[Ads-l] stand on business

[Z S]

I'm seeing many popular write-ups on "stand on business", and even
witnessed its use as the name of a "challenge" on Love Island USA (season
7, ep 26). The write-ups that I read did not trace the origin and in some
cases got the meaning wrong. Most framed it as "mysterious", "trendy", and
"Gen Z".

I strongly suspect that the Native Black American "stand on business" is
derived from the Native Black American term "stand on square business/biz",
itself an extension of the Native Black American "square business/biz",
which means 'truthfulness' and 'honesty'. As an interjection, "square
business/square biz" is akin to the interjection "real talk! or "no joke!"
The literature (below) suggests that 1) "square business/biz" is related to
the English "square dealing", and 2) "stand on one's square" (which also
frequently occurs in Native Black American speech and means "stand on
square biz") is likely related to the English "on the square". This
"square" reference and its association with truth and honesty are well
documented in early Freemasonry texts, in which the square is directly
associated with honesty and truthfulness:

> "By the latter, we learn to subdue the passions, act upon the square,
keep a tongue of good report, maintain secrecy, and practise charity."
- *Illustrations
of Masonry.* Preston (1772), p. 12
Link: https://archive.org/details/cu31924030274868/page/12/mode/1up

> "The square is a symbol denoting morality. It teaches us to apply the
unerring principles of moral science to every action of our lives, to see
that all the motives and results of our conduct shall coincide with the
dictates of divine justice, and that all our thoughts, words, and deeds
shall harmoniously conspire." - *The Symbolism of Freemasonry: Illustrating
and Explaining Its Science and Philosophy, its Legends, Myths and Symbols.*
Mackey (1882)
Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/11937/11937-h/11937-h.htm

> "Square: This is one of the most important and significant Symbols in
Freemasonry. [...] In Freemasonry, the square is a symbol of morality.
[...] Everywhere, however, it inculcates the same lesson of morality, of
truthfulness, of honesty. So universally accepted is this symbolism, that
it has gone outside of the Order, and has been found in colloquial language
communicating the same idea. Square, says Halliwell, Dictionary of Archaic
and Provincial Words, means honest, equitable, as in "square dealing." To
play upon the square is proverbial for to play honestly. In this sense the
word is found in the old writers." - *An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry and
Its Kindred Sciences : Comprising the Whole Range of Arts, Sciences and
Literature as Connected with the Institution.* Mackey (1873), p. 708
Link:
https://archive.org/details/anencyclopediaf00hughgoog/page/714/mode/2up

In my experience, I heard these terms in my youth uttered by elders age 60+
(and usually male) and, in my adulthood, uttered by my adult peers and
older colleagues. I am not accustomed to seeing them in print.

It is not specific to rap music, TikTok, or "Gen Z," and I suspect that
such framing is used to drive reader interest.

It does not occur in Clarence Major's *Juba to Jive* (1994), but as the
1981 recording *Square Biz* (written by Allen McGrier and Teena Marie for
Motown Records) indicates, the term "square business/biz" was already in
existence before the publication of Major's 1994 work - as was the English
"square dealing", which seems analogous.

An earlier occurrence of "square business" from *Ottawa's Present Tense*
(1882) is found here, albeit with a decidedly different meaning:
https://www.google.fr/books/edition/Honor_Edgeworth/99g0AAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22square+business%22&pg=PA138&printsec=frontcover

Regards,
Z Sohna

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