Quote:
Originally Posted by Gtownoe
I actually think it would be beneficial. And vice versa. Maybe it would show that certain issues aren't isolated by race.
I have good friends from the hills of Appalachia. Addiction, public assistance abuse, high unemployment, violence, etc.
I think basic finance courses as well as more skill building courses would help. Basic skills needed to survive in today's world.
As far as the pastor in the OP's post, he in NO way represents the views of black america. I honestly with people would st
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Great points about other sub-cultures and different races experiencing parallels with regard to public assistance, drug abuse, crime, etc. I agree that it's most likely more of a socio-economic and cultural phenomenon more so than race.
-Agree that a basic "life skills" and finance class would help immensely...it did with my two in middle school.
Don't know what to say about your assessment about Pastor Gentry's video. I do agree with him for the most part, as evident from my own background and struggles, I could have put the blame on so many people and circumstances...but made the
conscious choice not to. Blame, for example, regarding our family situation stemming from deaths and displacement that resulted from WWII, my grandparents and their struggles as well as discrimination when they came to America, poverty, broken home, to society discriminating against the handicapped and women, and so on.
At some point, however, one has to realize that there ARE things one can do, despite one's history as well as current situation - whatever that may be. It comes down to personal responsibility, personal reliance, and seizing the opportunity to change oneself.
I think the Pastor made that point, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Even if he
doesn't "represent the views of black america" (sic) as you posted, perhaps "black America" should really listen to his message, and see if they can learn from it? Not only "black America", but everyone else as well. He made some very great points.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kbt1766
Then they wonder why blacks with a college education have higher unemployment than whites with a college education.
Do the colleges let blacks get away with it? Are they writing the same way they speak? I know I couldn't get away with writing the way that nurse spoke while I was in college.
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Puzzles me as well. I've personally observed there's a lower standard for certain races/cultures, and it, unfortunately, is only perpetuating the culture of "lower expectations". What good, overall, will that do? Not only detrimental to the individual being held back by this lower standard (not competitive for certain jobs, for example), but quite soon, we will decline into a country of such mediocrity and low standards, that it will assist in our destruction in every way.
I had to tutor a black individual (nice, great guy) in medical school, who could barely spell, let alone learn the names and spelling of the parts of the human body in gross anatomy class. I was absolutely perplexed! How the h*ll he ever got into medical school is beyond me. Despite my best efforts, he was woefully behind- years behind, scholastically. He flunked out even before the first semester - the learning curve for him was just too steep...there was absolutely no way he could possibly keep up.
Then, I worked with a fascinating Hispanic medical professional - the son of a migrant worker. He realized at the high school level, that he was behind in both speaking and writing English. To his credit, he availed himself to every tutor possible, and took extra classes in the evenings (at his own expense) to "catch up". Not only that, he somehow had the foresight to then take extra college courses in science so that he could be competitive for admission into medical school, as well as keep up with peer students whilst in medical school.
Kudos to him, as he graduated with honors, did quite well in his profession, and is a wonderful doctor and good friend today.
So, this is a great example and demonstration of personal responsibility, along with the desire to change and aspire to become something better/greater than be defined or stuck in his socio-economic position, or be held back by the "definition" imposed on him by his culture, peers, and neighborhood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Debliah
It can be difficult to promote positive changes in cultures of poverty - poverty not in the economic sense but when subgroups hold onto attitudinal behaviors that differ substantially from that found in the"mainstream." Often, they persist for generations.
As this poster mentions, cultural poverty is an issue in Appalachia. The Scot-Irish had faced hundreds of years of endemic warfare on the borderlands between Scotland and England followed by economic exploitation in the plantations of Ulster (Ireland) before coming to America. Although initially shunned by Yankee settlers and the Quakers for their cantankerous ways, most went on to contribute an enormous amount. Those that did not adapt form the nucleus of many Appalachian communities. Joe Bageant has written a couple of fascinating books and authored essays on the difficulties faced by "his people."
The descendants of the Irish Catholics in Barbados whom Cromwell sent in chains to that island certainly were not part of the then English governing class. Hundreds of years later the lives of those that did not manage to emigrate to the United States remain dysfunctional.
We just returned from Romania where the plight of the Roma certainly struck a chord. Romanians said they actively resisted Ceceascu's efforts to integrate them into Romania society. Read more once home and surprised to see views that the nucleus of their resistance *may* have stemmed from the Roma holding onto then dietary restrictions originating in their high caste Hindu background. (In that sense, they are not unlike the Jews with the major exception that Jewish culture/religion had an enormous to offer whereas that of the Roma was much less attractive to or integrated into Western civilization.)
A generation ago, Oscar Lewis wrote of the culture of poverty in describing some Latin American community. Interesting … just googled it to find that his concepts continue to be discussed today.
Culture of poverty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Needless to say, the majority of African Americans have overcome much of the tragedy imposed by slavery. But the plight of those "that remain behind" doesn't necessarily lend itself to easy solutions. |
Very intelligent explanation and approach to this whole conversation! Not only was the history you presented interesting, but I learned quite a bit. I see where the attitudinal behaviors you illustrated will indeed, hold people back through generations!
It certainly takes both courage and perseverance to escape the limiting shackles of certain "dysfunctional" attitudes and long-term cultural holdings. They risk the shunning of their cultural and neighborhood groups, as well as succumb back into it.
Akin to that example of a bunch of crabs in a bucket...once a crab fights its way to the top and almost climbs out, others below pull him back down into the bucket as they climb over him. The end result is, no one ever gets out.
You're correct...there are no easy solutions. But there are solutions, none-the-less. Outside influence/mentorship of successful people who made it out of their own socio-economic strata or cultural attitudes may one way to help.
Raising the expectations and standards through public education can help, as perhaps will curriculum changes on life skills/finances, and how to live and compete in the wider society at large.
From within, perhaps members of these groups can finally decide that leaving the negative or self-defeating generational and current cultural attitudes and aspects of their groups behind will not only benefit them, but serve as an example to the rest to do the same. Change does take time, however.
I don't see this as a permanent situation, as others have done it...we just have to encourage more of them to do it as well.
Great post. Thank you!
Dandiday
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Culture of poverty
