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Cosby versus Virulent Virus

coberst
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Posted 07/04/04 - 03:30 AM:	#1
Cosby versus Virulent Virus American actor Mr Bill Cosby has shouted his rage against the virus infecting the community of black teenagers in the United States. The virus is anti-intellectualism and it is an epidemic in the total society. Our black teens display the syndrome in a most remarkable way. The total society displays the syndrome in a less obvious manner but the signs are obvious and the virus is dangerous. What is the antidote to anti-intelllectualism?

Moving Finger
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Posted 07/04/04 - 04:55 AM:	#2
coberst wrote: What is the antidote to anti-intelllectualism? line the anti-intellectualists up against the wall and shoot them? (the Darwinian evolutionary antidote)

rabeldin
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Posted 07/04/04 - 02:13 PM:	#3
Remember what P. T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute." All we need to do is add the corollary, "It's my job to help evolution along by taking those suckers for every dime they have." Apparently there are a lot of TV advertisers who follow this strategy. Will they succeed in reducing the numbers of the anti-intellectuals? Only time will tell.
Leave no assumption unquestioned.

Gramm
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Posted 07/04/04 - 04:55 PM:	#4
History shows that when a group feels oppressed or otherwise unable to find a place of dignity in a larger community, then it begins to feel dis-enfranchised. Such disenfranchisement, leads to alternate, and often less savoury forms of behaviour. Tragically, it often sets in motion a self-deprecative energy that feeds of its own community. Mr Cosby is understandably frustrated and despairing, but I also wonder to what extent the media plays up such an alledged virus. ( moving to Anthro )
Light is not diminished by being shared. Desiderata

rabeldin
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Posted 07/04/04 - 06:10 PM:	#5
Grammaticus wrote: History shows that when a group feels oppressed or otherwise unable to find a place of dignity in a larger community, then it begins to feel dis-enfranchised. Such disenfranchisement, leads to alternate, and often less savoury forms of behaviour. Tragically, it often sets in motion a self-deprecative energy that feeds of its own community. Mr Cosby is understandably frustrated and despairing, but I also wonder to what extent the media plays up such an alledged virus. ( moving to Anthro ) Cosby is not representative of the group he speaks to. That is exactly the problem. If kids treated their schooling with the seriousness that Cosby did instead of masking their insecurity by dissing intellectualism, that combined effort could make a huge difference in American society. Ghetto kids indulge in a self-destructive play, denying that effort counts for something, pretending that hip-hop, drugs, and sex are all that life allows them. I remember a student who walked into class and announced, "I'm going to flunk this course." To which I responded, "Yep. If you want to, you can."
Leave no assumption unquestioned.

Gramm
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Posted 07/04/04 - 07:59 PM:	#6
rabeldin wrote: Ghetto kids indulge in a self-destructive play, denying that effort counts for something, pretending that hip-hop, drugs, and sex are all that life allows them. It's really sad. A couple of thoughts also come to mind. I don't understand why America seems to have an aversion to inner cities? Other areas such as Europe seem to be constantly re-inventing, restorign and loving their city centres. Where I live, the most expensive parts are always the closest to the centre of the capital. Those who are ghetto-ed in Australia, are often stranded in dormitory suburbs 50 or 60 miles away from capital centres. They have all the basic amenities etc, but great employment problems, exacerbated by drug-use and a neglected education sector. Gramm.
Light is not diminished by being shared. Desiderata

iamtheoverman
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Posted 07/05/04 - 06:10 PM:	#7
its not just the black community its also middle class white americans; notice how 90% or the males and females within their respective sexes look like an autonomous mass
Nietzsche gives me the hots. -z00mz Sometimes Truth is Stranger than Fiction! - Bad Religion I saw my boots and my hair as reflected in the mirror; revealed a streetkid named desire... -Bad Religion

Gramm
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Posted 07/05/04 - 07:09 PM:	#8
I suspect the difference between middle class white kids and poor black/hispanic kids, is one of economic choice. In the case of many of the white kids..they are mostly "acting out" or mimicing a rebel stance. But because they are relatively well off, they eventually tire of it and move on to other things... In other words they have an economic escape clause built into their choices. In contrast, it appears that many of the dispossessed di-enfranchised black/ hispanic kids have little economic alternative. That isn't an excuse for the consequent behaviours, but just my perpective on the matter. Gramm.
Light is not diminished by being shared. Desiderata

iamtheoverman
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Posted 07/06/04 - 07:49 PM:	#9
the thing is they arent acting out of rebellion, but of ultra-conformity. Unless conforming is the "new" rebellion. Anti-intellectual; they regurgitate the minimum amount of facts tossed at them by a school. Lacking ambition all they do is complain about their position in life without doing anything to change it. Ask any kid this basic question, "what do you like to do" you'll either hear one of two things 1) "i dont know" or 2) goto movies go out with friends and listen to music.; 90% of kids 10 to 24 years old will say this
Nietzsche gives me the hots. -z00mz Sometimes Truth is Stranger than Fiction! - Bad Religion I saw my boots and my hair as reflected in the mirror; revealed a streetkid named desire... -Bad Religion

TheDave
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Posted 07/10/04 - 10:40 PM:	#10
Ask any kid this basic question, "what do you like to do" you'll either hear one of two things 1) "i dont know" or 2) goto movies go out with friends and listen to music.; 90% of kids 10 to 24 years old will say this Really? that seems to be a little pesimistic, and I am rather doubtful of such statistic. Where did that come from? More importantly however, I would like to point out that such behaviors by blacks/hispanics are widely encouraged in entertainment and other media. Go listen to a rap album, its lyrics praise the negative sexual and drug behaviors. Secondly, while economic difficulties might have some effect, Bill Cosby is a great example that such barriers can be overcome. I am personally aware of a large number of well off white kids who have tremendous problems with drugs, etc. Such behaviors are no longer limited to ghettos. And a special note to gramm: Many american cities do treasure thier city centers, Downtowns, and Old Neighborhoods are the ones that come to mind. These places are cherished, some a bit more then others, but actual ghettos are not generally found in these centers. The difference is that America itself is different than a European style nation. Our city centers don't have 400+ year old buildings, because they haven't been around as long, and our history is quite different. Also, cities in America seem to have more room to grow on average. Our treasures are just a little more spaced out.

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