Austin's PCKCC Blog: Masculinity Video:
Eventually if you see enough violence doesnt that become your first instinct whether male or female?
True the goal of being the best and being masculine doesnt have to be presented in a violent way but how often is it as opposed to another way? The other day I was at school looking out a window and saw what I later learned to be a gang fight on campus outside the library. The men involved were simply trying to over power one another. Shirts were ripped bags strewn across the walk way and security couldnt even break it up. The police had to be called and two of the six or so men were taken away in hand cuffs. For children who spend their time watching tv and playing video games instead of reading or spending time with their families, the message that violence is a dominant and key thing is very over powering. A lot of children who are exposed to this type of lifestyle are in the circle of poverty. Unfortunately the circle of poverty is a key factor in how a child grows up. Children within the circle are often times not exposed to values of self worth and/or the importance of respect.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Blog 8
Make a connection between popular music today and one of the other themes we've talked about this semester, such as women & sexiness or men/masculinity & violence. Can you find examples of popular music either support the standard message of those themes or working against them? How important do you think popular music has been in spreading these ideas?
The face of popular music is changing in a sense. We now have country artists such as Taylor Swift pretty high on the pop charts. There are many female artist on their way up the pop charts who's songs tend to have a different message than the age old hip-hop where women are objects, life is about money, and lets kill anyone who crosses us. There are however still quite a few artist that tend to deliver just those messages. Kesha's single "Take it Off" is one great or horrible example of objectification. Lets go to a place where women are used as entertainment and the more you pay the more they take off. Or Rhianna's "Rude Boy" but this is more objectifying men and taking anything special out of the act of having sex. With songs like this populating the airwaves its no wonder that polls are showing kids are losing their virginity a lot sooner than even a few years ago. Chuck Klosterman talks in "Toby Vs. Moby" about the way teenage girls are sex crazed when it used to be more heavily boys. We hear all the time that girls should have equal opportunities which has become most prevalent in fast and reckless driving and sexual interest. Due to the fact that we have been getting the messages the longest they are the ones that are most embedded in our brains.
The face of popular music is changing in a sense. We now have country artists such as Taylor Swift pretty high on the pop charts. There are many female artist on their way up the pop charts who's songs tend to have a different message than the age old hip-hop where women are objects, life is about money, and lets kill anyone who crosses us. There are however still quite a few artist that tend to deliver just those messages. Kesha's single "Take it Off" is one great or horrible example of objectification. Lets go to a place where women are used as entertainment and the more you pay the more they take off. Or Rhianna's "Rude Boy" but this is more objectifying men and taking anything special out of the act of having sex. With songs like this populating the airwaves its no wonder that polls are showing kids are losing their virginity a lot sooner than even a few years ago. Chuck Klosterman talks in "Toby Vs. Moby" about the way teenage girls are sex crazed when it used to be more heavily boys. We hear all the time that girls should have equal opportunities which has become most prevalent in fast and reckless driving and sexual interest. Due to the fact that we have been getting the messages the longest they are the ones that are most embedded in our brains.
Blog 7
Look at readings for hip-hop AND country. Where do you see similarities and/or connections between these two music genres? What do they have in common? Where are they fundamentally different?
Country and hip-hop are both around to make people happy and to get them up moving and grooving to the music. Both genres seem to have topics that occasionally entice some sort of negative feed back from fans and/or other artists. Hip-hop often times in present day has a very negative subject matter. Real world gang wars have ensued as a direct result of lyrics a hip-hop artist has used. Country focusses more on patriotism and war protests which "The Dixie Chicks" found out was not the best thing to focus on. Their song "Im Not Ready to Make Nice" was a response to the fan response they got for speaking out against George Bush and the war in Iraq. Country does not often demise women where hip-hop does on a regular basis. Hip-hop often has a catchy tune that makes people want to get up and dance by grinding on each other. Country, not so much. The values of the genres are entirely different as well. If my daughter came and told me that she was going to listen to country instead of hip-hop, which is highly unlikely due to the fact that my daughter cant yet speak and she doesn't understand the difference between hard rock and country let alone hip-hop and country. Country doesnt seem to have the lets go kill anybody who ever did me wrong attitude, or the you are just a bitch i can pull around and tell where and what to do when. Country often times has family values. You often hear songs with lyrics like "if I'd loved her like that she wouldnt be gone" and about how family is the most important thing. If all genres had lyrics with that kind of message would society be in the place that its in?
Country and hip-hop are both around to make people happy and to get them up moving and grooving to the music. Both genres seem to have topics that occasionally entice some sort of negative feed back from fans and/or other artists. Hip-hop often times in present day has a very negative subject matter. Real world gang wars have ensued as a direct result of lyrics a hip-hop artist has used. Country focusses more on patriotism and war protests which "The Dixie Chicks" found out was not the best thing to focus on. Their song "Im Not Ready to Make Nice" was a response to the fan response they got for speaking out against George Bush and the war in Iraq. Country does not often demise women where hip-hop does on a regular basis. Hip-hop often has a catchy tune that makes people want to get up and dance by grinding on each other. Country, not so much. The values of the genres are entirely different as well. If my daughter came and told me that she was going to listen to country instead of hip-hop, which is highly unlikely due to the fact that my daughter cant yet speak and she doesn't understand the difference between hard rock and country let alone hip-hop and country. Country doesnt seem to have the lets go kill anybody who ever did me wrong attitude, or the you are just a bitch i can pull around and tell where and what to do when. Country often times has family values. You often hear songs with lyrics like "if I'd loved her like that she wouldnt be gone" and about how family is the most important thing. If all genres had lyrics with that kind of message would society be in the place that its in?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Blog 6
Today we discussed how popular culture media might be making us smarter, stupider, nicer, meaner, healthier, unhealthier, gentler, and more aggressive. In your blog post, address which of these changes to human behavior you believe to be the strongest in modern society as a result of popular culture media. Make sure you explain your answer and include examples.
Throughout our society I have seen a lot of changes but some I am not sure I would contribute to popular culture. I believe that one of the big changes in society and the way people behave would be how healthy we are. Due to many images in pop culture there are many more cases of eating disorders. Many girls are trying to be like the models and stars they see on billboards and in movies, but what someone forgot to tell them is that many of those people are sick. Other people are not suffering with anorexia and/or bulimia but obsessive over eating. This is because society tells us that the more accessible something is the better so the drive thru was one of the greatest inventions ever. More is never enough. Look at RJ in "Over the Hedge." He had to take not just enough food from the bear to survive, but everything including the "Spudies." This is the average American. There is never enough. We work to buy stuff because the one with the most stuff wins. This goes for food as well so now we have an absurd amount of obese people. So due to pop culture and its effect on people, has two groups of people, the obese and the morbidly skinny. We are now an unhealthy society.
Throughout our society I have seen a lot of changes but some I am not sure I would contribute to popular culture. I believe that one of the big changes in society and the way people behave would be how healthy we are. Due to many images in pop culture there are many more cases of eating disorders. Many girls are trying to be like the models and stars they see on billboards and in movies, but what someone forgot to tell them is that many of those people are sick. Other people are not suffering with anorexia and/or bulimia but obsessive over eating. This is because society tells us that the more accessible something is the better so the drive thru was one of the greatest inventions ever. More is never enough. Look at RJ in "Over the Hedge." He had to take not just enough food from the bear to survive, but everything including the "Spudies." This is the average American. There is never enough. We work to buy stuff because the one with the most stuff wins. This goes for food as well so now we have an absurd amount of obese people. So due to pop culture and its effect on people, has two groups of people, the obese and the morbidly skinny. We are now an unhealthy society.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Blog 5
Reflect on what we've discussed in class and what you've heard in the video and in the reading about violence in our media, particularly as it relates to masculinity. Is the relationship between violence & masculinity something to be concerned about?
Violence is all around us. We see it in the television shows that we watch. We see it in the movies that we watch. We see it in the sports that we play. Its everywhere. Men are told from a young age that in order to be cool you have to be a real man, and the best way to be a real man is to kick the shit out of someone who crosses you. The rate of domestic violence and rape is going up. The video we watched in class contributes it to horror movies where the female lead is about to have something awful happen to her and she is almost always in a provocative outfit and a provocative position, thus linking sexual excitement to horror adrenaline. Due to all of this yes it is something we should worry about. If men cant express how they feel without it being considered "gay" then all of the emotions that these men have are being bottled up and suppressed until they cant suppress it any more and they explode in a very violent way. In no way is this good or healthy for anyone.
Violence is all around us. We see it in the television shows that we watch. We see it in the movies that we watch. We see it in the sports that we play. Its everywhere. Men are told from a young age that in order to be cool you have to be a real man, and the best way to be a real man is to kick the shit out of someone who crosses you. The rate of domestic violence and rape is going up. The video we watched in class contributes it to horror movies where the female lead is about to have something awful happen to her and she is almost always in a provocative outfit and a provocative position, thus linking sexual excitement to horror adrenaline. Due to all of this yes it is something we should worry about. If men cant express how they feel without it being considered "gay" then all of the emotions that these men have are being bottled up and suppressed until they cant suppress it any more and they explode in a very violent way. In no way is this good or healthy for anyone.
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