The Dionysian Trap

A Poverty of the Mind - New York Times

Not only was living this subculture immensely fulfilling, the boys said, it also brought them a great deal of respect from white youths. This also explains the otherwise puzzling finding by social psychologists that young black men and women tend to have the highest levels of self-esteem of all ethnic groups, and that their self-image is independent of how badly they were doing in school.

I call this the Dionysian trap for young black men. The important thing to note about the subculture that ensnares them is that it is not disconnected from the mainstream culture. To the contrary, it has powerful support from some of America’s largest corporations.

Forwarded to me by my contrarian friend Nick.

Related posts:

• Heading for that Saigon moment
• Beyond “Shock and Awe” — Harlan Ullman
• Blackwater USA Unveils Black Airships