Saturday, April 21, 2012

On the Influential Assertion That Poorer Living Conditions Invariably Lead to Higher Crime-Rates 4

My colleagues are right about one thing, though. People in a state of abject poverty/powerlessness are far less likely to engage in a full-bore rebellion (though, no, even here it isn't absolute - world history is spattered with examples of slave rebellions, for example) than those who've ultimately achieved a modicum of success (this point was brilliantly articulated in Eric Hoffer's seminal, "The True Believer") . But it can also be said that a lot of these populations have in fact gone through a similar trajectory; the Chinese folks in America, the West-Indian Blacks in America, African-Americans, the Chinese minority in Burma, the Armenian minority in Turkey, etc. and that it's only been the African-American minority in America that has shown a sharp downward spiral in overall achievement. I don't know, folks, I think that we really need to examine this issue a little more thoughtfully and NOT frigging jump all over Bill Cosby whenever the poor bastard opens his mouth.

12 comments:

John Myste said...

When we get to 100, I am going to sleep.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Fear not. I feel a babe post coming on.

dmarks said...

One that will no doubt contain comments about someone's Rachel Maddow fetish. But not from me or you.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I was thinking maybe something on Gene Tierney. Love Gene Tierney!

Dervish Sanders said...

dmarks: One that will no doubt contain comments about someone's Rachel Maddow fetish. But not from me or you.

Yes, we all know you're referring to Rusty.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Hey, I'm guilty, too - not so much with Maddow but with lesbians in general.

Dervish Sanders said...

Bill Cosby opened himself up for criticism.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

By stating the obvious? By pointing out that, even though the poverty rate among blacks was 87% in 1940, the black family remained largely intact and black men mostly out of prison, and of how that situation has deteriorated rapidly in spite of (some would argue because of) the welfare state? Yeah, how dare Mr. Cosby point out these irrefutable facts.

Dervish Sanders said...

It's "blame the victim". He's black, but he's also rich. Rich people tend to think this way.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

So, in a scenario when one black kid blows away another, you're saying that they're both "victims"?

Dervish Sanders said...

Maybe. You didn't give enough background for a determination to be made.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

I dare you say that to the mother of the kid who got blown away.