Human nature has a lot to answer for. Human nature is responsible for grudges, paranoia, and making me steal a sidelong glance whenever a woman in a skirt is clambering out of an automobile. Among other things, it's also responsible for the amount of rose tinted spectacles people regularly put on when talking about the state of our thing.

When I walk among our fine streets, often taking part in discussions and sometimes listening, I notice a recurring theme is people harping on about how good or different things were back in the 'good old days' where lions lay down with lambs. As an old man, I can either remember these 'golden days' myself, or else I have family journals to remind me how times really were. It is armed with this knowledge that I will attempt to dispel a few common misconceptions; some excusable, some teeth gratingly cretinous.

Misconception: There actually existed a period considered to be the 'good old days'

The reality? There was no 'good old days', and that's a point central to everything about this speech. Over time, there have been countless regimes and dynasties. In some, you'd get away with member whoring but not funeral disrespect, for example. In others, the reverse would be true. In short, in different periods we've had different codes, ethics and rules. Very few have remained constant and when you say 'you'd never get away with that in the good old days', you either mean 'In some eras you'd die for that, in others you'd get away with whatever you did and much else besides', or 'I'm an idiot and I'm using a fictitious all encompassing golden era either because I don't like what you're doing or need a handy stick with which to beat the current regime.'

Misconception: Back in the 'good old days', rules were set in stone!

The reality? Rules aren't set in stone now, nor have they ever been. Your ability to bend the rules depend directly on how important someone is, how powerful their friends or family are, and how strong the relationship between them is. Conversely, the point in which rules are bent beyond breaking point is dictated by how strong, powerful and important everyone else is, and how pissed off they are with you testing the boundaries. For example, if a Gangster pickpocketed a Wise Guy who strictly forbade it, the gangster would likely be punished. If I did the same thing to the same Wise Guy, no one would give a shit.

Your ability to do things, whether 'legit' or not, is directly relative to how powerful and well connected you're perceived to be. That's always been the case, and given our line of business it's quite right too.

Misconception: Member whoring never used to be tolerated in the 'good old days!

The Reality? Refer to point I. Sometimes, this has been frowned upon; other times, it has been heartily recommended. One of my forebears, a Don Underboss, had a tag which stated 'one liners are encouraged'. Sure, some leaders in the past have seen member whoring as immoral (as opposed to murder, say?), many more have recognised member whoring as a logical and smart thing to do. Fair enough if you don't like member whoring, but don't try to make out that it is and always has been a universally reviled way of doing business, because that's not the case.

Misconception: We had free speech back in the 'good old days'!

The Reality? This has literally never happened. Thankfully the whole 'free speech' thing is not mentioned as much now so on some levels I'm loathe to give the phrase airtime again; but a speech pointing out the fashion of referencing some false glorious era has to mention this ridiculous fallacy. The right to exercise free speech has only ever existed in the right to exercise shooting people in the face for what they say. If you can't grasp this concept, I am happy to provide you with kneepads and a helmet. You'll fuckin' need them

Misconception: Leaders now are tyrants but they never used to be 'in the good old days'!

The Reality? This is just rose tinted spectacles syndrome at it's best (or worst I suppose), though I admit it is slightly objective. Of course I don't view the current crop as tyrants. As a Capo in a family serving under the most powerful Godfather., life is pretty sweet. I enjoy many freedoms and I know I'm as safe as I could reasonably expect to be in this line of business. In the distant future, one of my great-great-great grandsons may be on the opposite side of the fence – part of a city who are wiped out by the top dog of the time.

Believe me, I know it's only human nature to see the Leaders as good when you're with them and bad when you're not; but to believe there's ever been a time when CL's acted against the best interests of themselves or their families in favour of some laughable notion of democratic procedure isn't just misguided, it's fucking idiotic. So, next time you want to argue this point just have a thought first....do you really want to be part of the considerable group of people I consider to be fucking idiotic? I hope not.

Misconception: Rank used to mean more in the 'good old days'!

The Reality? This point is closely related to point II. The best barometer for judging the meaning of rank is how much the position of seniority changes how things concerning different ranks will be dealt with, including how much a senior rank lets you get away with.

In the past, I've seen high rankers, Dons even, being killed for comments that hurt people's feelings. In the past, I've also seen potty mouthed little gangsters who can't pipe down offered positions of great trust. It's swings and roundabouts. Again, you'll find at different points in history, rank has had more or less inherent value. In the times of CP, for example, rank was generally much more regarded as to get Made Man, you needed 3 people to put their life on the line for you.

Lately, though, it seems to be the fashion to say 'Oh look, I see lots of Bosses and Capos, but relatively few Wise Guys – that must mean the CL's don't care about rank and they're promoting anybody!'. In addition to that, there's also the inevitable group of jealous little sausage jockeys who see someone they don't like in a senior position and use this as apparently irrefutable proof that 'rank means nothing these days'.

No, the meaning of rank can't be garnered by how many people have their button or anything so arbitrary, rank is given meaning by how differently a leader deals with 2 identical situations, one involving an earner and one involving a made guy.

I'll give you an example, if you're a made guy reading this and thinking 'Oh, I don't know how my leader deals with stuff like that!' then they are possibly are Leader who doesn't attach a lot of meaning to rank; they've promoted you to made man but they don't trust you enough to involve you in either the decision making or sensitive information that occurs behind closed doors. However, if you're a made guy who rouhgly knows how your Boss would deal with different situations, your Boss clearly promoted you to such an important rank because they trust you, and it logically follows that they'll also trust you with information and so on.

There are many more instances of people referencing a non existent past, but I've already rambled slightly. I'll close by saying, if you were doing any of these things unawares, I hope what you've heard has been helpful. However, if you've been doing this because you disagree with some of the things that are going on but you can't form a compelling argument, here's my advice to you:

Stop using bullshit logic as a crutch for your weak arguments, grow a pair and stop fucking whining.

My dear Sprozz

You are sadly correct. Folks - myself included will muse and reminisce about the "good old days". People tend to remember the past much better than it actually was. As you pointed it this is an element of human nature, while your carnal eyes are scouting skirts - mine are the basements of winery and deep in history books. What can I say, I'm a history buff. In a private conversation with you I actually used the those three words - but I hope you understand it reflects on a time when our two bloodlines interacted more.

Anyways, last month, the late Richard_Kuklinski made a speech titled "State of the Nation; A Retrospective" My reply to his speech is really made stance about the past. As much as my own dealings in the past have contributed to my beliefs and the journals of relatives and friends, the anchor for progress is the future. Any leader or even ambitious mafioso should have that framework in mind. One eye on present, another on the future and maybe a quick glance back for nostalgia sake.

-AFRICANus

Nodding his head to a few of the points, Alfonzo took out a cigar and lit it up offering his old friend Africanus one of the finest cigars he imported to the country. Offering a lighter over as he listened to Sprozz finish his points

A lot of the things you have mentioned are true and once a mobsters family line has been around this nation long enough they begin to notice the trends and how things change but never really change. I have read notes of my fathers being involved if the murder of everyone in a crew or even a city simply because of a mistake yet recently only made man + and threats have been killed.. yet times are dark now compared to back then??. This world has seen reigns of leaders with the power and ideas that have controlled these streets far worst than we see lately of course with a few changes being implemented since then in terms of protection levels which has changed the scene a lot.

Rank sadly I think has changed as a whole, but there are a few crews who still value it I think out there. From the CP's 3 people vouching, to the way one of my fathers and his RHM ran business where you need family votes and then the blessing of the leader rank has always been treated differently depending on where you work, while the image has changed based on the sheer amount of Made Men + and how easy it is to get the requirements these days (which of course is no excuse for the CL promoting them quickly). I believe rank is paramount and if we cannot control who has the power and status in our world what can we control as mobsters.

Free speech to me well it depends who you are and if those who have the power to do something about it want to shut you up for what you said. Simple enough our world is based on a bullet and our friends and you got both of those your golden.. at least for a while as history has shown us it always ends eventually one way or another.

I think people just need to keep their eye on the prize, worry about their family and city and the rest is so simple. Go make some money, visit with your boss or talk to one of the old timers around this place when times are tough for you.. odds are most have been to hell and back in one way or another during their careers as criminals.

A right hand and a friend of one of the Godfathers, it would be like the President's Brother and Vice President talking up about how smoothly America is running, but all things considered; I agree all the same. Nothing ever changes except for the people in power and nobody ever notices except for the people without, but this is the Mafia and that's exactly how the Mafia goes, so I'd say everything is running perfectly fine as always.

Good read.