Black Men + Boys: A Poverty of the Mind

[brianold]

what do you think? is he right?


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A Poverty of the Mind
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/opinio...nted=print

excerpt:
Young white Americans are very much into these things, but selectively; they know when it is time to turn off Fifty Cent and get out the SAT prep book.

For young black men, however, that culture is all there is — or so they think. Sadly, their complete engagement in this part of the American cultural mainstream, which they created and which feeds their pride and self-respect, is a major factor in their disconnection from the socioeconomic mainstream.
...Most black Americans have by now, miraculously, escaped its consequences. The disconnected fifth languishing in the ghettos is the remains. Too much is at stake for us to fail to understand the plight of these young men. For them, and for the rest of us.

[brianold]

i think his best point was him speaking on a lack of alternative. something that makes me cringe when i hear a bunch of complaining from people... we don't know how to envision a better world and that handicaps us. and we, includes the so-called black middle class and so-called black intellectuals. none of them have offered an alternative vision. except MAYBE farrakhan... but even he is becoming irrelevant real quick.

his worst point was him talking about how 2/3 of us have "escaped" and how only 1/5 of us remains "languishing in the ghettos"... i first of all doubt the accuracy of that statement and secondly am ashamed that he sees that as something "miraculous"

no one benefits in america without pushing someone else down. there is no ladder, per se, only humans that we use as ladders to "succeed" whatever the f%^ that means. (we ain't even defined that).