Knowledge is power. This is a statement that we all have heard and even seen throughout our generation. For many American males, this statement is not relevant to their lifestyles. They believe they can earn a better living working the illegal drug markets of America. We call them drug dealers, or those in our society, who are too lazy to get a job like every other normal decent American. BEFORE we pass quick judgement, we must first ask the question. What will cause a person to put their life in jeopardy everyday? Is it to provide food for their families? Keep up with the new trends? Can it be respect, or is it just because they are too lazy to get a minimum wage job?

In today's society, it has been said that education is the number one factor that can lift a person our of poverty. I believe this is very true and I can see how the lack of knowledge and education, causes certain members in our society to shut down and accept their current situations as the norm. One of the main arguments made by Paulo Freire author of Pedagogy of The Oppressed states, "One of the basic elements of the relationship between the oppressor and oppressed is prescription. Every prescription represents the imposition of one individuals choice upon another, transforming the consciousness of the person prescribed to, into one that conforms to the prescribers consciousness." This basically means that the way those who are oppressed act, is exactly how their oppressor wants them to act.

I agree with Freire's on this argument, that the behaviour of the oppressed is a learned behavior taught to them by the oppressor. For example, let's take the drug dealers mindset into account. If he knows that he will be put in jail if caught selling drugs in America, why continue to do it? Is it for the rush? I believe it goes deeper than the human characteristic of laziness. We all have tried in some way to keep up with the trends. However, keeping up with the trends doesn't fully answer the question, if the drug dealer knows he will be put in jail if caught selling drugs, why continue to do it? Maybe it's the media. Maybe the drug dealers are only trying to imitate the lifestyles of the rich and famous which they see on the television. In some way shape of form, we are all guilty with trying to keep up with the Jones'. It can be, having the newest cell phone technology available in  our hands, Jordan brand clothing on our feet, being behind the wheel of a new car, or any product associated with looking successful in our society.

Another main argument made by Paulo Friere is that when a certain group is oppressed, "Their vision of the new man or woman is individualistic; because of their identification with the oppressor: they have no consciousness of themselves as persons or as members of an oppressed class." This statement to me answers the question, if the drug dealer knows that he will be put in jail if caught selling drugs, why continue to do it?

I believe the oppressed drug dealer begins to be the oppressor of the drug addicts. The drug dealer will much rather feel like the oppressor than the oppressed. In a society, in which the best a person with dependents can do working a full-time minimum wage job is live in poverty. According to the Census Bureau's definition of poverty for a family of four (two adults, two children) was $23,050 in the year of 2012. A single person is considered to be poor if his/her income is $11,702 annually. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Even if a minimum wage worker works full-time, they would only earn $15,080 annually. This goes to show that if a person with children decides to work a minimum wage job for  a living, they have already decided to live in poverty. Unless of course, if he/she gets an education, which is the number one factor for a person to rise out of poverty. I agree strongly that education is the key factor in getting out of poverty. So, instead of going to college to get a good education, why will drug dealers jeopardize their life and take their chances in the drug market?

As I stated from Friere earlier, "One of the basic elements of the relationship between oppressor and oppressed is prescription." Prescription is the learned behavior of a group of oppressed individuals. During slavery in America, one can say the prescription for those in slavery was to be illiterate. Many slaves were even killed if they were caught reading or trying to learn how to read. Now when I say learn how to read, I'm also referring to the ability to comprehend. I cannot assume that the inability to read is the underlining reason why many American males choose to make a living selling drugs rather than with an education. HOWEVER, I will say it's a major prescription handed down from the doctors of oppression.

Intercultural communication is the interaction between people whose cultural perceptions and symbol systems are distinct enough to alter the communication event. The media have shaped the society in which we live today in a major way. Oppression can exist in many different forms just as slavery can. Susan Angel, author of Radio writes back: Challenging media stereotypes of race and identity states, "Fixing identity and relying on stereotypes is inherent in a range of media practices associated with the assemblage of normative information. The need for quick descriptions for time dependent news stories often leads to stereotypes being adopted as 'labels' which function to familiarize an audience with a subject. In doing so they also reduce the complexity of the subject."

Andrea Hurst author of "This White 'I': The Reciprocal Shame of Oppressors and the Oppressed" states, "Fundamentally, Vice (326-329) argues, being white reflects 'who one is', and since there is no white privilege without its co-constituting underside, racial oppression, to be white is 'to be a person whose welfare is dependent upon harm to others'. This supports Freire's argument, "As the oppressors dehumanize others and violate their rights, they themselves also become dehumanized."

One of my favorite quotes comes from the great Frederick Douglas, "Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave." However, slavery can exist in many different forms. I believe, physical slavery required those who were enslaved to be provided with a place to live and with food to eat. On the contrary, economical slavery requires those who are enslaved, to provide food and shelter for themselves. This is why I feel knowledge and education is the key to unlock the doors of opportunity, even if our economy is in a slump. In my own opinion, the minimum wage job market of America is just another form of slavery. The lack of knowledge and education almost guarantees that a person with children will have to work a minimum wage job and live under the poverty line. Unless of course, someone has a great gift in sports, music, etc. Even with a great gift, a person still needs to have knowledge and education in order to ensure no one takes advantage of their talent. So, in order for Americans males to earn a decent and respectable living, it's either, get an education, or take your chances in the illegal drug markets.

The lack of jobs available is another key factor why so many males turn into drug dealers in our society. With the lack of jobs hiring, many males feel the need to sell drugs in order to provide for their families. Some may actually prefer to work a minimum wage job rather than sell drugs, but may not be able to find work due to the recession or felonies and then turn to selling drugs. According to J.L. Fitzgerald, "Qualitative accounts, can provide more situated explanations fo the relationships between determinants and drug use outcomes (Bourgois, 1995; Maher, 2000; Ratner, 1992, Rhodes et al., 2003; Ria" no-Alcala, 2006). One of the best known recent ethnographies to make the connection between socio-economic life and drug use is "In search of respect" (Bourgois 1995). For the young people in Bourgois' study, participation in the illegal drug market could confer the respect that they could not obtain when working in the legal labor market. At the same time, participation in the illegal drug market increased the risk of violence, incarceration and negative health outcomes."

By Jhue M. Kelly III

 

 

 

Bibliography:

Angel, Susan. "Radio writes back: Challenging media stereotypes of race and identity." Pacific Journalism Review 14 (2) 2008 129.

Fitzgeral, J.L. "Mapping the experience of drug dealing risk environments," International Journal of Drug Policy 20 October 2009; 261-269

Hurst, Andrea. "This White 'I' : "The Reciprocal Shame of the Oppressor and the Oppressed" Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Vice, S. 2010. 'How do I live in this strange place?' Journal of Social Philosophy 41 (3), 323-342.

Freire, Paulo. "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" New York:Continuum. (Ch. 1). 1997, 28-29

Amadeo, Kimberly. "Federal Poverty Line". US Economy About.com. 2013 Web. Feb. 26m 2013.