Time was passing and with it Shaggs grew older and older. He sat in his study as he did most nights, pouring over his history books. There was a lot to learn from times past. He'd always lived by the old adage, if you don't learn from history you are doomed to repeat it. It was fascinating as he believed the current group of his fellow crew leaders had learned from the past. They were living in an age of peace that Shaggs had not seen in some time. As he flipped from page to page he ran across a journal from someone long ago in his family line. They had recounted the ceremony that they had gone through as their boss had accepted him as a made man of the family. He was curious how often things like that happened, or even what other people were experiencing in the world so he could keep his own records. With that he went down and opened his Headquarter doors to whoever wanted to join in with the discussion.   

           I wanted to reach out today to ask a pretty simple question and have a discussion. The topic of The Made Man position has been beaten ad nauseum over the years but I really was trying to do some thinking about where it is today. With as much as our world has changed over the last few years, I'd like to hear the opinions of others.  

Does the Made Man rank mean as much as it used to?

Are standards lesser than they used to be?

Is there as much ceremony?

       If I were to answer these questions myself as a Crewleader I would know the answer, but I'd also like to hear from people of all ranks and backgrounds. This is not to condemn anyone, times change. Not everything will always be as it always has been. I still feel as though the rank holds paramount importance and is something that cannot be overlooked in the slightest. As long as we continue to hold our Made Men to the standard that we hold ourselves then we will continue to bring up a solid crop of future leaders. Our job is to educate and make money, when and if we feel a person is ready they should be accepted into the family.

What are everyone else's thoughts on the matter?

Well, I don't know how much weight my word holds. I'm new to these shores and just got my Made promotion. But I can say that my crew leader, the wonderful Ms. MarieCosta, made sure that I knew what I was agreeing too before I was promoted. She explained to me the commitment that I was making to my crew and how I would go down with my family if something were to happen. She explained that it meant I was a trusted crew member. 

I don't know if it was too soon for me or if Marie's standards are the same as other leaders. I know that she decided to trust me in this rank and that I took her explanation seriously and was honored by the promotion and what it meant. It would be easy to look from the outside and say "Who is that girl, she's too new, she doesn't know our way of things". But who knows me better than my own leader and her right hand? 

I guess I say all of that to say that the standards for the promotion are determined, from what I can tell, by the crew leader. Those who give a crew leader the authority to set up their own crew should also trust their judgment in who they decide to promote and who they don't. Every city likely has it's own standards, and cities may judge one another, but that's their right to do so. I do think judgment is hard to pass from the outside of a crew.

I'm rambling a bit so I hope all of that made sense. 

I think what being made means depends on the CL, most people have their own criteria in what they look for. 

So I guess the answer to:

Does the Made Man rank mean as much as it used to?

Is that to some people it does, and to some people not so much.

I personally feel like it is incredibly important for various reasons the main one for being that as a CL you have a duty to protect those that follow you, making someone made that you don't fully trust puts your whole crew in danger.

Hi Shaggs, I liked that you came to the Streets to speak, I have sent you some money because I think Streets speakers should be tipped well for bringing thing here.

But the thing is, and I don't know if you are new to these Streets or not, but the subject of getting Made (or as it's sometimes known "getting your button) has been talked about a lot in the past.

Does the Made Man rank mean as much as it used to?

I tend to agree with Alex_Turner to some extent in regards to what the rank means depends on each crew leader, however my personal opinion is that the importance of the rank should be outlined by each city's Godfather to their crew leaders in terms of what they expect to see in the Made Men of their city and the effort that should be put into earning it.

At the end of the day, the importance of the rank comes down to what the current regime would like it to be. To answer your question though, I would say probably not. 

Are standards lesser than they used to be?    

Standards are not currently as bad as they have been in the past however I would still say they are low. 

I think the issue here is how crew leaders and Godfather's differentiate between a members bloodline and their current identity. All too often we see members being promoted on the basis of a past bloodline relationship between the two parties, meaning the standards expected (if there are any at all) for those people to gain their buttons is a lot lot lower than what it is for others. 

Is there as much ceremony?

Absolutely not. If the rank doesn't mean as much as it has done in the past, I don't see there being much ceremony surrounding it. 

On a final note, Brand instead of pointing out what has been spoken of before, perhaps you could bring something new out here yourself? 

ShoNuff joins a conversation about becoming Made.

Of course Made matters.

However in “THIS” thing of ours a lot of the rules and rituals have been relaxed but the power of the ceremonies and traditions are a serious part of a crime family, that should be upheld.

As a Made Man you benefit from several privileges, which includes the full protection and backing of the Family.

When introducing one made man to another, the phrase “a friend of ours” is used, indicating that he is a member and business can be discussed openly with him. If the person being introduced is an associate or civilian to whom business should not be mentioned, the phrase “a friend of mine” is used instead.

You become a Man/Woman of honor when you take the oath of Omerta, the code of silence.

“As this card burns, may my soul burn in Hell if I betray the oath of Omertà”

The Made in the Mafia is a title that brings honor, pride and trust.

Frankie steps forward.  "I really wish discussions like this were held somewhere other than the streets where better language can be used to describe problems and debate possible solutions.  After all, there are some things which we are simply not allowed to talk about on the streets without our words being stricken from existence."

"BUT - since the question was posed here, I'm going to do my damnedest to answer it as best I can and in a fashion befitting the streets - a place of stories."  Frankie rarely smoked, but on this occasion it seemed a cigarette might be just the thing to calm her nerves.  She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a silver case with a stylized 'M' upon it's lid.  She opened it and produced a hand-rolled cigarette.

"If Made Man is to mean something, it occurs to me that all parts of the family needs to mean something.  Mafioso come to our shores and they join families as associates and they move through the ranks ... but what do those ranks really mean?  What's the difference between a Consigliere and a Boss to most crew leaders - besides the size of their take on organized crimes?  What's the difference between a goomba and an earner to them ... is it even cause for praise or notice?  If there are no differences between any other rank in a family,  then it stands to reason that most of us won't notice a difference between wise guy and made man."

Frankie put the cigarette between her lips, pulls out a zippo from her pocket and flips it open.  The white hot tongue of flame flickering made a noise as it consumed the paper.  Frankie took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar burning sensation at the back of her throat as she lights it.  Exhaling a gray cloud of smoke she continues to speak, "This is where being in the streets gets hard so I'm going to have to be creative with my words... hopefully nothing is lost in translation.  To me, the crews where Made means the most, are the crews where the leadership is active in the headquarters."

"Here's just a few of the ways that I've seen Crew Leadership help make being part of the family mean something:"  Frankie began to number them on her hand.

1. "Supplying information about taxes and donations - the crew leaders who share what members are donating and making a difference in the family and thanking them for it - generally earn more.  AND, when members know what their cash is being spent on, they also donate more and feel like they are contributing to something rather than just giving away what they worked so hard to earn.  People WANT to have something for which they can live and die - group they believe in... if we wanted to be taxed without knowing where the hell that cash was going, we'd just get regular 9-5 jobs and pay Uncle Sam right and properly."
    
2. "Leaders create a sense of belonging to a family by helping their members learn more about this thing of ours.  That starts with providing more than the customary educational flyers that you see posted and re-posted ad nauseum in headquarters.  Many times crew leaders don't even re-read the stuff they post, things they borrowed from past crew leaders, to even see if the information is timely or correct.  What message does it send to your family if the flyers you posted in your common room are the same as the ones they saw in their last crew?  Or worse that you couldn't even be troubled to re-read them before posting to make sure they were right?  Is THAT a family you'd want to die for?  One where educating the young falls dead last?  Believe it or not: I've met Dons in this thing of ours who I, a new person to our shores, have taught things about this thing of ours to - and some had been here for YEARS before I came!"
    
3. "BE THERE.  Some leadership make a point to provide their membership with some sort of office hours - or dates/times when they will make an effort to be available for the general family to speak with on a regular basis.  When a crew knows that their leadership is engaged and supportive of them - they feel a greater sense of loyalty to those leaders and the family as a whole."
    
4. "Along with being there - it's not enough to just sit in a room silent.  Communicating in the common area of the headquarters is a must.  That is to say - chatting more than the occasional 'hi guys' or asking about drug prices in various cities.  It's hard to make people talk sometimes, but as the crew leadership, it's on you to find a way.  Either directly or through an appointed person to keep your people chatting.  A silent family is a dead family with no loyalty to each other.  It's the breeding grounds for paranoia, speculations, contempt and eventually rogues."
    
5. "Along with encouraging a feeling of connectivity by chatting, comes the creation of positive morale within the group.  In short, helping people to feel like they are part of something worthy of their time and hard work.  That what the are part of is somehow different - NO - better than what the guy down the street is a part of.  In this thing of ours many crews begin to look alike - think on the words of your ancestors and their past experiences in crews.  The ones that stand out, the ones they mourned when they were gone... they did something more and it didn't happen by chance or accident.  Someone was there getting folks talking, interacting, competing with each other and the other families, and helping them to tell their stories in the streets.  Otherwise a crew begins to feel no more personal to a mafioso than any other tool they are presented with in this thing of ours."
    
6. "Defining what it means to BE family as opposed to an associate.  It's one thing to say, 'once you become one of us, you need to die for us' ... it's entirely different to develop a list of things which sets associates apart from your family and makes BECOMING family mean something more than just hanging out as a wise guy.  And while most people pursue being made to gain access to bigger money making opportunities, I think that it falls on Crew Leaders to create for themselves and their family what that difference is. 
   
   It's great to go through an initiation process... but what happens the next day, and the day after and the day after which makes that new made man KNOW they are family now and not just another wise guy who got a pay bump?  What responsibilities do they now have?  What privileges do they now have?
   
   For example: maybe all made men are allowed to start discussions in your headquarters and associates can't.  Maybe mades automatically gain the right to shoot... after all, isn't being made saying 'I trust you to be one of us and act as we act?'  Why NOT give your made men rights to issue life and death?  If you don't trust them with that... maybe they shouldn't be made yet?  What about mentorship?  Are your mades assigned an associate to mentor?  If not, why?  If someone is made they SHOULD understand this thing of ours and your family well enough to teach younger gangsters.  That's my thought on the matter at least."

Frankie dropped her cigarette and crushed it on the payment.  "It's easy to say that gangsters in general don't respect made like they use to, or don't behave as they probably should - but like a errant children, one has to look to the parent to find why the kid has issues.  If you want people in your crew to value and respect the ranks they have - to behave a certain way - I think you need to set the standard and work your ass off to make that happen.  Make it clear that when a made falls short, there are consequences, and what those consequences will be.  Never leave room for doubt and STICK to what you set up as rules and consequences so that your family always knows where you stand and where they stand."

"Above all, be fair and remember - they are family.  If you treat them like a family - you will get out what you put in.  If you just pop in on them from time to time and wonder why your earnings are low, why your headquarters is quiet, and why your people aren't in the streets... well... then chances are very good that the problem isn't just them."

"So... to answer your questions directly...

• Does made mean as much as it use to?
  In some places, no.  In others... maybe more.  This will always vary family to family. 
   
• Are standards less than they use to be?
  Speaking as someone new to these shores I don't know what the standard use to be and let's face it... people often romanticize the past... but I always think there is room for improvement in all operations, even the best ones. 
   
• Is there as much ceremony?
  I can tell you that I've only very rarely heard of people having ceremonies to be raised.  I presume this is because people feel it becomes repetitive and dull to share these stories BUT speaking as someone who has never enjoyed that sort of ceremony being conducted for me (though I did share the story of mine in the streets) I find that to be really sad."

The young woman tilts her head slightly to the side, considering the questions in her heading before speaking.

Does the Made Man rank mean as much as it used to?

Yes, it does. In fact, I think it means more than it used to. It used to be that becoming a Made Man was the only way you could keep accumulating power and influence. Nowadays, you can have an associate running around with 60 units. And we see excellent, active Wise Guys who just choose to remain an associate seemingly indefinitely. Why? Because they don't lose much by remaining an associate. We see many Wise Guys survive the death of their leader and joining up elsewhere. 

But to choose to become a Made Man- to accept that honor- is now accepting a risk, as well. When you look at a family's Made Men, you're looking at the people who believe in that leader enough to pledge their lives. 

Are standards lesser than they used to be? Is there as much ceremony?

I think that issues of standards and ceremony depends a great deal on the crew in question. I've heard of some places where it's just another step in the road. It just... happens. 

I've also read about families with formal ceremonies, with enhanced expectations and responsibilities at every level.

It's a spectrum- and I cannot speak on the whole, as I can't know for sure what's happening inside the various headquarters. But I like to think that most serious mafioso, when they've experienced high standards and a ceremony with effort, find it hard to operate any other way.

Valathus found himself wandering the Street, an activity he didn’t particularly care for.  The Street was just a dangerous place to talk family business.  And Valathus was a relatively unknown character, preferring to tip his hat in respect than offer his opinion.  But tonight was no ordinary night. Some of the most influential and respected La Cosa Nostra were gathered in a discussion he couldn’t ignore...

My kin left me with years upon years of wisdom on this subject.  The lesson I learned is that each family will operate as is intended by its leader.  Unfortunately, many of those leaders have found it more advantageous to promote a person to be a ‘friend of ours’ long before they have actually proven the extent of their friendship.  The reason?  These ‘Made Men’ as we call them, are given stronger guns and greater ability to act as finger men for their family in war.  

If gun skill paid no respect to rank at all, perhaps then we could talk about the value of a gangster versus a Made Man.  I generally believe that most crew leaders will promote their most efficient, active, and engaged crew members.  However, not all of these individuals have proven a solid commitment to their “family” short of earnings and social activity.  

Valathus shruggs

I’m only an associate of a family at the moment, but my bloodline long remembers the many sacrifices and blood spilled in the name of family.  I hope that in the future, the members of this thing of ours can convince the greater powers to limit the ranks per crew, to provide more structure within crews respective of these titles, and then to bring both purpose and significance for those who have not been officially “Made.”  If each crew was limited to one boss, two capos, and four other made men as an example, perhaps those ranks could have more meaningful purposes than as titles of honor and effort.  

I don’t downplay the significance of my purpose within my crew and family as an associate.  I can do much for my crew, even without being a full blooded member.  And I’m sure they know that in time, I can offer a lot more. But that doesn’t mean everyone should.  

To be ‘Made’ has never truly been captured accurately in this thing of ours.  But I appreciate the discussion and have both hope and optimism that something better and constructive may come from it.  I know my many ancestors would appreciate all of this.

Having shared his otherwise reserved opinion, Valathus tipped his hat to the others and stepped back from the Street, just enough to listen in on the rest of the discussion.

Luca stands and listens. As a new crew leader, he is interested in this topic and what others think about it. He stands to smoke a cigarette and nodding in agreement with most of what people are saying. It is sad that the coveted title of Made Man seems to have little merit to a lot of people. 

"Well I have to say that from what I have seen and most of my family line has seen is that ceremonies still do exist. whether you like them or not the ceremonies add a sense to this life that you have made an important step."

"Now I know a few people they have said that they have not heard of people talking about these ceremonies and that could be the fact that people are not supposed to talk about them. Unless you are the one being brought or one of the people participating in the ceremony most people wouldn't know that it is happening."

"Now to the extent of does made matter well I think that is for the leaders to make it mean something. Becoming a member of the family and not just an associate is something that should matter, but if a Crew leader just makes it like every other rank then whats the point?"

America spots a reasonable question and thinks it deserves an honest answer.

No, made does not matter. What matters in the last few years is the lack of respect for Made and the path the select few as Made have dissed Made using them as pawns.

Conn noticed a pretty big set of people hudling and decided to go see for himself what it was all about. At the front of the mass of people was Don Shaggs, asking an interesting question. He waited for some people to answer before giving his opinion on the topic.

”I do think Made still matters. It’s not as special as it has once been, but’s it still matters a lot. For me, promoting someone to Made man means you can trust them with your life, and you know they would do anything for the family. If I have a bloodline I’ve been longtime friends with in my family, then I trust them and I know them, hence they get the button quicker because they’ve already proven themsleves to me. A new bloodline in the family has to prove itslef to his leader before getting promoted and such. Now I believe that some people question its importance because of crew leaders not focusing enough on how important it is. There is plenty of ways to emphasize that entry into the family, like a ceremony or a thrilling adventure, to name a couple.”

Wonderful news! There is a local factory manufacturing shovels. Take your next left turn and follow that broken down road and stay to the left.

I would like to think being a made+ matters, in the least bit it matters when you do something stupid the consequences often are/should be worse, and as others stated it should be a thing of trust. 

 

Dude really, Brand youre begging is getting obnoxious. 

Bearzy, quit following me around becuase i am just trying to change things and i give as much money as i get which is think more than you do.

WAY more

To me Made man matters. I like to put in some effort into a bit of a ceremony for those that I deem worthy to take on the Made Man position. If I did not hold it dear, everyone and anyone would be Made Man as soon as they could be in my family.

Brand, you have two avenues in which you have already expressed the change you would like to see. I would advise you to stick to them rather than disrupting someone elses discussion by going so off topic. There are plenty of better ways to try to change things, this is not the best way.