I wrote this topic this way to catch the readers attention. I think this is am important issue that doesnt get enough severity in conversations. I dont understand the obsession of blacks and the ghetto. I unfortunately had to live in the hood at an early age but I understood it wasnt a privilege and I wanted to leave as soon as possible. This topic came to me today after reading Obama's speech at the Democratic Convention. He struck a cord with me after I saw how he played both sides of the country. Black youth have become so engulfed in the idea of the hood that we forget about the opportunities we have. Everyone wants to be a rapper, have a record line, start a clothing line, be a producer or something related to the hip-hop industry neglecting the teachers, ,mentors, and program directors...
How do you feel about this? DO you agree and/or what are your experiences.
Wow good topic. I was also privileged enough to see Barack Obama's speech and to me it paralleled Bill Cosby's in many ways. The point they were trying to zero in on was the large percent of our population that live in lower income areas. Much like Bill Cosby's speech, I agree with what Obama had to say. It is not that these people are picking on "hood life
or people living in the "hood", they are simply trying to attack the root of many of our problems, and personally I am glad many people are now speaking out on it.
I think that the glorification of the "hood" stems first from our adaptation. Our circumstances left us with little so we decided to make the best out of the little that we were given. Secondly, I attribute this glorification to hip hop music. Hip hop music has always glorified "hood life" and unfortunately those are the role models that our children are growing up with now a days. And lastly, I attribute this to media. At any given time you can turn on the TV and see a black person being "ghetto". This is how we are portrayed and sadly this is how we start to define ourselves.
I agree also with all the comments. There are alot of children growing up in the ghetto who are growing up with the Idea planted in their head that they don't need to better them selves and not be ambitious anough to dream of becoming successful. Yes, I believe it has alot to do with the media and expecially music lyrics but that is not all. I think that some just get complacive and see no other way out. It could have a lot to do with their living situation too. What values a person has also comes from their home. What could help the situation is by not promoting certain things and making it like it is cool.
I understand you.I think the reasons black kids like the ghetto is becuz they feel accepted and they feel like its right to do ****,curse,**** and all that,but when they get away from all that they dont know what to do wit all that power and all those oppertunites that god has put in place for them but later they'll understand.everything happen for a reason!
i agree with what everyone said.
I really think it is a search for identity. Pride and understanding of our history is not stressed in the black homes. This is a problem accross the board, poor or middle class black children. I live in the county and i see alot of young black adults especially males immitating this **** mentality. They believe in order to be black you have to act like what you see in the rap videos and aspire to be like those individuals. So it becomes this "i am blacker than you" u type deal. Most of these young people don't know their history, so they substitute the Hiphop glamor, for history.
AMEN...I totally agree that in the black community some important people are definately forgotten, like the teachers, mentors, etc. I think it's sad that little black hood children, and adults for that matter, get so caught up in wanting to be some kind of entertainer, or athlete, that they forget that there are other professions out there and that there are other ways to get make money and acquire riches (which is more important). I'm not knockin celebs, but it's really hard to break into the entertainment buisiness and we've got some really misguided people who don't see that. All they see is dollar bills, not realizing that they can open a book store and encourage black folk to read, or be a teacher so that the ignorance in our community can be overcome, why not encourage a child to be a writer instead of playing ball, or be a judge or a lawyer so that instead of being caught up in the system, they are running it. Everyone has their own individual talents, and there's nothing wrong with being an athlete or entertainer, but there is something wrong when that's the only thing we teach and encourage our children to do, and I think the black community seriously suffers from this syndrome.
By the way, Harlemking, I'm from 2-6 and Lex.
I had remembered Ludacris saying it best "If you loose in touch of reality, you loose in touch with yourself", meaning as an african-american you can't never ever forget where you come from, because where you came from made you the person that you are today!!!! Some people see it as a pride thing to so-called still be "ghetto", but from my knowledge and looks of things, thugs don't attend college.
People must change in away and this is called growth and maturity, but personally on my side, you must remember your roots and never become a sell-out, yes i could say the streets raise me but my mind release me, there goes my two cents!!!!!!!
