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The Could Have Been virus relegates affected adults to minimum wage and
low wage jobs for the rest of their lives. Members of the Osiris Group
believe it is now time for a paradigm shift in the psyche of people who permit
such a virus to continue to deny individuals, families and entire generations
access to quality of life.
Why call "Could Have Been" a virus? After years of working in direct
services, and even more years of observation and speculation, I have come to
understand that what is happening to people is not what they are born with, nor
is it their potential, nor parent/village teachings. What is happening can
only be compared within a social psychological framework under that Webster's
Dictionary defines one of several types of viruses. For example Webster
defines a virus as:
1. Any of various simple submicroscopic
parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause
disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA
surrounded by a protein coat. Unable to replicate without a host
cell, viruses are typically not considered living organisms.
2. Something that poisons one's soul or mind: the
pernicious virus of racism. Any morbid corrupting quality in
intellectual or moral conditions; something that poisons the
mind or the soul; as, the virus of obscene books.
3. Computer Science. A computer
virus: n. [from the obvious analogy with biological
viruses, via SF] A cracker program that searches out other
programs and `infects' them by embedding a copy of itself in
them, so that they become Trojan Horses. When these programs are
executed, the embedded virus is executed too, thus propagating
the `infection'. This normally happens invisibly to the user.
Where Does the Could Have Been Virus Come From?
To keep this definition feasible, I'm going to refer to a chapter in my
recent work "Post Traumatic Slavery
Disorder" published by IITE in
2002. The Could Have Been virus is a latent stage of
"Mentalcide" which is explained as follows. While
it is an acceptable fact that Africans were in the America’s
long before Columbus sailed for the new world; for the purpose
of this discussion, we are going to begin our time period around
1619.
This was when the boom in the mass importation of African’s grew the
institution of slavery.
The first stage in transforming an African tribal member into a
slave was to keep him from thinking freely - the beginnings of
"Mentalcide" as Mental Homicide.
That meant African people could no longer interact with their
families and friends using their language(s),
customs, values, norms, beliefs, rituals etc.
That period lasted from 1619 until approximately 1865, or 246
years.
The second developmental stage of "Mentalcide," occurred from
1865 until about 1965, or what I have come to refer as (US
Apartheid); the Jim Crow laws and the Black Codes, lasted
another 100 years.
The environment Blacks were confronted with with the legalization of
slavery ended did not end the process of a developing social
"Mentalcide," it caused a festering and growth.
"Mentalcide" has three modalities as we understand it.
1) a brainwashing that allows one human being to abuse another mildly
or extremely; 2) a visualization by one human being seeing
different human beings as other than human; 3) and an effort on
behalf of human beings to become something other than who they
are to protect themselves.
Mentalcide affects everyone!
"Mentalcide" defined as mental homicide is the most obvious
disorder under the umbrella of Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder.
Mental homicide is what happens when a person's mind is
controlled to the extent that he or she cannot see what is in
front of their eyes.
It is as though a veil has covered their eyes and they can only see
what is on the veil.
The afflicted person believes what they see to the extent that
he will kill another to justify the veil.
The act of killing another because of this veil is we have
deemed mental homicide.
Those who are the targets of mental
homicide understand what it is they are experiencing, although
they have no psychological interpretation.
In order to defend themselves from those who maintain and perpetuate
the veil, they make themselves as small as possible, as
insignificant as they can, as un-intimidating as they know how.
These acts are the beginning of mental suicide.
In order for a tall/large, brilliant, Black man to become small,
insignificant and un-intimidating he will smoke, drink, do
drugs, dress down, hunch his shoulders, be unkempt, and be
uneducated.
A striking, Black woman become insignificant by dressing and acting
like a sexual object rather than a competitive person.
This behavior begins in school, just around fourth grade.
How is Mentalcide tied to the Could Have Been virus?
Many of the people the clinicians of the Osiris Group provide
services for would have much better lives if they had invested
more in their own human capital.
A report release by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 2001, stated
"to reside in Boston that family would have to be earning an
average salary of $42,000.00 per- year."
All of the families The Osiris Group provides services for are
employed and earning less than $ 30,000.00 per-year. Most
of these families work two or three jobs to earn this income
and/or just to make ends meet.
When members of Osiris suggest or recommend to our neighbors
that they should consider returning to school either for
vocational training which can lead to a better paying trade or a
degree program, our neighbors choose to remain frozen in their
position. Yes there are issues of time management and
possibly working one 1/2 time job verses two full-time jobs,
however it also means that they can earn enough to live on with
one job when they are done. How long can we live working
two jobs? What health and quality of life issues are
affecting our inability to manage lifestyle change?
Even with the cutbacks in federal, state and city spending there
are a proliferation of all types of programs offered to working
class people and their children. A tour of any local
community college will demonstrate this. Why does it
appear that so many black people choose to accept sub-marginal
lives?
There are a number of reasons, as Webster's dictionary
demonstrates:
1. Viruses are typically not considered living organisms, they
require a host; e.g. small or microscopic ideas; that often
cause dis-ease (lack of comfort) grow on an individual and
consist essentially of a core concept (can't). For
instance: have you had a social conversation shift to
how an individual could have finished college but he/she got
caught up in partying, alcohol, drugs, etc. Do
those words ring a bell or hold true for you? Have you
said or heard them used by family, friends or strangers? Have you ever heard a student say he/she could have gotten A
or B or "Could Have Been" better but chose not too?
2. Something that poisons one's soul or mind: the
pernicious virus of racism. Any morbid corrupting quality in
intellectual or moral conditions; something that poisons the
mind or the soul.
Have you ever heard someone tell the
story of how a male let a very attractive, ambitious female slip
through his hands because he refused to stop using drugs, stop
hanging on the corner or get a job whose comment was I could
have had her? Would you consider his mind or soul clean and
healthy? Millions of black people suffer from some from of
an inferiority complex that can be relatively easily traced back
to the slave trade.
3. A program that searches out other programs and
`infects' them by embedding a copy of itself in them, so that
they become Trojan Horses. When these programs are executed, the
embedded virus is executed too, thus propagating the
`infection'. This normally happens invisibly to the user.
Have there been relatives or friends you helped to get an
interview for a well paying position, but failed to show up for
the interview and didn't bother to call to reschedule for
another date or time?
Have there been times when you when you reminded them of the
opportunity they let slip away where they tell you "I could have
been in that position or job if I had wanted it, but I did not
want it." Just
how many "what a shame" or "what a waste stories" have we heard
in our collective life-times? The lost human potential of
those affected by the Could Have Been Virus is immeasurable.
Are you beginning to get the picture here? The virus “Could
Have Been” is rampant in the black community because collective
psyche of black people has not processed or debriefed from the
383 year orientation within the institution slavery.
In 2003, the Could Have Been virus has caused millions of people
(especially Black and other ethnic people) to accept a life of
despair, unfulfillment and self-loathing.
What Can We Do?
Develop Self-Discipline. The Merriam dictionary defines
discipline as; a. To train or develop by instruction and
exercise esp. in self-control. B. To bring under control.
If we critique or measure why some individuals are successful and why
many are not, the first
thing you'll find is that successful individuals are willing to
do things that unsuccessful individuals will not or cannot do.
The first item on the list is always self-discipline. A
discipline of the "self" is required to create a plan and then
follow through with it. Self-discipline is required to
grow ourselves into what we choose to be by designing our
futures and not allowing other's to determine for us.
Self-discipline is required to work, save, invest and educate
ourselves to make our plans and growth happen.
Self-discipline is but one of a myriad of requirements, but it
is the core requirement - a repair if you will, in our DNA.
The virus Could Have Been has always been a part of the human
experience, however, our view of ourselves, imbeds an invisible
and propagating infection that has caused our communities to
become a Trojan Horse full of "what a shame" and "what a waste
stories."
There has never been a holistic effort to detoxify the psyche of
individuals of African decent; yet for some, the answer to this
and other questions will start the journey to psychological
healing. However, for black people as a whole to remove
our uninvited guest, the Could Have Been virus after 383 years,
a holistic effort to detoxify the psyche is the only way.
Cultural detoxification is not for the weak or faint of heart,
that is why so few have chosen to take the journey.
Cultural detoxification invokes emotions of shame, guilt, pain,
rage, tears and humiliation because one has to admit to a core
belief (DNA) based on lies before they can replace or cleanse
their core with the truth. I don't know if we will ever
rid ourselves of racism in one form or another. But the
doors to achieving quality of life are wide open for those
willing to go through it.
For more information contact
larry@osirisgroup.org
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