ANalysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ANalysis paper - Essay Example Finally, I will evaluate the success of these arguments, with the goal of understanding the role of class in contemporary African American racial relations. I will conclude that while West’s notion of nihilism as an underlying cause is an appealing one, it is impossible to determine a causal relationship between the many different problems facing the lower class African American community. For West, nihilism is â€Å"the lived experience of coping with a life of horrifying meaninglessness, hopelessness, and (most important) lovelessness† (West 4). West emphasizes that nihilism is neither a problem lying in any social or political structure nor a behavioral flaw, but rather it is â€Å"a disease of the soul† (West 5). West’s approach, then, is different from that of the liberal structuralists and conservative behaviorists. The problem with both of these groups, according to West, is that each fails to notice and address what he takes to be the real problem: the nihilism with which poor, black communities seem to be stricken. Furthermore, both groups only address one part of the problem at a time while the truth is that â€Å"structures and behavior are inseparable, that institutions and values go hand in hand† (West 2). In other words, there is no way to find what is the cause and what is the effect between structure and behavior in the blac k communal problems. Instead, it is this nihilist point of view that underlies and unites both issues. But if the problem cannot be isolated as neatly as the liberals or conservatives suggest, what can be done differently? West proposes that the ‘cure’ for nihilism is â€Å"a love ethic† that might help the African American population to feel that they are important and valuable members of society (West 6). In order to effect this sort of change, West uses the suggestions of both the structuralists and the behaviorists to help fix both the structural problems at hand