As much as HN's readers need to see articles like this, I don't know if the sophistication levels on this topic are high enough to handle the discussion that's ensued.
"Or, you know, fathers," is a... disappointing take, to say the least.
"Or, you know, fathers," is a... disappointing take, to say the least.
Yes, "the system" plays a role, but it's dangerous to make it the sole scapegoat. I like the idea of mentorship because it aims to change individuals, not just blame the system.
Black boys could break free from the cycle, if they had the knowledge and know how. And they can get that knowledge and know how by following the examples of mentors who are not trapped.
So when "the system is to blame", part of that is the fact that we so often assign blame to "the system" instead of holding individuals responsible. The part of "the system" worth blaming is the part that puts blame on "the system".