Maybe you just can’t shoot straight.
]]>Think about that for a moment.
What one worships/how one worships are the elements of cult.
And the “what” precedes the “how,” so Christian’s analysis (Ludacris follows the reality) is correct.
The problem is the “what”–which is sex, drugs, murder, and rock’n’roll.
]]>If I had to boil down my post, it would be that Ludacris is a symptom of a corrosive culture, not the cause. Getting rid of him is like treating a cancer patient with ibuprofen. Do I think we’d all be better off if people would constantly listen to The Best of Bread? Sure. Is it going to happen? Not a chance.
I do want to address your comment about suburban white kids that listen to rap, though. I don’t know that those kids even know what a liberal or conservative is. I think they listen to rap because the attitude, swagger, and bragadoccio appeals to them – not because they necessarily like seeing black people demeaned. Listening to rap signals to their peers that they have a little dangerous streak, and that they are “authentic.”
Now, does listening to rap cause white kids to have a lower opinion of blacks? It could be. I honestly don’t know. On the other hand, a lot of rap (old Public Enemy, for instance), deals with fighting for racial equality – which may actually imbue white kids with newfound respect for the “black situation.” All depends, I guess.
This may all be splitting hairs – certainly rap music isn’t going to turn the world into Disneyland. But it really is the second-hand smoke of the culture wars.
]]>I agree with you about “the culture.” But what is “the culture?”
It’s probably an easy 100 things, but Ludacris is one of those 100!
So how does one improve the culture? Shunning and isolating Ludacris would be one thing. Doing the same to another dozen like him would be a dozen things.
A dozen good black role models would be another dozen good things.
Attaching some stigma to having kids out of wedlock would be a huge good thing.
Getting tough with men who knock up women and fail to take responsibility would be another huge good thing.
As for those suburban kids who are probably buying Ludacris CDs: the truth is there is a fair amount of racism about that.
Probably a lot of the kids are liberals and think that this is “authentic black culture” and that they are being “multicultural” somehow.
But the truth is they are getting enjoyment out of seeing black people demeaned.
Cultural change happens when a large number of people decide they will fight to turn this or that “one thing” in the right direction.
Not understanding rational choice theory, they ignore the fact that their sole contribution makes an insignificant difference.
With enough of those people, the culture can turn.
It’s long past due to turn on the racist rappers.
]]>