“Black Harvard MBAs Share Their Rules For Success.” Rule 10: “Never talk about race (or gender) if you can avoid it, other than to declare that race (or gender) does not matter.”

According to some, an acceptable cost of success is to deny the truth while perpetuating the well being of the elite. Sure there is still racism, discrimination, disparities, overt oppression but, if you just don’t talk about it you can get ahead?  This message was of course intended for the ‘already’ privileged African American Harvard MBA (FEW); as for the rest of struggling and suffering black America…well, “let them eat cake.”

At a time when the obstacles facing the African American poor and working class are strangling hope and leading to desperation, Statements that encourage denial in exchange for personal gratification seems irresponsible.  Many of our leaders and institutions have begun to preach and spread a sort of “prosperity porn propaganda” not to be mistaken with “selling out” or “brown nosing” but, something perhaps more egregious the willingness to compromise human dignity by subverting moral integrity.