IDKMYDE: America Loves Sayings

America was built on sayings, but some of them don’t exactly hold up under pressure. From ‘bootstraps’ to ‘the American Dream,’ today’s episode of IDKMYDE breaks down the catchy phrases that shaped our history with humor and hard truth.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FM

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
On today's episode. If I didn't know, maybe you didn't either.
Let's talk about America for a second. You know this
country wasn't just built on the hard work of enslaved
African Americans and innovation. Oh no, America was built on sayings. Yeah, sayings.
We love a good saying. Like one of the most
classic American sayings is pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
I didn't know.

Speaker 1 (00:25):
I didn't know.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
I didn't know. I didn't know.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
I didn't know.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
I didn't know.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
What you need to do is pull yourself up by
your bootstraps. That's like the national anthem of personal responsibility
in America, ain't it. But here's the thing, it's not
even practical, Like who came up with that? You ever
tried to pull yourself up by your bootstraps? Physics won't
even let you. You just standing there, You ain'ting on
leather straps in the position that the Sisters had Andy
Dufrain in in Shawshank Redemption. If you've never seen the movie,

(00:57):
you won't get the reference. Moving right, My point is
due to gravity, it is not even possible to pull
yourself up by your bootstraps. Another saying in America the
American dream. All we sold out one hard. If you
work hard and.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Stay focused, you'll be successful. Right.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
That sound good, but they never talk about that fine
printice on the American Dream that says, unless someone decides
that they don't like your success.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
For example, Jack Holly, my man.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Jack was living out his dream, own businesses, land, part
of a bank.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
He was basically the Oprah of Slocum, Texas.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
But then nineteen ten rolls around and instead of being celebrated,
a white mob rolls in and says, nah, you've been
having too much success, Negro, and they destroy everything. One
of his sons killed, his businesses, gone, generational wealth torched.
And yet somehow, the same folks who did all that
are the ones still walking around today saying, why can't

(01:56):
y'all pull yourselves up by your bootstraps?

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Well, listen, can we tried?

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Y'all stole the boots, the straps, and then burnt down
the shop. Another saying that we love in America history
repeats itself. All America lives by this one because Slocan
wasn't the only time this happened. Tulsa's Black Wall Street,
same thing, Rosewood, same thing. Look anytime a black community
got a little too successful, somebody showed up with some

(02:22):
matches and some insecurity, all in one more saying united,
we stand divided, we fall right. Coming from a country
that's been divided since day one, that saying should also
come with a disclaimer.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Terms and conditions apply. Side effects include systemic racism and
selective memory. So while we remember these sayings, let's not
forget these slings of families like Jack Holly and massacres
like Rosewood and Tulsa. And we know America love is saying,
But maybe it's time for some new ones. How About
if you see someone thriving, let them keep surviving. How

(02:56):
about that? Or here's a good one.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Stop burning up other people's shit. If you got some
new sands we should add in twenty twenty five, hit
me up on my social media at b dot t V.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
That's B d a h t t V.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Okay bye, I mean no