Why are you listening to this? 

My first thought would be you're a bypasser that's intrigued by the big carton banner saying "The way of life".. My second thought would be you're a thug looking for another street clown to mock and spew bullets at.. My third thought would be you're a respected mafioso looking for a proper speech..

All those that belong to group 1 and 2 may leave the square now, please, this goes to group 3

I came here long ago - dates and details get boring, so we will not get into that - maybe not as long as certain others, but certainly long enough to notice a trend... That trend being the insatiable hunger for...wait for it..power! Wow, power.. That's something everyone is looking for and craving right.. Well, the road to power may not be the mob way.. Sure, it's the fastest way, but is it the most sustainable way? Let me throw a thesis out there:

1. If you work hard for 5 years, you will get made (power?)

2. If you work hard for 20 years, you will get power

It takes no moron to figure that the easiest way to get "power" is point 1 above. But what does power really mean? You get made means you get to organize more controlled crimes, which yield exactly the same proportionally adequate amount of penalty as young earners' crimes yield.. So what's the point? Leverage? Next time you Wise Guys pull a bank robbery, the state will be on your toes before you even know it.. Where's the boss?? Nowhere...

It takes a man to realize that there is one way to stop the madness.. Living by your principles. This doesn't mean disrespecting the present mafia bosses, but it means keeping your dignity when choices are to be made.. Banks, corporates, feds, are all stakeholders of your bosses, so keep that in mind next time you bust a liquor store in thoughts of impressing your boss... First of all, your boss is not an idiot.. Second, you're most likely to be an idiot compared to the next fellow.. The world works by efficient laws, which means that unless you are a mafia relative, your way of life will never be what you dreamt of.. Even if you work hard to achieve it!

Sorry..

I just noticed I was being a hypocrite while I wrote this, so this is my promise to the public:

Are you sure you want to leave the family and go against XYZ

Beware, he may hunt you down

She wasn't sure why, but Lilac felt compelled to stop and listen to the gentleman currently attracting some attention on the street corner. The crowd dissipated rather quickly with just a few remaining and most of them were already turned on their heels ready to leave.

When the man appeared to have finished, she decided to offer a few words of her own.

''Excuse me, Sir. You mentioned three groups; I belong to none of them. I am a mafioso, yes, but I am not yet respected. Hell knows if I ever will be. I'll tell you something though, I am a sucker for a good speech. My mother once loved these streets and she'd be saddened to see how quiet they have become. It wasn't my intention to speak out just yet in any sort of detail, but your words have intrigued me. I will apologise in advance, please take no disrespect from what I am about to say as I do tend to be rather blunt...but, Sir, I'm afraid that as passionate as you sound, the meaning of your words have eluded me entirely.

''You speak of this trend, this hunger for power - and yes, you are correct. This thing of ours is founded on the concept of power, prestige and success. However, those are not the only ingredients involved with the Mafia way of life and from my own experience and the lessons handed down to me, attempting to define power is utterly futile, given its subjective nature. For me, this world features two kinds of power: tangible power and silent, invisible power. The former comes with time, money and rank. It is noted in title, longevity and tenacity. The latter is a completely different matter and not all those who enjoy the fruits of tangible power are esteemed with the silent kind, for it is a creature that exists inherently, within one's character, those little idiosyncracies that make someone special.

''Something that I find concerning - and please correct me if I am wrong - is that you seem to be of the opinion that working for your boss returns no benefit in return for risk. You call into question the basic principles of working one's way up within a family. I cannot speak for everyone, but when I perform my basic duties - be it a drug run or knocking over a post office - I don't do it in the hopes of impressing my boss, for I am all too aware that my boss has more pressing matters than the small change I throw his way each day. I do these things because they are my job and my means of earning the place I have been given. What is the point of being made, you ask? Quite simply, the point is in knowing that you have got one foot on the bottom rung of the ladder and full acceptance into your family. It does not mean tangible power, nor is it intended to be interpreted as such. It means that you have finally finished taking your first baby steps on this journey and have been deemed capable of continuing with the blessing of someone who knows this world inside out.

''When you ask where your boss is in the midst of trouble from the filth, what answer are you seeking to find? You cannot possibly expect your boss to saunter along and wipe your backside every time you get a little dirty. That's part of this thing, a risk you take when you start putting your neck out there. You follow shortly after by stating that to live by principle does not entail disrespecting the current Mafia bosses...my friend, calling into question why they don't descend like a horde of angels when you're picked up by the filth is, in fact, doing exactly that.

''And as for your final statement; anyone on these streets with an ounce of sense knows that taking your leave from the family that has nurtured you is never, ever a decision to be taken lightly. Some may do so flippantly, others may take great pains over making that choice. I am in no position to wonder about such things, and nor are you. Leave those that have taken such decisions to their own reasoning and their own fate. It is not for us to speculate whether it is right or wrong, for much like power, it is a subjective matter not easily understood by those uninvolved.

''Finally, Sir - and I mean no condescension with this - our world is the Mafia world. It is enigmatic at best and baffling at worst, but you do what you have to do to understand and be a part of it, or you lose. End of story.''

I will let the knowledgable speak for himself: "Another one bites the dust"

I will see you all once I resurect!

"Why are you listening to this?" <--- my point exactly..

I'm not trying to degrade the fact that your posting on the streets but you have to think about what your saying before you speak. I'm not that well equipped on the streets myself but I would atleast think about what point's I'm trying to get across before I come out.

What you said makes about as much sense as a cat barking.

GG, I swear cats do bark. I've seen it!

No, nevermind. I was on some good drugs. But seriously, Trader, this rant confused me. I tried to make sense of it, but it never clicked. There are many of us here willing to help a new-comer, but I'm not sure where to even start. And your last words refer an action that only one man in 2,000 years has accomplished. Ressurection? Well, if you do, I have some water you can turn to wine so that I can turn that wine into profit. 

Guess his second thought was correct