12,445 Abibisika (Black Gold) Points

Rank: Unranked Obibini

“If the existing structural conditions contribute to expectations of poverty for an individual and s/he is, in fact, poor, s/he may fatalistically accept his/her condition. Believing that things cannot be changed, such individuals are unlikely to challenge the social order. Fatalistic attributions can occur among African-Americans because, as a group, we have experienced generations of oppression in the united states. When individuals believe that their subordinate condition is inherent in the order of the society, they may withdraw from what they consider to be a useless pursuit of social mobility.
Thus, in either case, prosperity or poverty, if the existing social order and its structural conditions are not challenged, the social order and its power relations are perpetuated. Consequently, the motivation to challenge the social order does not develop for two reasons. The first is because of the congruence between the individual’s social expectations and the quality of life s/he is experiencing. The second is because of the individual’s belief that the existing social order and its structural conditions should not or cannot be changed.” – Mwalimu J. Shujaa from the book “Too much schooling, Too little education; a paradox of Black life in white societies” 3 years ago ·