Moving On Up (Socially or Financially)

Cultural maps are maps that are already planned out and given to us since the day we are born. It's either be the same as everyone around you or be the outcast that gets goofed on. If your cultural map is shitty either way your screwed whether it be by your friends and family. Or if it's by having a crappy life. My cultural map I think was to go to school, find a guy that "loves me" and then get pregnant and be screwed for the rest of my life. I'd like to think that I've broken out of that because I don't have any kids. But what about those who can't break out of this ongoing cycle of "cool"? Those who still haven't chosen between the two worlds or those who have and chose to be liked by the people around their neighborhood who aren't going to get them anywhere.

For me the choice was somewhat easier. As a child my mother was very hard on me when it came to school. As a single mother, who hadn't graduated, of four children she knew the struggles of our cultural maps. She wanted me to break this though and she always told me that. As a result of this she made sure I did all my homework and I understood all the material. We didn't live in the best of neighborhoods and all my friends were the class clowns that always got in trouble. She tolerated my choice of friends as long as it didn't affect my grades. As I began to get older however things started changing. She started being more lenient and my grades although still high were slightly slipping. At one point I remember skipping class and thinking who cares if I don't go it's not like I'm going to achieve much in life.

Cultural maps are hard to break. Even when you have support behind you it's always better to be with the people that relate to you the most and for most people, the people they relate to are the ones with the same map. And when you do get out whose to say you won't fall back in?! Nothing is ever guaranteed. So whose to blame for this circle in life? Is it the people who continue making the choices that they know are bad for them? In my opinion it is and isn't their fault. It is their fault because it's not like their completely oblivious to the fact that there is a better life out there for them. They know their are clean ways of making money and bad ways. But then it isn't their fault because they rarely have any other choice than to join in whatever nonsense goes on in their neighborhoods. It's hard to be the outcast in any situation.

In the end it's this struggle to be cool doing whatever it is your cultural map leads you to believe is cool. Whether it's staying in school and going to Harvard or becoming number 1 gang banger in Brooklyn. You are cool because of your surroundings and the way you adapt with situations not because you were born with it.