Why does everyone want to be gangsters? From gladiators to mobsters, throughout history there has always been an attraction to being the tough guy. Girls love them, mothers cry for them, and everyone else fears them. In today’s society there seem to be three types of young people, the tough ones, those imitated by them and those who emulate them.
Today’s youth use the term “gangsta” to refer to a gangster or tough person. A popular rap star, Fifty-Cents recorded a song called “Wangsta”. Wangsta is street slang that describes someone who pretends to be a gang member. The lyrics of this song show the artist challenging a rival’s clam to be a gangster. He continues to criticize his rival for talking about being a gangbanger and not shooting anyone. Why would a boy rather fight than be called wangsta? Well, that is what we will explore in this section of this post. People are attracted to various characteristics of a tough guy. Let’s take a close look at some of them.
#1 Fearlessness: Tough guys don’t seem to have a healthy fear that would normally limit the behavior or ability of the average person. His unpredictability keeps viewers guessing, entertaining friends and
fearful rivals. Tough guys refuse to listen to anyone or anything, including their conscience. The Gangsta Life is appealing to teenagers who are sitting at home bored or young people who feel that people don’t respect them. Without a full understanding of respect, many young people intentionally make people fear them. Fear is a mutated form of respect.
#2 Authority Figure: A gang member can attract others by falsifying the role of father. The basic responsibility of a father is to protect, provide and teach. The gangsta can create a sense of protection through violence and intimidation; they provide basic tangible items mainly through illegal means. A gangsta teaches street knowledge. Young girls often transfer their allegiance from their parents to the local gangsta in hopes of escaping parental responsibility and guidance.
#3 Control – Teenagers struggle with many problems. They are trying to find the balance between image, power and self-preservation. New information and skills are bombarding their minds every day. They need help putting it in the proper perspective. They mask their feelings of insecurity by choosing an image to protect their soft core. If people are scared of them, they won’t bother them while they figure everything out. Again, fear is often mistaken for respect. Children often say, “I don’t care.” More times than anything, they are trying to talk themselves out of feeling. Tragically, many unintentionally silence their conscience and cause permanent damage to their conscience as they go through a temporary phase. Many youngsters are portraying the image of what they believe to be a Gangsta. Often their image puts them in situations from which they cannot escape. Each image follows a particular script. Some young men follow their ranks to the grave.
#4 Emotional Advantage – Some young people suffer due to traumatic experiences from their past. Whether they have been disappointed by their parents or abused by someone outside the family, they feel vulnerable. Without professional assistance, children resort to their internal coping mechanisms. Tired of feeling victimized, they get angry at those responsible for their discomfort. They soon discover that they feel empowered and justified while they are angry. His anger masks his pain. They eventually chose a lifestyle of anger to silence their pain. Unfortunately, they can silence your spirit in the process. The spirit contains many hidden treasures. Special gifts, that is, intuition, drive and talent live in the spirit. Without access to those treasures, they may never reach their full potential.
Wearing the mask of a gangsta has deadly consequences. We see our children playing chicken with guns and knives. The winner is always the one who cares the least or at least acts like it. Unfortunately, the winner is also the biggest loser. They lose themselves, freedom, and the sight of a productive reality.
