The Cultural Matrix Analysis

Adversity is commonplace for black youth in the inner city. In Patterson’s The Cultural Matrix, there are a plethora of examples that express these various facets of hardship and differentiate the institutional blockades from the cultural obstacles. To start, African Americans have never had a fair chance for success in the United States. From colonial chattel slavery to the era of Jim Crowe to the contemporary use of mass incarceration, there are always regulations in place to keep the black population from prospering. These institutional problems that black youth face today encompass police brutality and litigation, our discriminatory capitalist economy and educational system. All these barriers intersect to form an overall mountain of

As in Small’s lecture slides, the rules of the street revolve around the three R’s (respect, retaliation and reputation). Often times black youths have to engage in conflict to build respect or a reputation that will ensure future safety. However, it is easy to get caught up in this world and no think about future success with the allure of drugs and violence. In chapter six of the cultural matrix, Patterson describes how most youths in the inner city have had friends or family shot in front of them. This culture of fear instills values that promote survival but may not promote stable finical success as would the values instilled in a white suburb. There are the injunctive norms that both communities can understand but there are in turn the descriptive norms of how to behave that ensure

Patterson examples the concrete aspects of masculinity in which males don 't want to be perceived as “wearing a skirt”. Anything from negative glances to bumps in the hallway or verbal harassment can turn into physical altercations. On one hand, not engaging can lead to future bullying whereas fights can prevent future incidents but results in legal or physical damages. Either option does not pose a full proof plan of survival. The same principles apply to back girls. Whether they are fighters or good girls, there are no true ways to avoid conflict in their environments. Often times joining a gang can seem enticing but again this also creates more enemies. For many black youths trust is a major component of their lives. When they have no figures they can look up to or friends that are not going to betray them, their whole world view is skewed. Ultimately they believe they can only trust family ergo the “FOE” motto came