Originally Posted By: IvyLeague
Originally Posted By: CarloRizzo
Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the mafia really not nearly as cohesive as the media makes out like?

I've heard a lot of guys don't even know what family they are with.


Obviously, if a guy is made, he knows what family he's with. I'd venture to say most associates do too. I think where the cohesion is lacking is on a bigger scale. Of course, the NY families interact with each other, and have some interaction with the families in New England, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. But it's not like there's much of a connection between, say, the Bruno family in Philadelphia and the Patriarca family in New England. Or between the DeCavalcantes in New Jersey and the Outfit in Chicago.


Im not disagreeing with you per se, but an example of not knowing could be made in Butcher Boy Maselli; in Five Families, Selwyn Raab claims that for many years, Pellegrino himself remained unaware that the borgata he was associated with was, in fact, the Genovese. Or other cases caught on tape, where more senior mobsters have been recorded breaking down and explaining the relationships. Another example of limited knowledge could be made in many Galante era Bonanno members believing he was in fact the official boss, rather then the "upstart capo" he is now labelled as.

(cough.)