"Our youth, aren't alien creatures. They came from us.."
Dear friends,
There’s an African proverb that goes, " To live together is to have a common fate." In other words, as a community, in the grand scheme of things, as it were, we need each other, regardless of either physical or social differences.
But if people, in any specific community, share a common fate, then it only seems fair that all parties involved should have a voice in their destiny. Unfortunately, for all of America’s brave words of " freedom and democracy", when do Our children ever experience these lofty ideals, particularly, democracy?
What young people actually feel is that they are controlled, having little or no input, regarding decisions that directly affect their existence. They feel powerless. As a consequence, they become angry and frustrated. Moreover, in their feeling of powerlessness, quite intelligently, they rebel.
Yet, the problem with much of the rebellion of Our youth, particularly, in the inner city, is that young people often protest in ways that are self-destructive, largely due to the types of options available to them.
Even worse, Our responses to anti-social behavior by Our youth are themselves often destructive, counter-productive, and mean-spirited. For example, " zero tolerance" in schools and harsher sentences for youthful offenders may feel good to some, but not even those punishments or " more jobs", for instance, will change the situation, if we ignore the anger and frustration that Our youth must necessarily express in a negative way, if we don’t afford them opportunities to make good choices.
Consequently, it seems that our efforts need to be concentrated on building Our community better from its most basic unit – the non-adult human being. Clearly, if there is one thing that we humans need in the world today, it is community-building skills.
Youth sports, more than anything else is about community building. After all, Our youth have a great deal to learn in order to competently replace us and, in turn, pass adequate knowledge and ability on to those who will follow them.
Sports participation allows young people to resolve the anger, fear, sadness, and frustration which results from their feelings of powerlessness, through the personal strength of positive energy and group support, instead of various expressions of anti-social behavior. Mastering skills in most activities, whether for business or pleasure, requires using energy in a positive way, relying upon inner powers like memory, discipline, focus, and concentration. Activities like sports are no exception.
Finally, Our youth, aren't alien creatures. Rather, they came from us. Their language, and, therefore, their thoughts, along with their actions are all based on behavior inherited from us. They are part of Our community. To paraphrase the great philosopher Kahlil Gibran, " Before one is willing to get rid of an oppressor, s/he must first get rid of the oppressor from within."
Cheers!
G. Djata Bumpus
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Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Capitalism and "Youth Culture"
Dear friends,
Capitalism has been so attractive, because it is, thus far, the only type of economy that has afforded total political freedom to its participants, as workers. That means that a person can "flip the boss a bird", as it were, and walk away, being "free" to find another opportunity for employment. This was certainly not the case in either slave or feudalistic societies. So-called “Socialist” countries do not allow that kind of freedom either, since everyone works for the "State" and, therefore, must work where he or she is assigned, more or less.
The downside of total political freedom for workers within the capitalist political economy is: The "market” then controls all economic and, , social relationships, based upon the notion of "supply and demand", whether for the human commodity - labor, or non-human ones (commodities). Unfortunately, since, the end of World War 1 or so, the "market" has taken control of what we see as culture. As a result, the definition of culture, which historically, has referred to all of the actions by a specific population group, has become anything that the market determines it to be. Consequently, the notions of “youth" culture (clothing, hairstyles, piercing and tattoos, books, magazines with ads sold in them, and so forth), "Hip-hop" culture (drugs, guns, gangs, and so forth), and “gay" culture (weddings, nightclubs, exclusive recreational venues, magazines and newspapers with ads sold in them, and so forth), are, totally, market constructs. Additionally, while there are social constructs like “race” and gender, for example, those social structures were not created for the appetite of the market. Rather, they serve the purpose of establishing social relationships within society itself that will allow it (said society) to last for hundreds or even thousands of years.
The idea that a culture can develop without any connection to the past (except its increased availability of consumables) is a contradiction in terms. Hence, the notion of "youth culture", for example, is designed to exploit the vast and seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm of young people. Yet, it seems, at least, to me, that the energy and courage of Our youth should, actually, serve the purpose of moving society forward - but only under the guidance of that part of society (parents and other elders) that has both the experience and understanding to recognize the values that maintain both Our humanity and spirituality.
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post
Capitalism has been so attractive, because it is, thus far, the only type of economy that has afforded total political freedom to its participants, as workers. That means that a person can "flip the boss a bird", as it were, and walk away, being "free" to find another opportunity for employment. This was certainly not the case in either slave or feudalistic societies. So-called “Socialist” countries do not allow that kind of freedom either, since everyone works for the "State" and, therefore, must work where he or she is assigned, more or less.
The downside of total political freedom for workers within the capitalist political economy is: The "market” then controls all economic and, , social relationships, based upon the notion of "supply and demand", whether for the human commodity - labor, or non-human ones (commodities). Unfortunately, since, the end of World War 1 or so, the "market" has taken control of what we see as culture. As a result, the definition of culture, which historically, has referred to all of the actions by a specific population group, has become anything that the market determines it to be. Consequently, the notions of “youth" culture (clothing, hairstyles, piercing and tattoos, books, magazines with ads sold in them, and so forth), "Hip-hop" culture (drugs, guns, gangs, and so forth), and “gay" culture (weddings, nightclubs, exclusive recreational venues, magazines and newspapers with ads sold in them, and so forth), are, totally, market constructs. Additionally, while there are social constructs like “race” and gender, for example, those social structures were not created for the appetite of the market. Rather, they serve the purpose of establishing social relationships within society itself that will allow it (said society) to last for hundreds or even thousands of years.
The idea that a culture can develop without any connection to the past (except its increased availability of consumables) is a contradiction in terms. Hence, the notion of "youth culture", for example, is designed to exploit the vast and seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm of young people. Yet, it seems, at least, to me, that the energy and courage of Our youth should, actually, serve the purpose of moving society forward - but only under the guidance of that part of society (parents and other elders) that has both the experience and understanding to recognize the values that maintain both Our humanity and spirituality.
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post
Sunday, May 11, 2014
A Happy Mothers' Day salute - for all adult females!!!
"...long live the symmetry of nature, in its never-ending expression of females protecting and nurturing but letting go of their charges, that makes female humans maintain the integrity of all aspects of human existence..."
Dear friends,
Today, not to trivialize the hard work of females who have both born and raised offspring, I must “Holla!” - Happy Mother’s Day!!! –to all females who have mothered other people - whether you birthed them or not, or even other living things that you have mothered like non-human animals, plants. or even causes.
Moreover, long live the symmetry of nature, in its never-ending expression of females protecting and nurturing but letting go of their charges, that makes female humans maintain the integrity of all aspects of human existence - which makes life so worthwhile. On the link below, Will Downing says it best.
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOKmd1mIlw Read full post
Dear friends,
Today, not to trivialize the hard work of females who have both born and raised offspring, I must “Holla!” - Happy Mother’s Day!!! –to all females who have mothered other people - whether you birthed them or not, or even other living things that you have mothered like non-human animals, plants. or even causes.
Moreover, long live the symmetry of nature, in its never-ending expression of females protecting and nurturing but letting go of their charges, that makes female humans maintain the integrity of all aspects of human existence - which makes life so worthwhile. On the link below, Will Downing says it best.
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOKmd1mIlw Read full post
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