# Young inner-city males and work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103 "2012-08-30T02:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![smokey78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@smokey78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smokey78)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/41 "2012-08-31T01:10:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve know another guy who spends 99% of his time playing video games or making drama with his trashy abusive girlfriend (who has a one year old from another guy). From what I know, he sometimes does some auto repair work, but I’ve never actually heard of him actually going to work. Mostly he seems to hang out at his brother’s house doing drugs or crashing with his girlfriend in some sort of screwed up drama or another. Another guy I know is a bit more ambitious. He’s got all kinds of dreams and is quite intelligent despite dropping out of school, but the reality is that he’s hitting 30, has never worked for more than a month or two in his life waiting tables or working at the docks. Every time he gets a job, he gets bored of it and quits. Last I heard, he was trying to stick as a host at a restaurant long enough to get promoted to waiter. At one point, he was living in a commercial establishment which he had connections to. Mostly he seems to hang out playing video games and dicking around. Guess we’ve seen this in Talented Mr. Ripley. I haven’t gotten strange looks when I go shopping on a weekday. Yet. I have Thursdays off and I work four to five days a week (depending on if I have to come to work on Saturday). In my community there are aerobics classes taught in the middle of a weekday and one time I dropped by to pick up some pamphlets and it was pretty packed with women. I often joke with my friend there is so much congestion in my town (affluent suburb of Houston) during weekdays because of high percentage of stay-at-home mums with professional hubbys (doctors, lawyers, engineers)… ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/42 "2012-08-31T01:36:47Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > No shit. Lazy yoga bitches. You killing me today. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/43 "2012-08-31T01:56:47Z")
All I know is that there’s nothing scarier to some white folk than a block full of black guys hanging out on stoops, just smoking and talking. I once worked with a girl who went out of her way every day to avoid driving down streets filled with young men. This was Newark, NJ and we worked downtown. It must have taken her hours to get home everyday. I understand that slothful-looking youths can be intimidating, especially if you’re a woman. It’s not totally irrational to be wary. But I dunno. Seems to me that the more people in an area, the safer you’d feel. Even if they are just loafing around, what are the chances that all of them are sociopathic, blood-thirsty murderers? I’d be more afraid of being on an empty street than one full of people. Of course, when I shared this with her, I was informed that I only felt this way because I was black. Whatever. It’s not like black people in general have qualms about victimizing other black people. But whatever, scared white girl. Just get your yoga mat and get out my face. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/44 "2012-08-31T02:07:26Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > There are guys willing to live on 10k a month if it means not working, and there are guys (and gals) willing to live on 1k a month if it means not working. Why is one somehow worse than the other? Willing to live on 10K a month?!? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/45 "2012-08-31T02:27:43Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Many young black males do not work. **“Lack of job opportunities” doesn’t have much to do with it.** The don’t work for the following reasons: > > 1. Many have criminal records, and **no one will hire them.** (emphasis added) How fucking stupid must one be to contradict oneself in the first bullet point one gives? ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/46 "2012-08-31T03:45:33Z")
Pretty fucking. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/47 "2012-08-31T17:27:29Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > (emphasis added) > > How fucking stupid must one be to contradict oneself in the first bullet point one gives? Perhaps I phrased it incorrectly. There _ **are** _ jobs out there. But many young blacks have chosen to commit crimes and hence no one will hire them. I think the primary issue here is that many do not _want_ to work. From their perspective, why work? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/48 "2012-08-31T17:34:53Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Willing to live on 10K a month?!? Maybe she meant Cameroonian Francs. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/49 "2012-08-31T18:00:27Z")
The book ["Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010](http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Apart-State-America-1960-2010/dp/0307453421)" is a very detailed discussion of the growth of a new lower class. Despite the subtitle, the theories in the book apply across racial lines. Written by the author of “The Bell Curve”, I expect it not likely to be well-received by Liberals (whether or not they have read either book). ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/50 "2012-08-31T18:11:45Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Written by the author of “The Bell Curve”, I expect it not likely to be well-received by Liberals (whether or not they have read either book). That’s okay, because it’s likely to be highly received by conservatives (whether or not they have read either book). ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/51 "2012-08-31T18:19:24Z")
Oh my Lord Jesus! :eek: ETA: mmph mmph mmph ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/52 "2012-08-31T18:19:25Z")
Thank you for your support. BTW, I categorize myself as anarchist/libertarian. And I have read them both. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/53 "2012-08-31T19:31:45Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Maybe she meant Cameroonian Francs. Black, white, brown or yellow, rich poor or middle class, some percentage of society is always going to look at the "work a job you aren’t particularly in love with 40-60 hours a week so that you can come home to a nice house and a secure future’ and think “Ehhhhhh, not for me.” These people generally loaf around, mooch off their parents/significant other/other outside funds, work low-responsibly vanity non-jobs that are a thin cover for hanging out with their friends and hoping to randomly make it big, and sometimes do the odd piece of work or two. The very rich loaf around travelling and making the scene, and work non-jobs such as nightclub owner, promoter, pay-to-play musical artist, amateur venture capitalist or charity dabbler. The middle class loaf around in their parent’s basements or cheapo studio apartments and work non-jobs such as wanna-be writer/artist, 10 o’clock yoga woman, lifestyle coach, housewife, MLM salesperson, house flipper and day trader. The very poor loaf around in apartments packed with family or friends, and work non-jobs such as small time drug dealer, informal home day care, kept woman, etc. So why single these guys out for being lazy, when the whole darn world is full of lazy bums? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/54 "2012-08-31T20:01:46Z")
Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/55 "2012-08-31T20:19:52Z")
To clarify, some of these things are real careers, but can also be non-jobs. The guy who goes to culinary school and takes business classes before starting a gastropub is one thing. The guy who thinks “Hey, I’ll rent that empty building and start a bar. The manager will run the daily stuff and I’ll come in a few hours a night to give free drinks to my friends and hang out with the bands.” is another. I’ve known those guys. They go broke quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/56 "2012-08-31T22:08:51Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > (emphasis added) > > How fucking stupid must one be to contradict oneself in the first bullet point one gives? Let’s lay off the subtle insults in this forum, please. ---
**Author:** ![scratch\_llll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@scratch\_llll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch_llll)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/57 "2012-09-01T03:51:36Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > No shit. Lazy yoga bitches. I can’t help it. I know it’s sexist but my first thought is they are married to guys twenty years their senior who are doctors or Lawyers or business owners or such and have to stay fit so they don’t get dumped and can no longer hang out with their friends and make up things to bitch and have drama about. I’m a bad person aren’t I? My first thought should have been that they all work at a perfume factory yet somehow have all day to screw their way through the neighborhood like in the soaps. Wait. That’s wrong too isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/58 "2012-09-01T19:54:03Z")
Every time I take a day off and see all the people lounging around at outdoor cafes, I also wonder to myself “Don’t these people have jobs?” Then I go have lunch at an outdoor cafe where people walking by think “Doesn’t he have a job?” ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/59 "2012-09-01T20:01:40Z")
> [@scratch\_llll](#): > > I can’t help it. I know it’s sexist but my first thought is they are married to guys twenty years their senior who are doctors or Lawyers or business owners or such and have to stay fit so they don’t get dumped and can no longer hang out with their friends and make up things to bitch and have drama about. > > I’m a bad person aren’t I? My first thought should have been that they all work at a perfume factory yet somehow have all day to screw their way through the neighborhood like in the soaps. Wait. That’s wrong too isn’t it? I also assume they’re either whores, or are spoiled by their parents. These 25 yr old broads aren’t independently wealthy. I sometimes forget that some folks aren’t like me. I went on a mini-vacation last week, and all during the day with my my friend and her friends, we spent all day eating out, riding bikes through the town, enjoying the park, buying shit, doing precisely nothing productive. How do all these people have nothing but time? Oh, their rent is paid by everybody but them. WTF? Get a job, you lazy assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103/60 "2012-09-01T20:05:11Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > No shit. Lazy yoga bitches. Upper-middle-class to upper-class white women, with “work-life balanced” jobs and a capacious sense of entitlement … They are called lululemons. Or lulus, for short. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/young-inner-city-males-and-work/633103.md?page=4)