“In other words, the question, “What can we produce with our cultural capital?” is designed to motivate Black America to see that we are potentially on a road to decline and possibly extinction. If we can produce little else than entertainment services, and if the nation and world economy with which we transact reach a point of no demand for our entertainment services, then how can we justify and support our existence?”

                                                                                                                                                                                                            – B.B. Robinson

This excerpt is from an amazing article I read today. I was so inspired by  B.B Robinson’s theory that it prompted me to share this information with you, my readers. This article in a nutshell points out that the Black American culture would benefit from focusing less on sports and entertainment careers and more on finding a sustainable way to produce in society. He also implies that if the cultural capital of  Black America has the knowledge and capacity to only produce a certain good or service, then as new goods or services come about, Black America would have a difficult time trying to catch up as the world progresses; thus, leaving the culture feeling left behind.

If we look at the culture as a whole, we tend to idolize musicians that glorify meaningless sex, drugs/alcohol and crime, and athletes whose entire career could end with one injury; also, their physical abilities begin to decline after age 26. While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to explore career options in the arts or sports, I do believe that we need to adjust the emphasis we put towards it.

With the world moving faster and faster into automation, science and technology, before we know it, the music industry may not be as lucrative of a career for the actual artist as it is today if we’re not savvy enough to keep up with technical demands. Sports on the other hand, in my opinion, is a timeless form of entertainment so I personally don’t see a decline in the industry; but with American football and basketball being the top two sports with the most injuries and knowing that Black Americans dominate both sports, that’s reason enough de-emphasize the industry.

Some might disagree and say that there are plenty of successful Black Americans contributing to society in ways outside of entertainment and that is correct! This article also does a great job in pointing out the many that have contributed in non-stereotypical ways like Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist, Dr Ben Carson, a famous surgeon and previous presidential candidate and Madam C.J Walker, an amazing entrepreneur who created and successfully launched her own hair care line just to name a few. But I think we can all agree that the majority have more interest in entertainment. Robinson pointed out that the accomplishments of those that have excelled in these career paths that are less traveled should serve as evidence that it is possible regardless of the cultural environment. Do you all agree that if we do not change the cultural environment, we will no longer be able to justify our existence?