This was a very interesting chapter. From Sudhir Venkatesh's observations while living amongst the drug dealing gang in Chicago, an amazing amount of fascinating data was amassed that tells about the crack dealing life and why so many young people in the projects adopt it as their livelihood. I would not have thought that crack dealing organizations were structured in any way similar to large corporations, but Venkatesh's data shows how a crack gang works pretty much like the standard capitalist enterprise: you have to be near the top of the pyramid to make a big wage. Most crack dealers get into the business at a great deal of sacrifice, earning around $3.30/hr., far below the minimum wage. This is a staggering number when you consider the chance of being killed is 1 in 4. Furthermore, they take other jobs that actually pay minimum wage to supplement their meager, illicit income. Why do they do this? Because they are aiming for the top spot; where the head of a drug dealing organization can earn a six-figure salary, just like the CEO of a major corporation.
One can't help but wonder why these people would even think about taking this job. What I like most about this book is how it gives the story behind statistics. We know about crime rates, poverty rates, the poor quality of education in some places and the rate of high school drop-outs, but the numbers are only used to report on the status of the situation. The authors of this book believe the numbers are descriptive in themselves, and in this chapter they posit a formidable theory for why crack dealing persists despite the dangers involved and the low pay. They explain that dealers see the sacrifice as worthwhile if they can have an opportunity to be at the top of the game to enjoy the glamor and glitz that the leader of the gang has. And it is a goal that is highly sought after because there are not enough street corners to be occupied by all the drug dealers out there.
This is certainly not limited to crack dealing. The book compares this to the situation of a high school quarterback who practices and trains for countless hours to be in the NFL someday. Similarly, one might ask why a business student would take a non-paying internship and why a young attorney fresh out of law school will work on cases for the firm partners for 90 hours a week while the partners are out on the golf course. But despite the fact that these are legitimate, reputable jobs, the answer is the same; they are doing it for the opportunity to be CEO of that company or partner in that law firm someday.
This chapter demonstrates that you cannot believe conventional wisdom. Crack dealers don't take the job, as many believe, because the minimum wage is too low and crime is the only way to earn a living. Crack dealing pays lower than the minimum wage. The reason for something is not always the most obvious, and in this case it took someone to get on the inside and gather information for several years to explain why crack dealing is so prevalent in the projects.
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4 comments:
Gabe,
Your comments are very insightful! I often wonder about people that put their eggs all in one basket (i.e. the quarterback that focuses so much on making it to the NFL, that he disregards his education (or gets a college degree while still struggling to read)). I think with lawyers it is a bit different. Often times, it appears that as long as you put your time into the firm, you will make partner in 7-8 years. You will have to start bringing in clients, but that starts happening once relationships are built. I agree that everyone does work the longer hours and put in more effort in hopes of making it "to the top." I just think that drug dealers and athletes have less of a chance of making it to the top than other professions.
I could not agree more with your thoughts Bobby. I just responded to John's blog and said similar things. With athelets at least many do it because it is their passion, but with drug dealers they are doing it becuse they want to be the top guy. Like you said Bobby, it is putting all of your eggs into one basket. At least with aiming to be partner it is a realistic goal. Aiming to move up in crack dealing with a death rate of 1 in 4... chances are it will never happen and in fact they would probably die first.
Gabe,
I like your comments regarding a young lawyer making partner. I have seen it firsthand in the law firm that I work at how many hours an associate has to put it to achieve "partner" status. These associates spend 80-90 hours a week at the office or in court usually to the detriment of their home life. But they do this by choice and for the possilibity of greener pastures, i.e. "partner." Drug dealers, on the other hand, cannot be said to always be doing what they are doing by choice. Just a little food for thought...
The point of the whole book is to think critically about situations and not always believe the most obvious of conclusions. It seems crack dealers have their mind set that they want to be crack dealers and nothing else. They have tunnel vision and think this is the only thing they want to do or the only thing they can do. As I mentioned in another book members blog, if mentors were given to kids that dealt crack to lead them on a better track, these kids may see the light and try to get an education and work toward a real career.
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