With all this talk about streets in the recent political debates, I think it’s time for a person with mad experience helping young adults off the streets to weigh in on the current economic situation. The advice that I’m offering is the same I offer to youth.
1. Let go of (Wall) Street Values
The sole focus of corporate structures on excessive profits is one of the main reasons why this problem is so prominent in the first place. It’s called the Fast Money Disease, or perhaps you may recognize it a little better as something called Dividends and Bonuses. Power driven executives are often the recipients of these perks while those employees stuck a little lower on the totem pole suffer the same crushing effects that the common folk are dealing with. That’s not business, it’s robbery. The primary mission of a corporation should be the uplifting of society and the community it operates in, not the maximization of profits. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you shouldn’t make that money, I’m saying do it legally and ethically.
2. Stop Hanging with the Knuckleheads.
Straight to the point! You’ve got a bad case of negative people connection (NPC), and that’s going to lead you absolutely nowhere. The old saying, “Tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell you who you are,” isn’t just a myth. The company you keep not only reflects on you, you start to assimilate to it if you stay in it long enough. Who do you hang with? Are they a good or bad influence? If your answer is the latter, you need to invest in a new peer group. Start with the positive people in your community, elect them into positions that can help make a difference, like your Board of Directors or the Federal Reserve Board.
3. Fight Fast Money Disease (FMD)
I know you got it. Everyone knows. Look what you’ve done did. C’mon you know quick money is no money. The problem is that you were going after that quick money and got caught up. Now, if the Feds were on you like a local brother on the corner over a bag of weed, you would have something to think about, and I would have something to stand on. In the real world of the streets you lose your life, freedom or future economic opportunity over FMD. Breaking it all the way down, you either die, go to jail, or get so messed up with legal fees, restitution, fines and a record, that future success becomes a difficult if not impossible task. You might think you’re immune, but I suggest you watch your back. I heard the FBI is looking out and I think a lot of people are ready to snitch.
4. Hustling is an Addiction
Once you get caught up in the game it is hard to get out of the game. Most dealers are addicted not because of the money they make (the majority still live with their mothers), it is the addiction to hustling, that fast life, that gets you. Are you addicted to the economic profits of the stock hustle? Apparently so. Let me be the one to tell you that you need to get help now. This road is a no-win situation with a short lifespan. After all, how many successful retired hustlers do you know? Oops don’t answer that!
5. You got my Back; I got Yours
In the streets, if someone gets your back then it goes without saying that you’ve got theirs. America, for whatever reason, backed you up with over 750 billion. The question is, will you ever have theirs? In the streets you know what people are willing to do when they are disrespected, so what do you think America will do to you when you disrespect them (like you haven’t already)? With an over 750 billion dollar bailout, you better make sure you do the right thing.
Please don’t take this the wrong way. On the street there’s a saying that goes, “If you’re not trying to help the struggle; don’t knock the hustle.” Since my tax dollars went to help your struggle; I guess a little knocking is appropriate.
October 20, 2008 at 11:22 am
Greet comments as usual Ed. Miss talking with you! It would be good to catch up. Let me know if you would like set a phone date and let’s make it happen.
Regarding your comments, I think many youth programs inadvertently contribute to this issue by not talking about the messages of greed, accumulation of wealth and materialism that are rampant in youth culture and overall in the media. When I was growing up greed was considered a bad social value and now it is highly respected. Wall street is the perfect example of this. My dad used to say being rich is not a sin but it may not be a virtue either, it’s how you earn and use your money that really counts. In other words it’s not wrong to be rich but how did you get there and what good is coming from it?
I’ve often thought that if we have a minimum wage why can’t we have a maximum wage? People earning obscene amounts of money would be taxed at a level that would be a disincentive to pursuing that kind of wealth. This is not an impossible idea. Obama’s tax strategy is a move in this direction.
Many youth programs use financial incentives and while I think they have a place I would like to see publlic recognition and praise used more as an incentive as well. Youth programs should have the pictures up and special eevents recognizing youth that are the best at cross cultural communication with youth of other ethnic or cultural backgrouns, youth that help seniors, youth that volunteer in community and faith based organizations and those youth that are great at building teamwork. These youth often go unrecognized.
At the heart of much of this greed is an individualistic ethic that promotes individuality over community. Youth programs need to identify youth that are contributing to the develoment of others and make sure that becomes of value. The program participant that earns the incentive may be best at doing something for themselves and this is not a bad thing, but does the participant that helps others get any recognition or rewards? That would be an even better thing in my view.