The needs of a society determine its ethics, and in the Black American ghettos the hero is that man who is offered only the crumbs from his country's table but by ingenuity and courage is able to take for himself a Lucullan feast. Hence the janitor who lives in one room but sports a robin's-egg-blue Cadillac is not laughed at but admired, and the domestic who buys forty-dollar shoes is not criticized but is appreciated. We know that they have put to use their full mental and physical powers. Each single gain feeds into the gains of the body collective.
The society's needs shape its moral values, and in Black American ghettos, heroes are those who, despite receiving only minimal resources, use their intelligence and courage to achieve remarkable success. Examples include a janitor who owns a luxury car or a domestic who purchases expensive shoes—they are admired because they demonstrate the use of full potential and resourcefulness. Their accomplishments reflect individual efforts that contribute to the broader community’s progress.
"Each single gain feeds into the gains of the body collective," emphasizes that individual successes in these contexts uplift the entire community. These achievements symbolize resilience and determination, showing how personal ingenuity can transform limited circumstances into symbols of pride and upward mobility, inspiring others in similar situations to strive for greater success.