I have been thinking for a while about conditions (both social and economic) under which young black men grow and how these factors affect their abilities to utilize opportunities given to them and how their sense o identity is molded.
When ever i travel i try my best to get an understanding of the conditions, attitudes and economic standing of black people in different countries. I have been fortunate enough to travel to Holland, France,Turkey,America,Spain,Grew up in Ghana,Lived in the UK. In all these countries i have tried to figure out the frame of mind of the Black communities and their economic or social standing.
This is a break down of the varying impressions i had in the different countries.These are generalizations and should be treated us such.I shall naturally begin with Ghana.
Ghana - Black men have the blessing of growing up without an inferiority complex because its a black nation, however mass media portrayal of the west us heaven and a consumer 'bling' culture promoted by hip hop has molded the perceptions of the youth to move away from tradition and embrace anything western.An increase in nationalism due to 50 years of
Independence and qualification of the 2006 world cup has led to a better acceptance of being African and from Ghana.Future Prospects:If more young men stay and develop the country instead of always dreaming of the West us heaven and copying arbitrary cultures that support opposing economic markets (eg multi - million clothing companies vrs local clothing companies),then the brain - drain that is to a large extent voluntary as a result of conditioning to believe that one cannot thrive in Africa with certain specialized degrees or expertise will be reversed. If the nation can fight against the notion of negativity portrayed by western media about Africa and create and promote their own reality through their own media and the internet then the tide can be reversed.
How? - For nations like Ghana changing the frame of minds of people can start with something as simple a creating cartoons by black people for black people and catered to condition black children to believe in themselves. We need to create, reinterpret and re brand our legends and heroes in all sectors of our society. When a nation relies on using something so basic as cartoons from another country to entertain and educate their children then from the onset they condition them to look for more content from that source. We have to be our own source. Do you think GI JOE was created for entertainment (lol) - Go figure - they all have dual purposes.
