Why do black people tend to underachieve in Western societies?

Question

The odd successful black person does not negate my observation. statistically black people underachieve compared with white people in both the USA and the UK.

Why don't other minorities in general tend to have this problem. I think a lot of it has to do with poor family structures, absent father, single mother etc.

I also think a lot of people who are answering are using excuses.

As I said a lot of the answers are IMO just excuses. I do not believe that "low self esteem" passes from generation to generation. How long does it take for goodness sake to break free of this. You are a different person to your father. You can fashion your own destiny. Stop looking back and making excuses. Just get on with being successful. And if anyone wants to know I have "black" genetic heritage.

I do wish Condoleeza Rice does become the US President. I only hope the rest of African Americans can see her as a role model and see that "thinking white" is not a bad thing - it is in fact the way to material success.

In answer to Take Two, Indians imo are not "black".

Answer 1

black people used to be oppressed. They had to work 3 times as hard to get anywhere. Most gave up and blaimed white society which was true. Problem is that this was handed from generation to generation and the young thought they had no chance in society so they turned to crime.
This has unfortunatly become so ingrained that blacks now mistakenly feel its part of their culture as they feel expression is through music and song. So they feel the only "cool" things to do are play sport, music or being a criminal.
Thing is in todays society black people have never had it so good. Positive descrimination, in their favour is the hiring policy of almost every organisation looking to employ people. now the white's have to be three times as good to get hired, but they dont believe its impossible and they want to succed so they do, just like east asians.

Answer 2

It is only relatively recently that blacks have started to achieve what their white cousins have . For instance there were no black pilots in the Vietnam war. Now there are black people in positions of power. It's an ongoing process in all walks of life. Some black youths think it's cool to be thick. You wouldn't call Condoleeza Rice an underachiever.

Answer 3

Because they are not given the benefit of the doubt and so are not given the chance to prove themselves. The fact that people are prejudice makes it harder for black people to show what they have achieved. But because of the negative view towards black youths 2day many feel that they shouldn't try at school 2 be successful because they think that they are not goin 2 get anywhere in life no matter what they do. So i think that if black youths are given hope, encouragement and are actually shown more succesful black people that are around today, then they would be inspired to achieve something in life, and so they will actually try and do better in school.

Answer 4

I know alot about this and here's why:

1. Instiutional racism - Many jobs in the West are limited by, race, sex, sex orientation, and color. Many of the jobs that blacks get alot have minumum wage, and sometimes are very dangerous.

2. Discrimination - Discrimination will lead to depression and sometimes giving up ones dreams. Thus causing underachievment.

3. Poverty - Many blacks in the US especially live in poverty, those that do tend to be less educated thus limiting success of finding a job.

However, NOT ALL blacks underachieve in Western society, many blacks are models, actors, singers, even businessmen. Some are scientists, politcians,and athletes, it all depends on the individual and their environment. Some have even become household names. (i.e. Martin Luther King Jr.).

Answer 5

Your observation does depend on how you define success.
In the US African Americans are the only minority group that are the descendants of slaves. That must engender a degree of low self-esteem. The education system also serves to emphasise this history of oppression, so that black children aren't aware of their ancestors who are inventors and scientists so they have no role models.

If you are the product of a education system that tells you you are worthless then you start to believe it. Everyone needs role models and it helps if you can relate to that person. I think you underestimate the power of the state.

Answer 6

Because they refuse to take advice from Bill Cosby and other black people who have achieved success.If someone like Condoleeza Rice would go to the inner city, instead of taking advice, the black community would ostracize her for "acting white".Just look how the black community received Cosby when he suggested that they could help themselves.They treated him as though his ideas were completely stupid and "white"

Answer 7

That's no strictly true Indians Have 20,000 Multimillion's. Mital an Indian lives in Hampstead owns largest steel production company in the world. There are thousnads of example I could give you. But you are not interest in the truth. You are out to deride them. Is it possible you are under acheiver yourself and trying to pick on the minorities so you feel good this weekend.go and look in the mirror..

Answer 8

Because everyone expects them to.If a white man makes a mistake it is considered bad luck,an exception to the rule or something that just happened.If a black person does the same mistake ,everyone thinks : he is black ,what do you expect!! It is considered incompetence and underachievement.Personally ,even if they did nothing else as a race ,i could never consider underachievers people who make the greatest music ,have wonder full actors and dance like angels and devils.

Answer 9

black people in america have had to assimilate to western culture. The ancestors were brought over as slaves and considered expendable property. Most other races that immigrate to the western world come with their identities intact, culture and religions and so forth. For instance a lot of other races and cultures can say "My great grand father was Irish, or my great grandmother was Portuguese". For modern blacks in america this information is not available since birth records were not kept for slaves. A person's heritage and identity is sacred and important to fucntion in any society to most people and for most black people, this is one of the things that they don't have. Another example is HUD (housing & urban development) for HUD's 1st 25 years of existence, it was a mandate that a developer could not build homes in a city unless only white people lived in them. This is a fact you can find in a book called "Sundown Towns". So denying a race equal opportunity for housing for 25 years certainly will be a factor in the wealth gap that you see today. These are just a few examples and there are countless others.

Answer 10

Maybe you should ask professor Condoleeza Rice, the next inline as the Republican candidate for the Pesident of America (should she choose to accept it) then she'll team up with koffi annan as the two leaders of the entire world.