Chat with Cora Daniels
Author and journalist Cora Daniels chatted with readers on Boston.com on April 25 about "ghetto culture."
Author_Cora_Daniels: Hi, This is Cora Daniels, welcome to the chat...
Author_Cora_Daniels: Any questions, anything on your minds?
Author_Cora_Daniels: Hi all -- this is Boston.com, we are having some technical difficulties. Cora will be online shortly to answer your great questions.
WhaddupGirlfriend__Guest_: Ms Daniels, I've read several reviews and articles about your book and the common theme has you pointing out the problems of mainstreaming "ghetto culture". What do you suggest as a solution?
Author_Cora_Daniels: Hey all, sorry about the delay, excuse any typos as i try to make up for lost time...
Author_Cora_Daniels: The solution I think lies with each one of us, we have to raise our expectations, of ourselves and each other, that is how things that should be acceptable stop being acceptable. I know it doesn't sound like a quick easy fix but this was not a quick decline so is going to take work to dig ourselves back up
Miles_To_Go__Guest_: The fact that this has gone mainstream means it has crossed over racial lines. Do white kids who act and dress' ghetto' ever get credibility among their African-American friends?
Author_Cora_Daniels: The fact that ghetto is mainstream does not get enough attention, this DOES cross race and class lines. In terms of credibility it is considered what is normal -- and that is the scary part. SO they are getting credibility from all sides.
chipperu2: Sorry about that! How would you respond to these people? Why is the word "ghetto" so controversial?
Author_Cora_Daniels: I think that is the difference between academics and journalists. I am a journalist so I did not come up with the word ghetto being used as an adj. This is the word that is used already by our young people, as well as not so young. THis is what is being said behind close doors and in the streets. I am much more concerned with the self destruct mindset and the behaviors than the label will give it. That said we can not forget the history of the history of the word in this country which is what is happening when young folks embrace the word so. And in this country ghetto has been places where poor people of color live. So yes, it is controversial to then use that word to describe such negativity. I agree. I hope that by exposing the mindset for all that it encompasses that not only will we destroy it but destroy the name calling of it too.
malcolm_y__Guest_: I think "ghetto culture" is really just black artists pandering to white suburbanite kids. I mean, 50 Cent admits he swills iced tea from a Hennessy bottle onstage as part of the act. What are your thoughts on this?
Author_Cora_Daniels: Thank you. There is a lot of pandering!!To me that is what makes it ghetto. It is a choice it, these are the images that we are creating and don't forget these are the images that we are imbracing. To me that is part of the proof that this is our mainstream now. And when we are talking about the bar being so low across the board than we have all contributed to that. That is how it got this way. OUr silence is an endorsement of such behavior. And that is also, well, ghetto.
rsb1__Guest_: I'm not entirely convinced that there is a "ghetto culture". "Ghetto" is one aspect of society and I'm not sure having a "ghetto" party differs from having an 80's theme party. What is the problem here?
Author_Cora_Daniels: The difference between 80 theme partss and "ghetto" parties is that ghetto parties are using negative black stereotypes as fun, that is the attraction. at these parties ghetto is synomous with black dysfunction. the fact that too many of us don't see the bigotry in that is why it is so worrisome.
rsb1__Guest_: I'm also not sure that this "ghetto culture" is mainstream. Show up for any respectable job in ghetto wear and see what happens. This issue seems to be a function of people trying to find something to rally against...that's just my opinion though.
Author_Cora_Daniels: your opinion is important. i offer that Martha Stewart on her Thansgiving show last year, proudly boasted to the audience that "she can get ghetto when she needed to." A little closer to home when I was looking for a halloween costume for my toddler I found being sold on the internet pimp and ho halloween costumes...in newborn sizes! This is the era we are living in now.
malkin__Guest_: Cora, when you look at past "ghetto" cultures the jewish , italian, greek ghetto's they seemed to me to be somthing that people lived in because they had to, and aspired to get out of . Has that changed with the present culture.
Author_Cora_Daniels: I live in what in previous generations would indeed label a "ghetto" becaue it is Black neighborhood populated with predominately working class and those at the bottom of the economic ladder. There are still those definitely who want to get out. But if you think of ghetto as a mindset that celebthrates the lowest common denomiator that has gone mainstrean then there is no reason for to aspire for anything better, since the worst has been embraced by all. I see it across all income levels. But those at the bottom are going to be hurt the most by it. Long answer that I hope makes some sense.
z__Guest_: Why is unacceptability of snitching so mainstream?
Author_Cora_Daniels: Because we be ghetto!
Author_Cora_Daniels: Seriously, add it to the list of the bar getting too low. This is not just in the hip hop community though, you see the same thing in police departments and corporate america. I am a business journalist by training so am most familiar with corporate silence. The most important part of your question though is that it is mainstream. Raise our expectations! Demand better!
po_boy__Guest_: How do you make the upper-middle class white people who're enthralled by "ghetto culture" understand that it's no peach? Can we have some high school program where they change diapers while getting robbed at gunpoint? I'm obviously being facetious, but I think you get my point.
Author_Cora_Daniels: Ha ha. I think people need to be held accountable for their actions. They need to honestly feel the repercussions. That is what happened with Imus. That is how you get behavior to change.
Ignorant_Whiteguy__Guest_: Forgive me but, I don't think that this is solely a black issue. Poor whites are also exploited for "humors" sake. The phrase and image of "White Trash" is now common place. In the suburban area where I grew up, somehow white sleeveless cotton t-shirt became commonly referred to as a "wife-beaters".
Author_Cora_Daniels: It is definitely not solely a Black issue. That is what I've been saying, so thank you for, hearing. In my book I make the arguement that this is an American thing. Hence the title Ghetton Nation and the cover which has a picture of uncle sam, although not looking the way that we are used to. If we think this is only a poor Black thing then we are not honestly seeing how large the issue is. It is much easier to point at others and see them as ghetto it is much harder to see it in ourselves. We each have it to different degrees. Some you may be able to see the symptons easier but that doesn't mean we all aren't sick.
z__Guest_: If gun play and violence were not part of the program, wouldn't this generally be just a harmless as the punk culture of the 80's?
Author_Cora_Daniels: but gun play and violence are part of the program, that is the reality that we are in.
Seriously__Guest_: You say that "ghetto" crosses race and class lines, but then you claim that "ghetto parties" are racist. Which is it? You can't have it both ways.
Author_Cora_Daniels: ghetto parties that have been reported are predominately white gatheries...they think ghetto is wearing a prison jumpsuit and drinking a malt liquor on a friday night(which was done at the U. of Chicago.) that has racists overtones too it. I'd say ghetto is a mindset and the fact that they would want to spend their friday night imitating prison culture is ghetto!
maverick__Guest_: Am I correct in understanding that "ghetto culture" in the mainstream is a commercial repackaging of racial sterotypes in a "palatable" and profitable form? Also those purveyors are hiding behind the freedom of expression issue to avoid the responsiblity for furthering racial stereotypes for profit at the expense of the African-American population.
Author_Cora_Daniels: Bravo!
po_boy__Guest_: On the question of "stop snitching" -- shouldn't we expect African-Americans to fear police to a certain degree? I mean, lets face it, police departments in the US haven't traditionally been "fair" or "restrained from using unnecessary deadly force" with the black community.
Author_Cora_Daniels: Of course there are clear reasons why "stop snitching" is understandable, and the fear element is the main one. Just because we understand the very real reasons and isms behind it doesn't mean we need to endorse it though. Do we?
malkin__Guest_: My underlying issue with this culture is that I do not hear ,in the same way that past generations of "ghetto populations" providing a united front by design or by a general feeling that specifically says these things are wrong that all these things that you aspire "the glitz glam and bling" to are misguided and temporary. Where is the strong male voice saying "that guy over there is wrong" I heard it in my neighborhood from a number of adults no just my father.
Author_Cora_Daniels: Where are the strong voices period -- male or female. Our silence is our downfall. You are right there is something missing. There have been lots of questions (too many to get to today) how do we fix it? People do what they think they can get away with, it is natural.Think when you were growing up everyone new how far they could push their parents before getting in trouble. In my house that was not very fall at all. But every kid knows the line. We are a point now where society can get away with a lot. I think we need to start on a very individual basis -- raise our expectation in our own household, our own block, our own community and watch it spread.
boston__Guest_: What about an approach that has supposed "members" of the "ghetto culture" working together to disprove the stereotypes? Rather than embracing self-degrading and offensive practices of a community, lead by example and denounce those conventions. As you mentioned, being responsible for ones actions (and the ramifications of those actions)
Author_Cora_Daniels: just wanted to put "Boston" comment out there because it is a good point.
JDrew__Guest_: I read somewhere on your blog that you try to expose your daughter to a balance of music, including 50 Cent ("because I'm a little ghetto too" - forgive the paraphrase). Do you feel any conflict supporting rap artists like 50 and Nelly whose corporate music celebrates sexism and materialism, when there is so much more meaningful hip hop out there?
Author_Cora_Daniels: I think your memory is a little off. In my book I have admitted to my own ghetto moments. I have also spoken honestly about it. So yes, as a part of hte hip hop generation I have found myself in the car with my daughter bopping my head to the infectious beat when I shouldn't have. I don't think I am alone. And that is the point. Honestly, if ghetto is a mindset that we all are infected with to different degrees than it will be a struggle to break free, something that we need to deliberate think about with each action of our days. Some days it will be easier to others. That is indeed the conflict. But we have to recognize there is a problem first. That is the first step.
Author_Cora_Daniels: There are much too many great comments still waiting to be responded to. Unfortunately I have run out of time. Let me just say Thank You for your thoughts, for your passion, for your time. Hopefully there was something in our chat that made you think. And lets all raise those expectations!