The central meme that will define Vick’s circumstance is a simple one.
He didn’t leave the hood in the hood. People make the same argument about Pacman, and used to make the same argument about AI.
But here’s the thing. While there is a set of geographical markers that distinguish Detroit/Baltimore’s East Side (or Chicago’s South Side, or Saint Louis’ North Side) from its West/North side, even within this place there’s a whole lot of stuff going on. Even within one thin demographic slice you’ve got hustlers, workers, intellectuals, artisans, etc. And even within the straight up criminal class you’ve got people who understand the value of discretion, who know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. People who might not be able to tell you how to allot your 401K, but can tell you within a minute of meeting someone whether that person is trustworthy. Can give you both strategic and tactical advice about how to negotiate a given situation with a minimal use of rhetorical/physical violence.
The question then isn’t why Vick “didn’t let the hood go.” Because the “hood” contains as many different characters and character types as any other place that we might find on a map.
For me the interesting thing is how cultural adaptations shape and become part of our cognitive architecture. As you’ve stated the tools that can help someone navigate one landscape may be deleterious in another context. There is no reason to believe that people are hardwired to be a certain way or that all particular modes of being or thinking are inherently better or worse. Moving to a different neighborhood and material prosperity are not enough to alter the tools for living and making sense of the world that we carry with us. In the case of Vick his tolerance for brutality likely helped him on the football field as much as it led him to engage in savage amusement at the expense of dogs.
Just like the focus, intensity, and dedication needed to strap oneself to the top of a bomb (as astronauts do) come in handy when plotting to kill a competitor for the affections of a possible lover….
Exactly. These elements are two sided. The trick is how do we increase the array of assets that folks from the ‘hood internalize and draw upon?
Is it possible to exist in both worlds?when its evident that there are different sets of skills necessary,and are the skills transferable?
How effin timely! I just read bloggrrl.com and her success tips from gangs/gangsters. The grrl is on time with her comments!
I agree that the question is not why Vick did not let the hood go. The question for me, is why Vic did not take the lessons of the hood and apply them to his enterprise, his thinking, and his life?
There are great lessons in the so-called hood that transcend ‘the hood’ and are applied readily in Machivellian style within the corporate structure.
Vick thought because of his fame & money (props in the hood) he was part of the culture of impunity. NOT!
Adrienne Zurub
Author
‘Notes From the MotherShip ~ The Naked Invisibles’ due out November 2007
http://adriennezurub.typepad.com
It is incredible that we as Americans are willing to come to the defense of DOGS (pit-bulls at that!)to essentially teach a ‘multi-million’ dollar sports figure a lesson!
The media (and Vick) have ruin his career and livihood for the sake of pit bulls which most city kennels will euthanize in the blink of an eye.
Consider:
Iraqi women and children die every day at the hands of our government.
Israel practices apartheid with the Palestinians
Children in the ‘hood’ are deemed disposable and treated accordingly.
Yet, we are distracted by dog fights.
I do not condone Vick’s actions in any sense. I just noticed the incredulousness of the situations I presented.
Adrienne Zurub
http://adriennezurub.typepad.com
Adrienne,
excellent points indeed. I agree and am surprised by how we can be so desensitized to the suffering of human beings within the country and around the world and yet stark raving mad over the Vick case.
(p.s. I think causing that kid of harm to any of God’s creatures for sport is pretty gross).
the story is less about vick but his “enablers”. flat out, a lot of white men have made a ton of money off of vick’s abilities, he is/was an investment since high school. word from my uncle in va is that ai was just as good at qb but got no play because he was alledgedly too short (note: ai plays bball like a football player).
but back to the point, people were dhunting attention away, insulating, and coddling vick, who’s been into this and other stuff for years. i think he recognized and benefitted from playing the game. but something happened and his “white fathers” pulled their support/buffering/insulation. did they all think he was past his prime? did he disrespect the wrong white man? there’s much more to this than a brotha killin’ dogs.