11.07.2008

Will There be an "Acting Obama" Effect?

Interesting article. Here's an excerpt:

"For years, some scholars (including Roland Fryer) have argued that one factor in the black-white education gap is the “acting white” phenomenon, in which some students, as Fryer and David Austen-Smith wrote:
… have tremendous disincentives to invest in particular behaviors (i.e., education, ballet, etc.) due to the fact that they may be deemed a person who is trying to act like a white person (a k a “selling-out”). Such a label, in some neighborhoods, can carry penalties that range from being deemed a social outcast, to being beaten or killed.
If you believe in the “acting white” effect — not everyone does — then should you also believe in the potential of an “acting Obama” effect? That is, if “acting white” means that certain kinds of accomplishment are considered off-limits by certain kinds of black kids, will the fact that a black man (O.K., a mixed-race man) is now president of the United States change the perception of what it means to be accomplished, and what it means to be black?"

Check out some of the comments and let us know what you think?

4 comments:

uglyblackjohn November 7, 2008 at 6:54 PM  

The effect doesn't have to have a direct effect on all Blacks.
The effect only has to be a few percentage points. The (very profitable) gaming industry is based on odds only 3-8% in it's favor.
But what do we do with the new 6% improvement? Do we leave them in poor areas to elevate the rest of the population (but holding them back from their personal potential). Do we let this new group assimilate into a more broad based culture (which lowers the old area's standard). This is a common delema with taking high performing children and placing them in better schools.

Which effect is more desirable?

RiPPa November 8, 2008 at 12:44 AM  

I dunno if this will be a factor that changes the game. I say that because we've been the "keepin it real" collective with a few of us who dare to be "different sprinkled here and there.

However, I do believe that we'll see a rise in interracial couples because of Obama. Yup, more white women will now make the black man more vogue than ever before.

clnmike November 8, 2008 at 5:41 PM  

I think his election will change the attitude kids have about academic achievment, the question though is will they have the tools to achieve it.

Unknown November 12, 2008 at 9:04 PM  

Acting white? Reminds me of something my bootleg cousins used to say about my oldest son. I've always been a fanatic about correct grammar (Thanks Mother). So, it goes without saying that I've raised my kids to speak with phonetic and grammatical correctness. When my cousins would come around they would always say..."Oh wee...he sound like a white boy". Talk about pissing a sister off. My question would be.."and how do white boys sound?"....Talk about clearing a room!

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