My brother, have you “Learned Helplessness?” In the African American community, numerous men today seem to be falling victim to environmental factors and institutionalized concepts that hinder personal development and self-awareness.
Learned helplessness, refers to when a person is conditioned to behave subconsciously in a powerless manner.
This term seems to offer some explanation as to why African-American males tend to lack a level of realization. Which then enables them to take control of a situation, but more importantly themselves.
“The idea of learned helplessness can influence an individual’s level of motivation and sense of self-esteem” said Dr. Derek Wilson, Assistant professor of psychology at Prairie View.
Some female students onPrairie View’s campus say they have witnessed the conditioning process that some adolescent black men endure in their neighborhoods. Junior psychology major Cierra Conway said that she has witnessed young African- American men being told that they are not capable of achieving high standards simply because of the setting where they were reared.
However, does this point to the issue of ‘learned helplessness’ in African-American men?
Wilson makes the assertion that as a result of ‘learned helplessness,’ an individual forfeits his self-worth; therefore, shifting his state of being into an even more dangerous state of disorientation about himself. However, not all African-American men accept the suggestion of learned helplessness and its negative effects.
Dr. Alphonso Keaton, associate professor of biology, said that he doesn’t buy into the idea of ‘learned helplessness.’
He believes a person can achieve whatever they want as long as they release themselves from personal shackles.
Cleveland Lane, lecturer in the biology department, acknowledged the presence of learned helplessness in a different light. He thinks that learned helplessness has created a mental barrier that is difficult for African-American men to overcome, especially in education. Specifically, in the area of math and sciences.
Environmental factors contribute to the cause of learned helplessness. Prairie View student Jeremy Fleeks offers an opinion on the effect of environmental factors by mentioning how a close female friend of his thinks she is unable to attain success because she is of dark complexion.
He says that the American tendency to glorify light complexioned African-Americans has added to her belief that she is unable to further herself not just as a person in America, but in the African-American community.
Biology major Dandre Randall, said that sports may be the best example of learned helplessness in African American men. Randall said, “Black men in sports are a trade, an auction off.” Fleeks said, “Sports for the African-American male is a way out of a desperate situation.”
These statements bring to mind a significant question: Why are there not more black men in ownership positions in sports? If sports are seen as such a major outlet to a better sense of self-worth and success, why not push the black man to be the owner of the team?
Instead of a puppet limited in his actions and movements controlled by the puppeteer who relishes off of his puppets hard work and talents? Some interesting questions to think about. An even better question: My brother, have you “learned helplessness?’