04-13-2012, 12:26 AM
It's a fairly old show, and there may be something else wrong with it, but I think we can all agree The Wire is at least much better than normal television, if not the "best show ever" as it has been described.
I've been teaching a class on it and watching it again for the second time and figured some of you all might want to pontificate....
To get things rolling, I'll say,
The Wire matches so well with this book you have to think Simon used it at least as inspiration. The author suggests that "possession of respect - and the credible threat of vengeance - is highly valued for shielding the ordinary person from the interpersonal violence of the street." The idea is that in inner city USA:
violence -> threatening, oppressive environment -> desire for safety -> "respect" -> aggressive, "chip on the shoulder" defense -> violence -> threatening and oppressive environment -> desire for safety -> "respect" -> ....
Sooo... if that is true then is this guy right when he says:
scary young black men -> scared white folks -> keep the brother man down -> scary young black men -> scared white folks -> ...?
Intertwined cycles.
Well, I have a feeling I'm either too drunk to post this, or this is going to have to go into the hidden politics forum, but hey, what the hell? Thoughts?
I've been teaching a class on it and watching it again for the second time and figured some of you all might want to pontificate....
To get things rolling, I'll say,
The Wire matches so well with this book you have to think Simon used it at least as inspiration. The author suggests that "possession of respect - and the credible threat of vengeance - is highly valued for shielding the ordinary person from the interpersonal violence of the street." The idea is that in inner city USA:
violence -> threatening, oppressive environment -> desire for safety -> "respect" -> aggressive, "chip on the shoulder" defense -> violence -> threatening and oppressive environment -> desire for safety -> "respect" -> ....
Sooo... if that is true then is this guy right when he says:
scary young black men -> scared white folks -> keep the brother man down -> scary young black men -> scared white folks -> ...?
Intertwined cycles.
Well, I have a feeling I'm either too drunk to post this, or this is going to have to go into the hidden politics forum, but hey, what the hell? Thoughts?