the southern black communities in which I've lived. Even going to official functions and meetings, nothing ever begins on time. People are aware of it too. There have been times when I've been anxious that no one will show and someone will pipe up and say "You know we're dealing with black folks don't you? Give it another 30 minutes."
I'll add that I also see it in the southern black communities in which I've lived. Even going to official functions and meetings, nothing ever begins on time. People are aware of it too. There have been times when I've been anxious that no one will show and someone will pipe up and say "You know we're dealing with black folks don't you? Give it another 30 minutes."
what is CP time? save me a google huh?
quote:Originally posted by art_gurl:
what is CP time? save me a google huh?
Colored People's time.... It's the idea that black people operate on their own time - slower of course.
quote:Originally posted by HonestBrother:quote:Originally posted by art_gurl:
what is CP time? save me a google huh?
Colored People's time.... It's the idea that black people operate on their own time - slower of course.
thanks for the update HB.
I'm guessing the equivalent I've heard of is 'Mexican' time. It happens when it happens.
Unless it's a business meeting, I like to be 10 minutes late. That gives everyone a little space to arrive without having to arrive 'on the dot'. I don't like when people are early - more than 10 mins - to me that is inconsiderate.
When I chill I really like to chill and go slow. But I'm a walk-fast, talk-fast, drive-fast person. I just like to zoom a long.
Sometimes when I'm in the mood I like to walk (by myself obviously) so fast it's almost between striding and flying lol. It's cool.
There's a difference between go-slow and lazy. I don't like lazy.
.
I am a firm believer in being on time and it drives me crazy for people to give me a time to show up for a function and they are late as usual. It makes it worse if they decide to start complaining when there are no seats/bad seats,they have to stand etc.
catch
catch
I have to be on time. Being late is something I will not do. If there is something I have been invited to, my family and friends know I will be the first one there. That goes for anything that I am involved in.
I run on "CP Time" in the morning. I just hate getting out of bed. The only reason I'm not late for work in the mornings is because I set my clocks so far ahead. 
My parents, on the other hand, consider 15 minutes early "late."
So nobody knows where this saying came from? Nobody has any theories on why Black people have been branded with this "always late" sticker?
When I do a google search, I get a bunch of science and military links (WTF?).
My parents, on the other hand, consider 15 minutes early "late."
So nobody knows where this saying came from? Nobody has any theories on why Black people have been branded with this "always late" sticker?
When I do a google search, I get a bunch of science and military links (WTF?).
Never late.
quote:Originally posted by Frenchy:
Where does this idea come from? Do you notice it in your own life and your surroundings? If so, why do you think we run on our own schedule?
I don't feel much like getting into a scholarly discussion about this right now, but John S. Mbiti, author of African Religions and Philosophy has a chapter in his book about African conceptions of time and space. Paraphrasing, he talks about how traditionally, African people live "in the moment." Unlike Europeans, who are incredibly time-conscious and time-obsessed, Black people will not restrict ourselves to oppressive time schedules. Our culture and the way we do things are much different from the way Europeans do things. First and foremost, relationships and community-bonding are more important to us than anything else. We realize that no one can predict unexpected occurences and that human beings are not robots. We are beings largely governed by our feelings, emotions, moods, and ideas. Black people acknowledge and respect this characteristic of humanity. White people, on the other hand, do not. Always in a hurry to go nowhere, all they care about is exactness and robotic performance. So if you're not somewhere at the "exact" time that you said you would be there, then they will automatically deduce that you're a "lazy" and "unreliable" person. Generally speaking, Europeans tend to be rushed, impatient, and unforgiving, especially when it concerns time, which they believe to be very important.
Summary:
CPT (Colored People's Time) - Natural
EPT (European People's Time) - Unnatural, Forced, Oppressive
Other References:
Yurugu: An African-Centered Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behavior by Marimba Ani (1994)
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
[QUOTE]So if you're not somewhere at the "exact" time that you said you would be there, then they will automatically deduce that you're a "lazy" and "unreliable" person. Generally speaking, Europeans tend to be rushed, impatient, and unforgiving, especially when it concerns time, which they believe to be very important.
Woah.
I'm so European.
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
I don't feel much like getting into a scholarly discussion about this right now, but John S. Mbiti, author of African Religions and Philosophy has a chapter in his book about African conceptions of time and space. Paraphrasing, he talks about how traditionally, African people live "in the moment." Unlike Europeans, who are incredibly time-conscious and time-obsessed, Black people will not restrict ourselves to oppressive time schedules. Our culture and the way we do things are much different from the way Europeans do things. First and foremost, relationships and community-bonding are more important to us than anything else. We realize that no one can predict unexpected occurences and that human beings are not robots. We are beings largely governed by our feelings, emotions, moods, and ideas. Black people acknowledge and respect this characteristic of humanity. White people, on the other hand, do not. Always in a hurry to go nowhere, all they care about is exactness and robotic performance. So if you're not somewhere at the "exact" time that you said you would be there, then they will automatically deduce that you're a "lazy" and "unreliable" person. Generally speaking, Europeans tend to be rushed, impatient, and unforgiving, especially when it concerns time, which they believe to be very important.
Summary:
CPT (Colored People's Time) - Natural
EPT (European People's Time) - Unnatural, Forced, Oppressive
Other References:
Yurugu: An African-Centered Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behavior by Marimba Ani (1994)
Aaaaahhh Mbiti.... I have read his book [i]African Religions and Philosophy thoroughly.....
Time--- When you operate on "time" to achieve this one must be able to plan.... to plan one must be able to have enough past information and future assessment to be able to accurately estimate a time of arrival.... one must also be able to be disciplined enough which entails much prioritizing of responsibility to execute their plan of arrival.....
On the other hand.... constricted time frames do not allow for a lot of what life is truly treasured during a leisurely moment.... time is measured by the completion of a thing.... not by artificial constraints....
Seems some balance of both would be good...
Me? Haven't mastered it yet...
But I'm striving.... Smile
Peace,
Virtue[/i]
quote:Originally posted by virtue:quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
I don't feel much like getting into a scholarly discussion about this right now, but John S. Mbiti, author of African Religions and Philosophy has a chapter in his book about African conceptions of time and space. Paraphrasing, he talks about how traditionally, African people live "in the moment." Unlike Europeans, who are incredibly time-conscious and time-obsessed, Black people will not restrict ourselves to oppressive time schedules. Our culture and the way we do things are much different from the way Europeans do things. First and foremost, relationships and community-bonding are more important to us than anything else. We realize that no one can predict unexpected occurences and that human beings are not robots. We are beings largely governed by our feelings, emotions, moods, and ideas. Black people acknowledge and respect this characteristic of humanity. White people, on the other hand, do not. Always in a hurry to go nowhere, all they care about is exactness and robotic performance. So if you're not somewhere at the "exact" time that you said you would be there, then they will automatically deduce that you're a "lazy" and "unreliable" person. Generally speaking, Europeans tend to be rushed, impatient, and unforgiving, especially when it concerns time, which they believe to be very important.
Summary:
CPT (Colored People's Time) - Natural
EPT (European People's Time) - Unnatural, Forced, Oppressive
Other References:
Yurugu: An African-Centered Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behavior by Marimba Ani (1994)
Aaaaahhh Mbiti.... I have read his book African Religions and Philosophy thoroughly.....
Time--- When you operate on "time"....... to achieve this..... one must be able to plan.... to plan one must be able to have enough past information and future assessment to be able to accurately estimate a time of arrival.... one must also exercise enough discipline....which entails much prioritizing of responsibility to execute their plan of arrival.....
On the other hand.... constricted time frames do not allow for a lot of what is truly treasured in life during a leisurely moment.... time is measured by the completion of a thing.... not by artificial constraints....
Seems some balance of both would be good...
Me? Haven't mastered it yet...
But I'm striving.... Smile
Peace,
Virtue
I like to be early but I understand some of my folks are late arrivals. In business, I am usually early because I work in the "white" world. But in my Black community things usually run late. Even on Sunday, the pastor is late coming in the church that means the service will be running as late as he is.
There are moments that I hate CP time because I function daily in the white world that requires you to be on time and then I have to flip-the-script when dealing with my folks and allow lateness.
There are moments that I hate CP time because I function daily in the white world that requires you to be on time and then I have to flip-the-script when dealing with my folks and allow lateness.
There are moments that I hate CP time because I function daily in the white world that requires you to be on time and then I have to flip-the-script when dealing with my folks and allow lateness.
There is the delima,training our natural selves into our artifical selves.If we base everything in life on the ideals and values of the dominant European society, what happens to our natural selves?
There is the delima,training our natural selves into our artifical selves.If we base everything in life on the ideals and values of the dominant European society, what happens to our natural selves?
I'll never forget one occasion when the first grade students at my school were scheduled to take a field trip to the Children's Museum. Teachers are expected to arrive at my school at 8:15 a.m. Most days, I arrive to school before this time. Well, another first-grade teacher, a bossy White woman, who I suspected was time-obsessed, wanted all the first grade teachers in the school to arrive at the time that she thought would be appropriate to prepare for the day's field trip. I arrived to school at the time that was appropriate, for me. Seeing that I was not intimated (or impressed) with her imagined authority, she caught an attitude with me and kept that attitude the entire day. I simply ignored her and allowed her to go in the corner and have her childish time tantrum.
I don't allow people in this culture to dictate to me who and what is important to me. I'm not suggesting, however, that CPT time is a time that ignores responsibility and/or characterizes people who lack integrity. I'm saying that if you're expecting someone to arrive at 8:15 a.m., and they arrive at 8:17 a.m., CPT people are not going to go into manic convulsions like a White person would. In fact most people in the world, including African people, are not neurotically obsessed with exact time.
I don't allow people in this culture to dictate to me who and what is important to me. I'm not suggesting, however, that CPT time is a time that ignores responsibility and/or characterizes people who lack integrity. I'm saying that if you're expecting someone to arrive at 8:15 a.m., and they arrive at 8:17 a.m., CPT people are not going to go into manic convulsions like a White person would. In fact most people in the world, including African people, are not neurotically obsessed with exact time.
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
In fact most people in the world, including African people, are not neurotically obsessed with exact time.
I agree with that...in the Nigerian community, our symnomous term for CP time is AP time (African people time). When it said a party is to start at 7pm, it is generally accepted to expect the party to start at 8 pm.
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
I'm saying that if you're expecting someone to arrive at 8:15 a.m., and they arrive at 8:17 a.m., CPT people are not going to go into manic convulsions like a White person would. In fact most people in the world, including African people, are not neurotically obsessed with exact time.
I'm not White, but if 8:15 is the meeting time, I do expect the person to be there by 8:15. Otherwise the person is late. Even if it's two minutes.