Making Sense of Senselessness
Yesterday I received an all too normal phone call from my father telling me that someone in the community had been shot. So like I always do, I held my breath and prayed that it wasn’t somebody that I knew. Luckily in the case it wasn’t. Nonetheless, another young life from community was gone because of senseless violence. My first peer to die from a violent act was in 11th grade. He broke into someone’s house in a botched robbery that ultimately led to his death. It seems after that day the number of my peers that killed someone or were slain increased exponentially. Just this morning when I opened the newspaper I saw another young man that I knew had been shot after getting into an altercation with his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend. I use to ask myself why anyone would resort to what I consider to be barbarism- taking a person’s life for your own gratification. But now I’ve become so numb to violence and death that it worries me.
I grew up in a middle class household, and for the most part I never had to go without. However, in my community I wasn’t far removed from gangs, drugs, and other illicit behavior. But my parents put me in a bubble. I attended private schools and elite public schools my entire life. My parents always made sure I was involved in some constructive activity. So naturally, I was almost blind to nihilism around me. As I grew older I became less naïve to the world, and started noticing that people close to me were involved in illicit activities. Yet still, I never questioned the route that I wanted to take in life. I never shunned them for their choices, but I always knew I wanted to go to college and make a difference in the world. By the time I got to high school some of my closest peers stopped “pickpocketting” and started robbing people with guns. Some of those armed robberies turned into murder. Currently, I know five people I grew up with awaiting trial for murder. Sometimes I wonder how I escaped being sucked into that lifestyle. It was right in front of me. But I always casually said no. I honestly believe that many of my peers respected me for wanting to go on the straight and narrow path. The thing that still puzzles me is why am I not outraged, shocked, or flabbergasted by their violent acts? I know what they did was bad but it has become so common in my community and in my life that I’ve become numb to it. I want to feel some type of pain or sadness, but it seems as if the only thing I can do is shake my head.
I can understand how being exposed to violence can numb you to its effects . . . or hieghten your senses to it to the point of fearing for your life every time you walk by yourself down a secluded street. Well, the only thing I would recommend is to make sure you preview your pictures before posting because the pictures may need to be re-sized.
I can understand how being exposed to violence can numb you to its effects . . . or hieghten your senses to it to the point of fearing for your life every time you walk by yourself down a secluded street. Well, the only thing I would recommend is to make sure you preview your pictures before posting because the pictures may need to be re-sized.
Thanks Fallon. How do I re-size the image?
Thanks Fallon. How do I re-size the image?
Edward,
Just click on the picture, and you should see the little boxes that will allow you to resize it.
Nice post.
Edward,
Just click on the picture, and you should see the little boxes that will allow you to resize it.
Nice post.
Edward,
I really appreciate your post because it aligns with my own feelings about self-determination and human agency being the key to people living out their lives as productive citizens.
I have one question for you. When you say “almost blind to the nihilism around you” what do you mean by it?
Edward,
I really appreciate your post because it aligns with my own feelings about self-determination and human agency being the key to people living out their lives as productive citizens.
I have one question for you. When you say “almost blind to the nihilism around you” what do you mean by it?
Thanks supernerdjlh. When I discuss nihilism in my post I’m referring to Black youth rejection of the Protestant norms woven into the fabric of this country. Behaviors considered “anti-social” fall under the category of nihilism.
Thanks supernerdjlh. When I discuss nihilism in my post I’m referring to Black youth rejection of the Protestant norms woven into the fabric of this country. Behaviors considered “anti-social” fall under the category of nihilism.
Ok…so does that mean like destruction of public and private property?
I am asking because I know that Cornell West and other black intellectuals have been using this term to describe some black youths’ destructive, anti-social,and overtly hostile behaviors. It is hard for me to reconcile the term nihilism as West and other’s use it with its original user Nietzsche’s meaning (due in large part to my memory of Philosophical Perspective class).
Ok…so does that mean like destruction of public and private property?
I am asking because I know that Cornell West and other black intellectuals have been using this term to describe some black youths’ destructive, anti-social,and overtly hostile behaviors. It is hard for me to reconcile the term nihilism as West and other’s use it with its original user Nietzsche’s meaning (due in large part to my memory of Philosophical Perspective class).
It means engaging in behavior that is at odds with the mainstream. While the Euro-centric hetero-normative way of doing things may not necessarily be the “right” way to live, it has been the norm in our society. From my experiences these anti-mainstream behaviors that embrace counter-culture values are normative among Black youth. Thus, their angst might be expressed through destructive behavior.
It means engaging in behavior that is at odds with the mainstream. While the Euro-centric hetero-normative way of doing things may not necessarily be the “right” way to live, it has been the norm in our society. From my experiences these anti-mainstream behaviors that embrace counter-culture values are normative among Black youth. Thus, their angst might be expressed through destructive behavior.
Hi Edward,
I am intrigued by your comment “the Euro-centric hetero-normative way of doing things may not necessarily be the “right” way to live.” DO you think it is or isn’t the right way? I only ask because I am curious as to your value judgement around some black youth (self-)destructive behavior?
Also when you say hetero-normative in relationship to violence and nihilism…I am very interested in how you see hetero-normativity being a part of black youth’s Nihilism?
Just to give you my perspective, I don’t believe that black youth non-normative behaviors are inherently conscious-rising activities (i.e., their actions aren’t predicated on engaging in anti-mainstream behaviors for political reasons), but I believe that social ques, values and attitudes are learned from mother—-to pregnant daughter at the tender age of 14, absentee father —to “cool-posing” (almost assuredly hostile) son, from closeted homosexual with wife and kids —to raging homosexuals that ‘housed’ these ‘str8′ males both in their bodies and in their homes.
In fact, I doubt that blacks embrace a counter-culture existence. I believe that black youth more so than anyother group wants acceptance (because many are cut off from other groups). In addition, because of all the race training that we receive from grand-parents, black churches and ol’ heads that remember back to the white and black water fountain, we isolate to the point of lacking skill-sets to be effective in cross-racial discussions and engagement. Not that the race-training is unnecessary, but what I find to be the true problem is that many of us don’t develop a filter from which to understand the nuanced ways in which race impact our lives.
Hi Edward,
I am intrigued by your comment “the Euro-centric hetero-normative way of doing things may not necessarily be the “right” way to live.” DO you think it is or isn’t the right way? I only ask because I am curious as to your value judgement around some black youth (self-)destructive behavior?
Also when you say hetero-normative in relationship to violence and nihilism…I am very interested in how you see hetero-normativity being a part of black youth’s Nihilism?
Just to give you my perspective, I don’t believe that black youth non-normative behaviors are inherently conscious-rising activities (i.e., their actions aren’t predicated on engaging in anti-mainstream behaviors for political reasons), but I believe that social ques, values and attitudes are learned from mother—-to pregnant daughter at the tender age of 14, absentee father —to “cool-posing” (almost assuredly hostile) son, from closeted homosexual with wife and kids —to raging homosexuals that ‘housed’ these ‘str8′ males both in their bodies and in their homes.
In fact, I doubt that blacks embrace a counter-culture existence. I believe that black youth more so than anyother group wants acceptance (because many are cut off from other groups). In addition, because of all the race training that we receive from grand-parents, black churches and ol’ heads that remember back to the white and black water fountain, we isolate to the point of lacking skill-sets to be effective in cross-racial discussions and engagement. Not that the race-training is unnecessary, but what I find to be the true problem is that many of us don’t develop a filter from which to understand the nuanced ways in which race impact our lives.
As you know, Black youth like any other cohort group are not monolithic. We are products of our varied upbringings and genetics. I believe any group of people who feel socially isolated will adopt a counter-culture form of values, subconsciously or consciously. While there is no set criterion for behaviors of anti-mainstream action, they all are rooted in the fact that they rail against society’s conventions. But, what is unconventional in one sector of the population is many times the norm in another. However, that doesn’t disavow the fact that it is antithetical to historical normative behaviors that have been valued by society-at- large.
The basis of the civil rights movement was to receive equal humanity, equal access, and equal opportunity to the same things that mainstream America had. As you said Blacks sought inclusion. For many the culmination of the civil rights movement means more Black professors, Black lawyers, Black doctors, and a Black President. Those folk are the people who are less socially isolated than their parents and grandparents.
However, an impoverished, inner city Black youth is isolated from many of the opportunities and resources accessible by the mainstream. Thus, they live an existence predicated on counter culture behaviors.
As you know, Black youth like any other cohort group are not monolithic. We are products of our varied upbringings and genetics. I believe any group of people who feel socially isolated will adopt a counter-culture form of values, subconsciously or consciously. While there is no set criterion for behaviors of anti-mainstream action, they all are rooted in the fact that they rail against society’s conventions. But, what is unconventional in one sector of the population is many times the norm in another. However, that doesn’t disavow the fact that it is antithetical to historical normative behaviors that have been valued by society-at- large.
The basis of the civil rights movement was to receive equal humanity, equal access, and equal opportunity to the same things that mainstream America had. As you said Blacks sought inclusion. For many the culmination of the civil rights movement means more Black professors, Black lawyers, Black doctors, and a Black President. Those folk are the people who are less socially isolated than their parents and grandparents.
However, an impoverished, inner city Black youth is isolated from many of the opportunities and resources accessible by the mainstream. Thus, they live an existence predicated on counter culture behaviors.