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I would like comment on the economic and social aspects[1] of this article. .. * I) Underacheivement as a group Defense Mechanism :: Some social-groups active
by tezza 17y ago
I would like comment on the economic and social aspects[1] of this article.
.. * I) Underacheivement as a group Defense Mechanism ::
Some social-groups actively encourage what I call "Perennial-Underacheivement". This is in my opinion based on a group defense mechanism[2].
This defense mechanism is to ensure the weak and sick and those unable to care for themselves are not left behind. They value support for the less-able and believe that informal community support is far better than State supplied support. The reasons are a topic unto themselves but my take is that this group behiour ensures those with latent talent don't leave the community and thus those who cannot care for themselves. Some talented people may not reach their potential, but they may still lead a happy, fruitful life. Some members may take the lack of excellence to extremes and die in prison as hopeless drug-dealers.
Basically, in these groups, overacheiving and commercial gain is downplayed. Here, to be rich is to "Sell Out" and to move out of the neighbourhood it to betray your "Roots".
.. * II) Acheivement is better for the Acheiver and the Group ::
The opposing view is that each person tries for themselves and their immediate family and this works because everyone "succeeds". People who cannot care for themselves are kept at a distance, cared for by the State which is paid for by tax. Individual families may still take care of their own, but it helps to be a "successful" family.
.. * Evidence of this divide ::
My data point of a divide link here would be to consider Immigrant versus 3rd generation Locals. This is touched on in the Article, where a Black Man (but immigrant) is in conflict with American born African-Americans. I offer an explanation that some of the American born blacks are using race issues to form the defense mechanism which conciously or unconcsiously they know protects their group.
First I will state the obvious. Immigrants by definition cannot belong to the group-care mindset. Why? Because by definition they have left many, many compatriots behind to fend for themselves in a different geographical place. They may not like it, and they may send every penny back to their village. But in their mind the gain overall to themselves and the group behind is clear: immigration is better than remaining.
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[1] I am not a black, and I am not American. But I wish to say something on this topic because I am an immigrant (to Oz, then UK) myself and part of an oft-picked upon ethnic group (Jew). This issue is complex and there are many commingled ingredients, economic-social-racial-ethnic-familial-historical
[2] I am not making a comment on the rights , wrongs of this defense mechanism
- mahmud 17y agotezza, a most profound statement this is: Some social-groups actively encourage what I call "Perennial-Underacheivement". This is in my opinion based on a group defense mechanism[2]. But I must really disagree with you wrt to African American youth addressed in the article and its subject research: they came from well off families that didn't need to hold their children back. What you're speaking of is something widely practiced against women, specially in the Middle East: girls are often talked out of higher education and told they will need to care for their little siblings, elderly, husband and whoever is in need.
- tezza 17y agoHi Mahmud, Here I would say that you are right and that the article focuses on Rich students. Why do they need to worry about group-care? I cannot offer a complete response. The reasons are too many and different for each person, region. I only sought to comment on one ingredient of the complex reasons. The Defense Mechanism is a economic-social reason occasionally dressed up in race-division garments. I wantedto disrobe some of the arguments so that they can be addressed properly when they are a factor of underacheivement. Superficially, it would seem like racial tension would be the concern that needed fixing. But if that tension is just a defense mechanism, then to spur acheivement the solution is to emphasise that your community will receive excellent care and no-one will be neglected.
- JabavuAdams 17y agoMoney can't buy culture. A poor kid with the right culture at home will do better than a richer kid with the wrong culture. The good news is you can choose your culture. The bad news is, it's hard to overturn what you grew up with.
- cturner 17y agoYour comments about low achievement for group defense/satisfaction are also seen in Elton Mayo's Hawthorne Studies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Mayo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Mayo) in a contact that's not related to race. As a Jew you're about as far away from "Underacheivement as a group Defense Mechanism" as it's possible to get. The history of the world is filled with stories of people who have lost their way, their identity and become bland (not least the ten tribes of the north, if you buy into that). Despite all the stuff going against them, people who know that they're Jewish (even when they don't have a particularly strong connection to the group) manage to pull themselves out of difficult situations and rise to become very successful in whatever challenges they set themselves. Immigrants by definition cannot belong to the group-care mindset. That's not universally true. There's a subculture in the UK (and probably other places) of Han Chinese gaining access as illegal immigrants with intent to directly benefit their family back home. Sometimes one half of a married couple will do it so they can secure education for their child. See _Chinese Whispers: The True Story Behind Britain's Hidden Army of Labour (Paperback)_, Pai, 2008.