'Thug Spirituality' Must Give Way to 'Achiever Values,' Scholar Says

The rejection of "thug spirituality" and a corresponding embrace of "achiever values" are critical steps that African-American society must take to stem its continuing cultural crisis, an eminent scholar warned today (March 23) in Washington, DC .

Dr. Carl F. Ellis Jr. made the comments at the headquarters of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, where he gave a presentation titled "The Rise of Nihilism and Loss of Identity: An Analysis of a Cultural Crisis Among African-Americans." Ellis, an African-American, teaches at the Westminster Theological Seminary and is the author of numerous books on African-American culture and religion.

Ellis in his speech asserted that most of the "heroic leaders of the civil rights movement" have become nothing more than "leaders of the civil rights industry," thereby leaving a vacuum subsequently dominated by nihilism - the view that all existence is senseless and which denies that objective truth can be determined. Though "gangster rap" music is not the cause of this "ghetto nihilism," clearly it has become the dominant voice behind the "plunge of African-American culture into 'ghettoization,'" he said

He acknowledged that the issue of cultural deterioration is "something that is concerning a lot of us," but that most people would rather avoid discussing it publicly.

"It's politically incorrect to talk about culture," Ellis said. "I'm sorry. We need to talk about culture."

Ghetto nihilism became pervasive in recent decades, but it emerged gradually, taking place in multiple stages, according to Ellis. The decline of the influence of the African-American church eventually led to ghetto nihilism, he said. Whereas in 1900 the church held great "theological influence" over the community, as a contemporary force it has become more of a "stylistic influence."

"It used to have a handle on cultural issues," he said. But then came mass migration from the rural South to the urban North, followed by a migratory push from the rural South to California .

Ellis pointed out that the resulting clashes were within, and not simply between, cultures. Indeed, the clash often centered among African-Americans embracing different values, which he placed in three subcategories: achiever values, non-achiever values, and criminal/no values.

Achievers put a premium on ambition, hold the view that tomorrow will be better, and value ownership and planning, according to Ellis. Non-achievers lead lives of resignation, hold the view that tomorrow will not be better, and do not value ownership and planning. The criminal/no values segment leads reckless lives, holds the view that tomorrow will never come, and tends to destroy property, he said.

"This phenomenon is not unique to African-Americans," Ellis emphasized. "What sets African-Americans apart is how those segments interacted."

By the 1920s the majority of African-Americans were living in urban, ghetto areas, regardless of social status or ambition, he said. Attempting to place that setting in a humorous, hypothetical context, Ellis added that "it did not matter if you were Condoleezza Rice or Shaneequa and her cousin June Bug."

Leaders in the ghettos emerged, seeking to improve themselves as well as other members of the community. Ellis again placed it in a hypothetical context, saying "Condi Rice knew she would be judged not only by her behavior, but by Shaneequa's behavior."

By the 1960s, despite changes in civil rights laws, some African-Americans "saw no improvements in their lives and became resentful," Ellis said. "They began to say of achievers, 'They're just trying to be white.'

"Now Shaneequa is giving Condi the finger," Ellis added.

He said the achievers began migrating out of the cities. With achievers and other potential leaders virtually gone, the stabilizing forces that once strived to keep communities together had likewise departed.

The black consciousness and "black is beautiful" movements that emerged were very positive and much-needed forces in African-American society, Ellis acknowledged. However, the ensuing attitude that many people took, regardless of behavior, was "If it's black, it's good." This lack of discernment, combined with the growing repudiation of Christianity as a "white-man's religion," further contributed to the rise of ghetto nihilism, Ellis said.

"They were wrong to assert that non-achiever values were as valid as achiever values," according to Ellis.

In the coming decades, gangster rap would emerge as the voice of ghetto nihilism. Whereas achievers saw social justice through the lens of equal justice, the rappers espoused "equal results," Ellis said. Whereas achievers attributed success or lack of success to actions of self, the gangster perspective placed blame on the actions of others. In the realm of gaining respect, achievers saw that you must earn it, while the ghetto nihilist attitude became "demand it," he said.

Ellis said that "dysfunctionality and a lack of core values are not limited to the 'hood,'" pointing out that the "loosening of internal restraints" is a national problem. During the Q&A segment of the presentation, he expressed concern that someday "we're going to have a totalitarian society" if the growing lack of such internal, individual restraints continues unabated.

"It's time for a new movement... where achiever values become preeminent," Ellis exhorted.

Dr. Carl F. Ellis, Jr. "The Rise of Nihilism and Loss of Identity: An Analysis of a Cultural Crisis Among African-Americans." Heritage Foundation, Washington , DC . March 23, 2011 .