There’s a certain class of people I call the 50/50 Club. No, they don’t split the effort evenly or take fair shares. They show up for half the transaction: the credit. They’ve ghosted that part of the contract, skipping out on the bill for accountability.

These are the folks who sprint to the front when the accolades start flying, wanting all the glory, smiling for the camera. If the project had success, it was “their vision.” But if it flops, well – they vanish quicker than a politician after Election Day. Suddenly, it’s “not my fault,” or “the team failed,” “someone else dropped the ball,” or the classic “we didn’t have enough time.” They’ll throw anyone under the bus: some even blame the calendar. Yesterday dropped the ball. Time missed the deadline. Everyone except them.

But here’s where it gets extra insulting: these same people want to control others – especially men, and particularly minorities – all while being allergic to even a grain of criticism. They deliver judgment like Oprah hands out gifts for tax breaks, but the moment you flip the mirror? Suddenly, they’re the victim. Their ego bruises like a banana. And there accusers are simply jealous.

And their hunger for praise? Unquenchable. It’s like trying to fill a coffee mug with a Grand Canyon crack in the bottom. You could fill them with compliments from sunrise to midnight, and they’d still be thirsty. They need validation like a fish needs water – or like an influencer needs Wi-Fi.

Accountability? That’s not a currency they carry. I’ve yet to find a bank, anywhere on this planet, cashing “crocodile tear deposits” in exchange for a “get out of accountability” cards. If you wrecked the car, don’t blame the map. You can cry, whine, and blame everyone else, but if you didn’t do all the work – or worse, sabotaged those who did – the truth will find you eventually. It always does.

It’s like talking relationship advice from someone whose longest relationship was with their Netflix account. Or money tips from a guy who just made it rain his rent check at the club. These people are experts, alright – experts in staying stuck, and they love the company.

And just when you think the hypocrisy peaked, here comes the parenting edition.

These are the parents who love to post quotes about love, discipline, and family values – meanwhile, their kid is terrorizing classrooms, parks, and public places like society owes them a hug. We’re told, “It takes a village,” but some of these parents left the village in flames. These are the very same people getting public sympathy when they trained the last school shooters. Then they show up at the PTA meeting like they’re the ones victimized by their child’s behavior. There is no accountability. Just excuses and TikToks.

And don’t get me started on the self-proclaimed animal rights warriors. Passionate about pets? Fine. But you can’t preach safety for animals while letting your unleashed dog run wild at the park or trail, terrifying kids and adults with a human chew toy kind of mind. And please. explain why your Great Dane needs to accompany you to Whole Foods. There’s a difference between loving animals and using them as accessories to your ego.

Same with the ones who scream, “Don’t objectify me!” – while waking into public spaces half-naked and then crying foul because someone (non-preferred) dared to notice. Yes, your body is your own. No, it doesn’t give others a free pass to disrespect. But let’s stop pretending that choices have no context or consequences. For those not in certain communities protected by flags: imagine the outrage if a male walked into town, grocery, mall, park, or work wearing nothing but his underwear; but he’s claiming they’re supportive shorts identifying as professional pants. You can’t demand blind eyes while courting attention like it’s oxygen. Everyone can’t turn into Stevie Wonder on demand.

Then there’s the Black community – and the undeniable double standard America still holds against it. It’s exhausting. We’ve studied the rules, seen the playbook, lived the bias. But then someone knowingly fits the negative stereotype and acts shocked when trouble comes knocking. We can’t be naïve while we’re also claiming to be “woke.” It’s not about respectability politics – it’s about survival. We already know the system is rigged. Stop handing it more ammo. And I will never say curve your Blackness because I’m Black and proud. However, Blackness is not what they have put on the media, movies, or television screens. For instance if you find yourself in a position you need to hustle, don’t be foolish enough to have a $100,000 car with a $50,000 sound-system, with work in the trunk and call it being profiled. Tattooing your face and expecting someone to see a businessman. We are world trend setters and the pin cushion.

And let’s not forget the “started from the bottom, now I’m condescending” crowd. They love to reminisce about struggle until it’s time to show compassion. The minute they get a little money, a little shine, it’s flex season. Now they’re talking down to the very people they used to stand with in the bread line. If your success turns you into a jerk, it wasn’t growth – it was just a glow-up for your ego.

What is the real problem? Hypocrisy has become a leadership style. Entire groups are marching to the beat of double standards, waving banners of equality while writing policies soaked in inequality. It’s performative progress. We’re watching United Nations-level dysfunction being marketed as United States-level unity.

And then there’s the justice system, where the 50/50 imbalance becomes a matter of life trajectories.

White Americans often get warnings, slaps on the wrist, or probation. Black Americans? We get records – a permanent label that follows us into every job interview, loan application, and housing inquiry. They say prison is for “rehabilitation,” yet the punishment never ends. Serve your time? Cool. But you’re sill punished for life because every employer wants to know if you’ve ever been convicted – as if healing, growth, or change are impossible outcomes for us.

It’s funny how no one ever asks, “Have you ever committed a hate crime?” Or “Do you actively fly a Confederate flag in your yard?” That kind of racism gets tucked away under “heritage,” while we carry the full weight of “criminal” forever. One group clings to the symbols of treason like it’s a family heirloom but never owns the betrayal, violence, or blood attached to it. Meanwhile, we’re still trying to earn basic humanity with receipts.

This isn’t just hypocrisy – it’s systemic inequality disguised as order. The 50/50 Club isn’t a club anymore. It’s culture – and unless we start flipping tables, we’ll keep playing a game that was never designed for us to win together.

The 50/50 Club is everywhere. In boardrooms, bedrooms, schoolyards, court rooms, hospitals, legislative actions, and social feeds. The 50/50 Club doesn’t want balance. They want power without responsibility, applause without effort, obedience without question, voice without listening, and status without service. They move like leaders but think like victims. They promote hypocrisy like it’s a brand deal.

The only thing they’re consistent at is proving that the real pandemic is unchecked hypocrisy. But the rest of us? We’re not buying it. Or at least shouldn’t be buying it. Many of us see you. We’re not clapping anymore.

It’s appreciated if you add a like, subscribe, and share this post with others. Then, join the conversation. There’s plenty more where this came from, so check out some previous conversations.

Keep scrolling down for more of the conversation