Never paranoid of 'black' people 'keeping' them down....
But actually kept down by fellow black people and themselves more than they are kept down by white people, in reality.
I'm almost hesitant to put this out here, because some people may take it the wrong way, but I think its something that would be useful to look at if we are serious about healing and empowering our communities. Plus, since I have been exposed to a variety of communities and races, I think I can give a more objective point of view.
In the U.S. there is the Ghetto Mentality, which is probably similar, which is usually one of the following:
Where they think that
they deserve something because of what their ancestors went through (i.e. slavery, discrimination, etc.),
but are unwilling to do what it takes to succeed. They often claim racism exists or that there are no opportunities, yet immigrants of the same color are often very successful in the same cities they live in. Examples: Black immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean tend to be more successful in the U.S., on average, especially in business, than American Blacks from the ghettos who have access to the same resources as the immigrants. These Blacks in the ghettos often stay on welfare rather than start businesses or pursue education & careers like the immigrants do. They almost always blame someone else for their own actions.
They have been surrounded by negative people who tell them that they are worthless and can't succeed and have heard it so long that they believe that, even though its not true. Often abused by others in their own community who are the same color, and sometimes even by family members. They stay down because they are constant told they can't succeed so why try.
They are angry at their situation, and years of abuse at the hands of fellow Blacks has caused them to become either very bitter and/or cynical, which can lead to them taking action, which may or may not be positive.
Obviously, people fall in a variety of categories and may be one and not the other. And obviously, this does not apply to all people.
I think that it is related to having a low self-esteem as well, or
sometimes an overinflated self-esteem (i.e. we are better than other
people) which is really someone who has low self-esteem trying to prove
to themselves and others that they are worth something.
I have friends who grew up in the ghettos, and it is a negative, abusive place that hold people down. And it is because of the mentality of the people there (i.e. they usually think they are not worthy or capable). I try to make them realize they are more capable than they think they are, but they themselves have a hard time seeing their own worth.
And, although the issue of slavery is specific to the Black community, Hispanics from the Barrio (Spanish ghetto) and Whites from the trailer park often exhibit the same traits described in 2 & 3. So it should be noted that some of the mentality comes from being poor growing up in a ghetto and is not specific to people who's ancestors where slaves.
So there definitely is an issue with people not realizing they can achieve whatever they want in life. All people are capable. Its whether or not they believe in themselves. Most people don't.
Dare I take the master-slave connection a step further to point out that many people – of all races and ethnicities – have allowed themselves to be modern-day slaves. Indeed, a person does not have to be Black to exhibit a slave mentality. Unwittingly, too many of us – and it does not matter whether we are Black, Asian, Chicano or White – perpetuate "the Master’s will" through our own self-hatred and destructive behavior. For those individuals who are in denial, here are some recognizable signs of self-perpetuation of slave behavior, be it in prison or in society.
Modern-Day Slave Traits
A modern-day slave will neglect to educate himself, which in turn creates mental slavery. (During slavery, Blacks were prohibited from learning to read or write. So, these days, everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to get an education.)
A modern-day slave will swindle and commit other crimes against his own people and others instead of helping to break the chains of poverty by earning an honest living.
A modern-day slave will perpetuate self-hate through committing violence on people of his same ethnicity, such as black-on-black violence, including murder, which is a form of genocide.
A modern-day slave will deal, buy and/or use drugs that will make him and others function as slaves (addicts) to drugs, slaves to misery and slaves to defeat.
A modern-day slave will adopt the wicked ways of the slave master, who disrespected and abused women.
A modern-day slave will abandon his children – leaving them for someone else to raise – just as the old masters abandoned Black children by selling them off to other slave owners, not caring about their fate.
A modern-day slave will foolishly commit crimes that cause him to end up behind bars, incarcerated, in mental and physical bondage.
Take a look at this list and then read it again. Look within yourself for any similarities and eliminate your modern-day slave traits. If you cannot admit to any of the seven signs, you are in denial. But all is not lost. The first step toward defeating a slave mentality begins with your acknowledgment that it exists.
Dare I take the master-slave connection a step further to point out that many people – of all races and ethnicities – have allowed themselves to be modern-day slaves. Indeed, a person does not have to be Black to exhibit a slave mentality.
Interesting point. ALL races have had their people enslaved at one point or another in history. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Hebrew, Greek, Roman, Persian, Chinese, Mayan, Aztec and Indian slavery is well documented, for example.
A modern-day slave will neglect to educate himself, which in turn creates mental slavery. (During slavery, Blacks were prohibited from learning to read or write. So, these days, everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to get an education.)
A modern-day slave will swindle and commit other crimes against his own people and others instead of helping to break the chains of poverty by earning an honest living.
A modern-day slave will perpetuate self-hate through committing violence on people of his same ethnicity, such as black-on-black violence, including murder, which is a form of genocide.
A modern-day slave will deal, buy and/or use drugs that will make him and others function as slaves (addicts) to drugs, slaves to misery and slaves to defeat.
A modern-day slave will adopt the wicked ways of the slave master, who disrespected and abused women.
A modern-day slave will abandon his children – leaving them for someone else to raise – just as the old masters abandoned Black children by selling them off to other slave owners, not caring about their fate.
A modern-day slave will foolishly commit crimes that cause him to end up behind bars, incarcerated, in mental and physical bondage.
Essence Carson, captain of the Rutgers women's basketball team, said it best.
Just
because inflammatory talk is widespread in popular culture -- rap and
hip-hop music have been widely criticized for misogyny and vulgarity --
it's not acceptable, whether on music radio or talk radio, she said at
the team's Tuesday press conference.
"All that matters is it's wrong," Carson said.
**********
Niger Innis, spokesman for the Congress of Racial Equality, said
that jumping on Imus -- and not taking on the rest of the system -- is
foolish.
"The hypocrisy of these media empires that are full
partners in the grossest industry, the hip-hop industry, that pumps out
the most vicious stereotypes of African-Americans, the hypocrisy is
just gross," Innis told CNN's Zahn. "And they're going to -- they're
going to slap Don Imus on the hand because they're so offended?"
Joined: 06 July 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 574
Posted: 23 Apr 2007 at 7:38am
That was a real interesting read, seeing different views from different people.
During the anniversary of the end of slavery, there were alot of programmes on the subject.
Two things mainly stuck in my mind:
There is now something called 'Post-Slavery Syndrome' - this is what is behind the recent shootings/stabbings/trouble within the youth of the black community (not quite sure what analysis is given when it is a youth from another community who is shot/does the shooting)
An ancestor of the Man responsible for slavery in Britain (forget his name), along with some others, placed themselves in shackles and made an apology for slavery (I believe this was done in Gambia)
I say if we keep living in the past, we will keep repeating the past. Its time to bury the past, and move on and create something new, something better.
Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 41
Posted: 27 Apr 2007 at 2:00pm
Having a slave mentality is rubbish as far as
I'm concern. No one can make you do what you don't want to do; it's call
choices. The choices we make in life determine who we are. Lazy, un-ambitious
people go about blaming others for their lack of everything good. Success is
derived from hard work, persistence and ambition/s.
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