Comments on: Dr. Darron Smith: Black Men, Status Competition and the Threat of Violence http://www.yourblackbloggers.net/2013/01/black-men/dr-darron-smith-black-men-status-competition-and-the-threat-of-violence/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dr-darron-smith-black-men-status-competition-and-the-threat-of-violence The official gathering spot for black bloggers Sat, 26 Jan 2013 09:30:24 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Wojtek http://www.yourblackbloggers.net/2013/01/black-men/dr-darron-smith-black-men-status-competition-and-the-threat-of-violence/#comment-14815 Wojtek Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:46:42 +0000 http://www.yourblackbloggers.net/?p=7851#comment-14815 I think status competition is universal, as Veblen aptly observed. The corporate execs do it as well, by through different means - accumulation of wealth, charity as Galaskiewicz observed. The problem is not status competition, ridiculous as it is, but the eagerness to use violence to attain and defend it. As I see, it has more to do with machismo than with low socio-economic status, albeit those two are often correlated. It is easy to demonstrate that cultures that are high on machismo are also on wanton use of violence, even if their collective histories are different from that of African Americans. The only "problem" with identifying machismo as the culprit is that it offers little hope for a quick fix of the problem. It is relatively to provide jobs or adequate housing, so naming lack of these as the root cause gives us an illusion that we as society can solve the problem. But eradicating machismo is a different story - not only it is very difficult to accomplish, at least in a short run, but it is also an attack on "Black identity" reinforced by popular culture. I think status competition is universal, as Veblen aptly observed. The corporate execs do it as well, by through different means – accumulation of wealth, charity as Galaskiewicz observed. The problem is not status competition, ridiculous as it is, but the eagerness to use violence to attain and defend it. As I see, it has more to do with machismo than with low socio-economic status, albeit those two are often correlated. It is easy to demonstrate that cultures that are high on machismo are also on wanton use of violence, even if their collective histories are different from that of African Americans.

The only “problem” with identifying machismo as the culprit is that it offers little hope for a quick fix of the problem. It is relatively to provide jobs or adequate housing, so naming lack of these as the root cause gives us an illusion that we as society can solve the problem. But eradicating machismo is a different story – not only it is very difficult to accomplish, at least in a short run, but it is also an attack on “Black identity” reinforced by popular culture.

]]> By: Hannah http://www.yourblackbloggers.net/2013/01/black-men/dr-darron-smith-black-men-status-competition-and-the-threat-of-violence/#comment-14800 Hannah Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:19:40 +0000 http://www.yourblackbloggers.net/?p=7851#comment-14800 Thanks for sharing your ideas in this article! Who do you propose will provide the jobs, health care, education and housing? Can a free market provide the environment for these things (aren't there enough that are not racist in these industries?). Certainly an outside bureaucratic, not knowing a locality nor its people, who blindly follows unproven theories from the "experts" will mess things up by providing (meddling) at the expense of freedom and civil rights. I tend to agree with those who instead point to FATHERS and whole families as a huge part of the solution to violence. But this doesn't solve racism on either side. Not that I see how jobs, health care, education or housing would either. I really appreciate the results of studies that you post. Thanks again! Thanks for sharing your ideas in this article!

Who do you propose will provide the jobs, health care, education and housing? Can a free market provide the environment for these things (aren’t there enough that are not racist in these industries?). Certainly an outside bureaucratic, not knowing a locality nor its people, who blindly follows unproven theories from the “experts” will mess things up by providing (meddling) at the expense of freedom and civil rights.

I tend to agree with those who instead point to FATHERS and whole families as a huge part of the solution to violence. But this doesn’t solve racism on either side. Not that I see how jobs, health care, education or housing would either.

I really appreciate the results of studies that you post. Thanks again!

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