This is a phrase used by Whites to express their surprise
and disapproval of social or political conditions which,
to the Negro, are devastatingly usual. Often accompanied
by an unsolicited touch on the forearm or shoulder,
this expression is a favorite among the most politically
liberal but socially comfortable of Whites. Its origins
and implications are necessarily vague and undefined. In
other words, the source moment of separation between
“now” and “ever” must never be specified. In some
cases it is also accompanied by a solicitation for unpaid
labor from the Negro, often in the form of time, art,
or an intimate and lengthy explanation of the Negro’s
life experiences, likely not dissimilar to a narrative the
Negro has relayed before to dead ears. Otherwise, in
response to the circumstances occurring “now,” as ever,
but suddenly and inexplicably “more” than ever, this is an
utterance to be met with a solemn nod of the head and—
eventually and most importantly—absolution, which all
Good Whites are convinced they deserve. When a time
or era achieves “more than ever” status, many Negroes
will assume duties kindred to those of priesthood, e.g.,
receiving confessions, distributing mercy, et cetera.
Although, as noted above, the precise connotation of
this phrase is quite obscured in its usage, it seems to
be uttered in moments of “Aha!” or, more bluntly, “I
straight up did not believe you before,” wherein before =
“ever.” (See also: Negro Lexicon entries #42 & #43: “same
shit, different day” and “samo samo.”) Subtexts, then,
underscoring this phrase are quite sinister in nature,
varying from “Your usefulness, Negro, is married to your
misfortune,” and “Time is linear,” the implications of
which are that (1) value is time sensitive, (2) conditions
of despair are temporary, and (3) anything at all can
be new, belonging exclusively to “now,” and untethered
to “ever,” (i.e., past, future, world history). These
understandings of time versus import are likely due to
the fact that any spur to action or empathy for the White
is often directly correlated to any present dangers facing
their individual freedoms, or even simply when one “feels
like it.” (See also: Case Study #5: “Empathy.”) This reveals
in Whites a compulsion to reformation based upon
desire, excitement, guilt, or otherwise self-indulgent
emotions, whereas it would appear that the Negro must
live the life of the Negro, ever, now, and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever [. . .] and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever [. . .]
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever (cont.)