I wouldn't join a family as someone would have life and death authority over me till I moved up. I don't take well to that kind of power over me.

I think given the right circumstances I would create and start my own organization like in the early days.

I'm not a violent person but given the right provocation I could see myself doing what's necessary to protect what I had.

I wouldn't join today however. No respect, no tradition. Plus with RICO and and the sophistication the feds have, I'd be in some kind of racket till I got a certain dollar amount and then leave for good. Certain things have a statute of limitations (not murder so I'd avoid that) so I would make my money, leave the country, sweat out the statute of limitations and then resurface.

"No friend has done me a kindness or enemy a wrong that was not fully
repaid"--epitapth of Sulla, dictator of Rome