Option #1 – “I Want a Wife”
· Imagine that you want to employ someone to do a specific job, divide the task into its duties and functions. Then, guided by your analysis, write an accurate job description in essay/paragraph format. (Possibilities: coach, rap artist, musician, actors, writers/novelists, teammate, friend, roommate, leader, etc.)
Option #2 – “Notes from the Hip-Hop Underground”
· Analyze another aspect of popular culture---another type of popular music, perhaps, or violent computer games or “reality” television programs or teen horror movies. Your subject may appeal to you personally, but be sure to expand your discussion to explain your subject’s broader appeal as well.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNot my usual comment, but it needed to be said.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up as a teenager, I am surrounded by meaningless songs without any underlying messages. This aura of pop culture that has hit our generation largely consists of teenage love with songs like “fifteen” by Taylor Swift and “baby” by Justin Bieber. Although I love Taylor Swift, her music is highly predictable and often her chorus repeats with no purpose whatsoever. This frenzy of “love” songs claims to understand the complexity behind heavy emotions, when ironically the generations of teens who listen to the songs are ignorant to what love truly is. I am not claiming to know what it means, but rather I would like to stress the loss of purity in our idea of “love,” which remains more an infatuation than lifelong commitment. The songs in my era highlight the beauty of special someone’s, speaking of their “sexy bodies” rather than dashing personalities. Better yet, often times, the narrator has never even spoken to the person they claim to love. By masking the chorus’ with catchy tunes and rhythms, the artists veil their utter lack of meaning and sense. If one truly reads between the lyrics and looks past the flashy makeup and shoddy costumes, one can understand that Lady Gaga is just a feathery freak, not an icon to young girls. I mean really, would you want your daughter to be dancing in a cage with a bird outfit like Miley Cyrus? This song is not even about birds. She claims to be “untamable.” That’s exactly what a mother wants to hear from her child. The essence of music has been corrupted by a veneer of materialistic objects and false emotions. Additionally, youth who see these artists as idols often wish to emulate them. Artists such as Brittany Spears, Ke$ha (yes with a dollar sign, how classy), and Lady Gaga target drug, alcohol, and sexual references. The worst part about the music in my generation is that they are blatantly broadcasted on the radio as if there was no censorship at all. Yes, I really want my eight-year-old sister to be singing along to “Your Love is my drug. Im addicted. It’s a crisis.”
Reality television at first brings a temporary sense of amusement, but after being exposed to excess amount of this so called “entertainment”, it corrupts our views of society. My generation of “entertainment” is epitomized by pregnant teenagers, party-crazed “guidos”, and over-dramatic sixteen year olds who must have the “perfect” birthday party. These reality television shows does not even represent the general population. How many of us had an over-the-top sixteenth birthday, where Usher or Lil’ Wayne performed in a rented out five-star hotel? How many of us actually have a good friend that was sixteen and pregnant? How many of us know a friend or relative that goes out to clubs, partying, getting drunk, and causing meaningless drama every single day? These meaningless television shows may seem harmless at first, but as we continue to watch them, how will they change our views, our morality? Will it become okay to become pregnant at such a young age? Will it become okay to boss around respectable people, just because one has money? I find it absurd that my generation has to look at others’ mistakes, foolishness, pain or suffering for a sense of entertainment. What happened to the feel-good movies and television shows that actually had a meaning or purpose to them? Personally, it scares me to think that in the future, my children will also be exposed to such absurdities, only to become corrupted by these biased representations of our society.
ReplyDelete(Imagine Evan as eccentric rich person for this.)
ReplyDeleteI am looking for someone highly diverse and ready to obey me intelligently for a very important position to my business: a personal assistant I can trust with my plans and innermost thoughts. This person would be exclusively responsible for keeping track of where I am, and where I actually need to be, as I have proven countless times over that I have no true idea what is going on in my life. Also, because of my inability to distinguish form from raw function, the applicant must have a strong sense of style in both clothing and furnishings. Organization is a must, leading to the necessary requirement that the applicant be female, for males are just so much worse in this field.
Key duties of the job will be controlling the run of the mill activities of any business ventures I have taken up, for I find such things to be tedium. However, when the applicant feels that a decision is exceedingly important, I am to be asked immediately, with all sides of every relevant issue presented with the question. Because of the large importance to both my finances and social life, the chosen applicant will be payed well, as well as having all meals during the admittedly absurd work hours paid for. In short, please apply if you are willing to work strange hours as part wife, part employee, and part boss to a man who lives a high pace lifestyle that you must keep up with.
This “job” is not necessarily one that the uncoordinated person could participate in. The job I would like to describe is the task of Hurdling in track. I participate in track everyday and my favorite event is the 100-meter hurdles. First, in order to prepare yourself for hurdles you must warm up and stretch. A slow jog around the track that includes numerous stretches like lunges, high knees, and butt kicks is a good way to start. Make sure you are able to get your heart rate going to a steady beat, which should be faster than before when you were walking. After about two or three laps around the track your legs should be able to perform the proper stretching that hurdles require. It is important to jog before you stretch because you could pull a muscle. You should stretch your quads, shins, ankles, and other parts of your leg. Another good thing to stretch would be your back. Once you have completed your stretches that are mandatory to any athlete, move on to the important hurdle stretches. It is imperative to remember that without these stretches one could easily pull a muscle and fall flat on his or her face. Start by swinging your legs back and forth. This allows the blood in your legs to flow better and it also provides better flexibility when you begin hurdling. Another series of stretches should begin involving the hurdle, specifically stretching your legs on the hurdle and getting used to the height that is about to be cleared in your run. Practice your leading leg and trailing leg by walking through the hurdles a few times. The leading leg is the leg you will use to lead your steps into the hurdle. It is the first leg to go over the hurdle. The lead leg attack begins with a high knee action and with the foot "dorsi flexed" (toe back toward the knee). This action comes from the hip flexor (quads and groin). When driving the knee into the hurdle, the foot should always stay behind the knee. A locked knee over the hurdle occurs when leading with the foot, which causes a jumping effect and loss of speed. If the knee is held in a locked position during hurdle clearance, a delayed landing will result. The trailing leg simply trails behind the leading leg but snaps down abruptly in the front after it clears the hurdle. After your legs are all warmed up it is time to hurdle. Set your starting blocks, which are an apparatus that braces a runner's feet at the start of a race, consisting of two angled supports adjustably mounted on a rigid frame that is usually anchored to the track, to a comfortable position. Once this step is finished you are finally ready to run your hurdles. When approaching the obstacle make sure your leading leg is higher than the hurdle and the side of your body composes your arms. If you follow these steps you will surely be able to hurdle successfully, or at least have a good attempt. Good luck!
ReplyDeletehaha Evan...part wife? hahaha
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSeveral times when I look at upcoming movies via the Internet or TV, I encounter multiple films that convey filthy sexual messages and suggestive, lecherous scenes that should only be meant for adult viewers. But since the film critics have so kindly “lowered the bar” for film rating, our thirteen-year-olds are more than welcome to view these erotic, adulterated scenes. Hard to believe? Perhaps, you’ll be more convinced after a few frightening examples. “The Proposal,” a rated PG 13 romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, is composed of a rather simple storyline about two people falling in love. However, during the movie, Bullock was seen completely nude from head to toes, covering her private areas with only her bare hands. Similarly, her co-star Ryan Reynolds was also without clothing and the camera directed towards the duo’s bare buttocks. Several instances, suggestive actions and language within the movie convey the putrid, sexual message that is clearly only meant for grown adults. Another notorious evidence showing the corruption of our media is the movie “Mean Girls.” Released in 2004, “Mean Girls” was ravaged with suggestive scenes such as repeated showings of provocative exposure of women in lingerie and sexual interactions. Compared to PG 13 movies that were shown, perhaps, a few decades ago, recent films are crucial evidence that the media has brazenly taken PG 13 movies to a more adult and vulgar level. In fact, at this rate, the fine line between adolescence and adulthood might as well disappear. How many of us are comfortable to have our thirteen-year-old brothers or sisters view these sexual scenes? Unfortunately, these films only encourage more real-life sexual activities due to the curious minds of growing teenagers. If high school pregnancy was not a horrible sight, within the next few years, we’ll be introduced to a brand new concept: middle school pregnancy. How many of us are comfortable with having a pregnant 13-year-old sister? I may be exaggerating but then, again, a few decades ago, Americans would never have imagined the high percentage of teenage pregnancy today. While many like to put the blame on uncaring parents, I’d like to denote that there’s a limitation in parental control and that parents simply cannot put their children under radar 24/7. As a result, their 13-year-old kids will surely find their way into the putrid popular culture that will gradually rob their innocence by bombarding them with sexual messages. I’m not suggesting to forever shelter these kids from the real world; rather, gradual exposure of reality as the teenager mature is much better than completely transforming teenagers into lustful kids yearning for sex.
ReplyDeleteNot for the faint of heart or the weak of spirit, this job is not your usual nine to five white collar occupation. To even consider completing this task, you must be fearless and inspirational. You must be creative, and your very words must have a natural flow. You must be strong in the face of adversity and defiant in the face of defeat. You must be able to inspire and lead an entire generation. To be a rapper, you must be a lyrical genius. You must be willing to rack your brain for the perfect verse. You must be able to devote hours upon hours of time into the creation of a masterpiece whose success lies solely upon the opinions of an audience of young, tone-deaf adults. Adolescents who are more focused on a hot beat and a catchy hook than meaningful lyrics. To be a rap artist, you must never accept defeat. You must be able to adapt to whoever controls the remote. One of the main duties as a rapper, you must be able to inspire a generation. As people search for their place in society, surrounded by a maze of flashing lights and tall buildings, you must be able to guide them through their struggles and steer them to their final destination. You must create music that allows society to relate to the experience of the human condition. Too often, humans, in general, focus on simply living, not living for a reason. It is your job to give them a purpose; you must create music which they can relate to. You must be able to use violence as an allegory for a large meaning. Appeal to the struggles felt by all of mankind by exemplifying the experiences and hardships of a select few. Demonstrate the suffering and strength of spirit of a select group of people to inspire and move a generation. Illustrate that the human spirit is able to weather even the toughest of storms and challenges. Your music must have complex yet distinct levels. People should be and must be able to connect with your music on all of these levels. Do not use violence simply for the sake of using violence. Use it to illustrate a purpose, to make an image come to life. Highlight that violence is an extreme measure used only in the most serious of cases not according to any arbitrary whims. Create static lyrics, and you will be shunned as a lyrical dunce. While completing these arduous tasks, you must also show creativity. It is up to you to evolve the English language. Spit out new words such as “ballin’,” “kicks,” and “hood,” and you will be accepted and respected by the masses. You must be a natural model. Show the world what it truly means to be courageous. Demonstrate to the masses the meaning of the words bravery, leadership, and determination. You must be a model. Be fearless in the face of fear itself. Inspire the world with not only your music but by your actions. Defy all the stereotypes held by society concerning rap. Show them that the gangster is not defined by how many rocks are in your watch or how low your jeans fall by your waist. Show them that swagger is not a must but rather a cliché. Do this and you may take your seat next to lyrical geniuses such as Jay-Z and Kanye West in the majestic and prestigious hall of rap leaders.
ReplyDeleteReality shows are all the hit with not only teenagers, but children as well in society today. They provide us with entertainment because essentially, reality shows are people making fools of themselves. However, these "reality" shows often contain an excess of violence, sexual content, and unnecessary vulgarity throughout. Children watch and become accustomed to seeing these things on television and often think that it is okay to act as these people do on TV. Reality shows encourage violence, sexual activity, and vulgarity amongst our youth today. Often when kids get in fights at school or begin to use curse words it is because they have seen it on TV. Although reality shows can be inappropriate, sometimes they are educational and entertaining without the impropriety. They can provide us with knowledge about fashion or just a fun program to watch with the whole family. Nevertheless, reality shows are an easy gateway for children to be quickly introduced to violence and other similar accommodates that can hurt a child’s future in the long run. After all, the people our children of today’s society look up haven’t gotten very far with their lives. More often than not, they are people without jobs that can keep them financially stable and most likely jobs that they do not enjoy. Reality shows can be very entertaining; however, we should still monitor what children of today watch.
ReplyDeleteI am in search for a pharmacist who is willing to work at my Pharmacy five days a week from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. You must be able to provide information to patients about the prescription drugs and the instructions provided by their doctor. You should also be able to monitor the patient’s progress along the way and make sure they are taking the medication properly and that it is safe for them. Pharmacists will be required to abide by the state and federal laws as well as the rules and regulation of my Pharmacy. You must have all the required licenses for the state of Georgia and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. It is preferred if you are CPR certified and if you know a language other than English. You will earn $46.00 per hour and will have about three to four weeks of vacation (paid), but that could vary. You are expected to be organized and must learn to prioritize your work. Always keep yourself updated technically and have good communication skills. This job is perfect for those searching for good benefits, pay, hours, and a stable work environment.
ReplyDelete(I am now a record producer)
ReplyDeleteI am looking to sign a talented individual for my record label. A recording artist is a position of great social prominence and a very time-consuming job. One must: be able to sing for many hours, record their voice for long sessions possibly lasting days at a time. The public will then want to meet the face behind the voice, so they will have many public appearances in the future. In addition, they will have to keep with online communication. Next, the press will have to meet the talented new individual and gain some words of wisdom from the emerging artist; in other words, interviews will be plentiful. Finally, who does not love a live show? A world tour may be on the horizon; more specifically, a year of pure hell in which they will be in a different country each week for a long time.
A recording artist will first and foremost do what is so much who they are, it is a part of their name: record. The single/album is the staple of the career of the pop star. Many of the new star's fans will want a tour, so they will be heading out into the world to perform for the general public, making money and spending money. The remainder of their life will be a mess of interviews, publicity stints, and keeping up with their fans online by posting in their blog, staying on Facebook, and hosting little competitions to engage fans in your life and music. A host of other public appearances are inevitable, some intentional while others are not. They must be willing to give up some of their privacy and give up much of their free time. So, got talent? Don't value your free time and privacy? Then come on down!
I am looking for someone who is quite similar to myself and who i can share my life with. No, I am not looking for a spouse but simply a sibling. This person would have to be withing two years of my age,seventeen, whether they be older or younger is of no real importance.I would prefer the person to be a male so that they may be a brother but I am not opposed to the idea of hiring a sister. Also, the to be accepted for this position the person must be on track academically because i would rather have a sibling I could work on school work with as opposed to helping them constantly with their work.
ReplyDeleteThe primary duties of a sibling are what one might expect, this person must be able to at least compete with me in various sibling type activities such as video games or sports. Also, the person and I should share several common interests. However, we should not be totally the same or life would get boring rather quickly. Also, as a sibling you would be entitled to your opinions, meaning that you would not have to do everything i ask. All siblings are allowed to do things separately if not they would probably strangle each other. Further information about the specific activities of this job will be discussed during jobs interviews. If you feel like you are qualified and would like a sibling yourself please apply!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is “job” is more of a task, but it is a task that we do every day. A task that is necessary to be successful every day at Lakeside High School. Writing your name or the date on a sheet of paper is a task that we do daily and most of us take for granted. It seems like such an easy task, but for a young child learning how to write is very difficult. Writing the date, March 7, 2011 takes hand control and concentration for a six-year-old to accomplish. Can you imagine learning how to write every letter and number for the first time during an in-class essay? You would not finish if you had to think about every single letter you had to write down. For instance this is how to write the date. First one must pick up the pencil and grip it in his hand. Then on a sheet of paper, that hand has to able to control the pencil to make a straight, vertical line in between the two of the lines of a sheet of notebook paper. The pencil, then must be picked up and move to the top of the line just drawn and a line half the size of the first line needs to be drawn diagonally, slanting down and to the right. After this line is drawn, another line will be drawn diagonally, slanting up and to the left, the same size as the other diagonally line. At the end of this line there will be another, going straight down, the same length as the very first line completing the first letter. For the second letter of the month one will draw a circle and give it a tail by drawing a vertical line, touching it, to the right. The next letter is just a straight, vertical line, half the size of the gap between the lines on a sheet of note book paper, and a curve going to the right on the top of it. The third letter is half a circle with the gap facing to the right and the fifth letter is a vertical line, the size of the very first line, with a hump at the bottom of it. This hump starts where the line ended and the pencil simply makes half a circle with the opening facing down. The rest of the date consists of numbers, which are easier learn to write. Place the pencil at the top of the gap between the lines and making a short, horizontal line to start drawing the number seven. Once this line is drawn, drawn another going straight down. Then all you have left to write is the year. The year is 2011 so to draw this number place your pencil at the top of the page and draw a hump like we did for one of the letters in the month. After that finish the hump by extending that line straight down till it touches the line on the paper. Then at the end of this line draw a horizontal tail to the right of the vertical line. The next number is zero which is easy for it is just a full circle and the last two numbers are the same and both of those number are straight, vertical lines. With these directions one should be able to write the date on his or her work for that day. This “job” is used with in every other job and therefore is vital to one’s understanding.
ReplyDeleteShowcased by the proliferation of the MP3 player and expansion of the music industry, Music is large part of our society today. Music is used in entertainment, advertisement and leisure activities. I honestly cannot tell you how many times I have heard, “I cannot live without my music.” Therefore, one should be able to see that music has the potential to alter our behaviors and provide a lens into who we are. Personally, I am affected by the music I listen to. I listen to certain music depending on how I feel or what my mood is at the particular time. But doesn’t music sometimes put us in a certain mood? I think anyone would agree that not only does their mood affect their music selection, but music also affects their mood. I know it seems simple but music essentially has two parts. There is music or instrumental work, as well as lyrical work. Often times I hear people say, “I just like the beat” or “I listen to this for the music, the words really have no meaning to me.” In this case, the listener is simply enjoying the art of instrumentalism and hey, that’s great. But what about the people who read into the lyrics; people like me? What does that say about our society? Being a musician, I can usually pick out a melody line and appreciate it. I soon move past that and I ask myself, what is this guy/girl even trying to say to me? I’m not saying that I am a musical analyst and no I probably cannot extract a deep, insightful message from your Ke$ha song, but I do want my music to matter to me. Because of my sheltered Christian background, I’ve never really listened to secular radio. Anywhere I went, my parents went, and therefore it was the local Christian radio with its outdated, mediocre musicians and sappy stories of love to be the accompanying soundtrack to the errand that day. Though I have my complaints about Christian radio, I am really thankful for an alternative to the garbage that usually is pouring out of the paper thin speakers that came standard on my car, and now sound like rumbling static even when I turn the equalizer down…Many of the popular songs of today are enjoyable in that they have good reply value and are fun to sing and dance to in large groups. This is great, however, I find it alarming that so many of our songs poorly present shallow principles while the artists themselves live lives of crime and irresponsibility. I can could name numerous examples of songs that I have related to and enjoyed because within the cleverly contrived verses, were life experiences shared through the fusion of instrumentalism and lyrics by the artist. I do not see the songs of today challenging our society, relationships, and behaviors. Are we really listening, or are we content with the pounding 808s and synthesizer lines?
ReplyDeleteI have already resolved my issues with the top 40 songs and reality TV shows by simply not turning on the radio or TV. What I can’t seem to escape, though, is MMORPGs, also known as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games for those who are not cyber-smart. I am somewhat game-savvy through friends who dedicate hours upon hours playing online, but that does not mean that I want to read or hear about the new trials and versions that have just been released while I am browsing the internet. Specifically, I am targeting the multi-million dollar industry that has been created by World of Warcraft.
ReplyDeleteWhile the WoW games are not always “violent,” they seem to have an even worse effect on the teen population, depriving kids of social interaction and leading them to believe that being “productive” means that you have leveled up and forged new armor and/or weapons. Such games take away the time that could be better spent with actual humans in real life (IRL). I become discouraged when I see people with high intellectual potential waste their talents scheming up ways to beat a boss, rather than spending time on an education that will actually get them somewhere in their lives. Moreover, I am ashamed of how willing parents are to spend money on yearly subscriptions for their already (socially) impoverished children. Where does our future lie? With our children. What are our children doing? Becoming level 83 rogues. Ultimately, this unhealthy addiction to the virtual worlds of WoW and beyond will encompass the lives of future generations by providing uncanny and unsatisfying ways to fulfill our humanly needs and goals, whether to express our anger toward an unjust society by killing creatures or to form social relations with the unidentified on the opposite coast of the nation. And for the rest of us, we will be forced to listen to one’s accomplishments until the trend can be changed. Use that finger dexterity for something like playing an instrument instead.
Shows such as The Bachelor, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Jersey Shore are aired to viewers nationwide. These programs distort reality and establish new norms of society. These shows exist due to the viewer’s “need for myths and images that compensate for a sense of alienation and ineffectuality” amongst “the most interpersonally alienated generation in our history” (329). Is reality programming solely for entertainment purpose or does it comfort its viewers who are glad to see that other people’s lives are crazier than their own?
ReplyDeleteSeveral weeks ago, my aunt and uncle starred on a reality show entitled “One Born Every Minute.” In an attempt to contrast the birth of my cousin Carly with the natural birth of another baby on the show, the producers manipulated the footage of my aunt so that she appeared to have made a selfish decision when she received an epidural. With the help of editing technology, every statement made by my aunt was used to focus on drugs. She asked my uncle “Is it in yet?” referring to a memory stick in the camera, but the show made it appear as if she was referencing the epidural. Even without editing, my aunt told us that she felt a need to act more dramatic while filming to keep the show interesting. The program’s producers desired a show that would capture the attention of the viewers rather than portraying birth accurately.
Musicians are needed greatly by society. These artists are required to entertain people and provide an escape from thought so people do not have to ponder any important issues or confront any existential crises. Thus, a musician can be the administrator of the opiate of the masses, mindless music that encourages rigid conformity. Musicians must also create songs that are catchy because then it penetrates the subconscious and can be used to market commercial goods such as shoes and cat food. Intelligence, a conscience, or actual skills are traits that a musician can do without. What really matters is a musician’s “star power”: how good-looking and charismatic the musician appears to the general public. Becoming a star provides a blindly loyal fan base that can be exploited in order to make as much as a profit as possible, which will go to the dedicated labels that signed the artists in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the posts of my peers, a select few stuck out in my memory. When Dineise points out the increasing vulgarity in movies, I came to conclusion that soon enough there would be no censorship at all. The movies that were once considered risqué are matters of toddlers nowadays. Movies such as mean girls are packed with sexual references, ranging from sleazy dance numbers, to a sexual education class in which condoms are passed around. Is this what our generation has come to? No wonder we are going through a sexual revolution in the 21st century. Also, a new fad has arisen thanks to MTV: “Sixteen & Pregnant” and “Teen Mom.” These shows glamorize teen pregnancy which is sweeping the nation, with America as the leading country for highest teen pregnancies. Evan’s point on how males are less handy with organization made me realize that each boy I know has no sense of penmanship or organization, even the most brilliant of brilliant. His job requirements also remind of Mr. Stark from Iron Man. So typical. Rachel’s target of “scripted drama” emphasizes modern culture’s need to fabricate and embellish daily life. By watching the tantrums of girls on Sweet Sixteen, we often desire lavish items as if a $100,000 car for your 15th birthday was not enough.
ReplyDeleteMost of peers seem to mention how television today has become so vulgar and sleazy. I agree with this a hundred percent because most of the shows that come on, like Dineise said, aren’t even rated appropriately. Even kids channels such as Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network air shows that deal with girlfriend- boyfriend issues and other useless drama, which is clearly not age appropriate considering their main audience consists of elementary school kids. Children are being to be exposed to certain things way to early and they try to mature much faster than they should be. Although shows for kids are not as obscene as those for teenagers and adults, they still consists ideas that are intended for a mature audience. Parents always have to be aware of what their child is watching because media is beginning to play a negative role on their innocent minds. I use to mentor a boy in fourth grade who had a girlfriend already; I found it shocking to see that a boy who could barely do 25 x 3 was trying to deal with a relationship. Children are meant to be innocent and enjoy the little things in life. These early years in their lives are crucial in shaping their personalities, they have a curious mind and we should be taking benefit of that and providing them with new ideas to expand their knowledge. They need to be taught how to differentiate between right and wrong and should be assisted in helping them set goals but instead, media takes advantage of their innocence and in a sense “brain washes” their young minds with the nonsense they provide for these children to watch.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading my peers’ posts, it seems as though the media is one of the most corrupting features of our society. As Shefali mentioned, popular music is known for its catchy beats and rhythms, but underneath it all, they all hold some sort of vulgar or explicit content. I have even found myself singing or humming along to a song that is actually quite offensive and improper just because I liked the rhythm and tune of it. Also, as Dineise mentioned, I have also realized the inappropriate content of certain PG-13 movies. I do not believe that middle schoolers should be exposed to some of the graphic scenes in movies such as, Mean Girls or The Proposal. This also goes along with Ritu’s peer post, where she mentions that today, even children’s channels such as Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon hold some sort of content that should be aimed more towards young adults and teenagers. But on the contrary, there are still songs and movies that do have a meaning other than entertainment. As Swayam mentioned in his blog post, some artists use music as a way to connect to their listener, a way to escape from a harsher reality, but unless these artist hold some sort of fame or “star power” they are most likely to go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteAs I read over my peer's postings, I've realized that, fortunately, many of my peers have noticed the dangerous path that our entertainment industry is leading to. On the musical aspect, Josh and Shefali have done an excellent job in pointing out the complete corruption in the music industry. Both Josh and Shefali analyzed the superficiality of today's music in which they only have "catchy tunes and rhythms" and entirely lack of any "deep, insightful message" that makes up the essential value of quality music. Furthermore, I highly respect Shefali's analysis in which she stated that many songs that speak of true "love" or "affection" are full of worthless drivel describing a person's outward appearance rather than inner beauty/character. Josh also pointed out the gruesome hypocrisy in which today's music convey: while artist/musicians put on their sleazy masks in claiming that they are virtuous role models, in truth, they "live lives of crime and irresponsibility." Another notorious attribute that many producers have so kindly introduced to the public is autotune. So now, not only modern music lack in meaning, sophistication, quality, and creativity, the musician doesn't even need to be able to sing well to become famous. In fact, thanks to our media, the original definition of a musician had entirely changed: they don't need to sing well, don't have to be creative, they can repeat the same lyrics over and over again and that would be accepted, and lastly their lyrics don't even have to make sense (an songwriter could write "blah, blah, blah" for his song and all he would need to succeed is a catchy beat).
ReplyDeleteAfter reviewing my peers’ blog posts I found myself strongly agreeing to the points made by Winnie and Josh. Winnie makes a good point of addressing the utter escape offered by “mmorpgs” such as World of War craft as a total waste of time. These games eat away countless hours of time that could be spent doing better things such as reading or actual work. Sometimes they can cause a detrimental effect on the lives of the people who become obsessed with them, mistaking the superficial virtual communication with actual bonding. At times these games seem like drugs that offer their users the pleasures of a virtual world to escape to and choose to inhabit if they wish. I still remember the pathetic sight of my waiter at IHOP a couple of months ago who lived solely to play WOW. He had blackened teeth, a disheveled appearance, an emotionally distant tone, and lived in his mother’s basement, all due to his total devotion to the game. Of course most people are not controlled to this extent by online games but this example should prove my point that videogames can become all-consuming if not utilized in minute doses. Josh also brings up a point that I can relate with when he attacks the current state of commercial music, hereby defined as music marketed towards the general population characterized by synthetic beats, meaningless drivel for lyrics, and a lack of soul. The songs blasted over radios today seem so artificial and somewhat vulgar, as if the artists are trying to compensate for their lack of talent by continually shocking their fan bases. Music serves different purposes, but I feel that true music either evokes some emotion or attempts to share experiences with the listeners.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading over the posts of my peers i realized that most of the posts relating to popular culture relate to how it has digressed throughout the years and become "vulgar and sleazy" as Ritu put it.I agree with all of the claims made by my peers on this particular subject. This vulgarity that is poisoning pop culture is primarily spawned from televisions especially from channels like MTV. One of the shows now on MTV that is a keen example of this pop culture poison is the show Skins. The show portrays teenagers in high school getting high at least once per episode and selling drugs around their school daily. Now let me ask you this: how in any way is that setting a good example for teenagers today? It more or less says to them, "get high and have sex, you;ll become famous for it." I assure you if a teenager in real life was copying the kids from that show they would surely become famous; because there would be a major headline about them on the news saying how they went to prison!
ReplyDeletePerhaps I am just a vulgar, immoral person, but when I am reading the posts of my peers, especially when they are responding to topic two, the only thing that crosses my mind is the question "Why are they taking this so seriously?" Dineise insults the modern movie industry for becoming more sexual, but I ask what is the problem with this? Censorship is just humanity's insecurity with itself. We should all be proud of our bodies and revel in the beauty of a well maintained human form. Also, Winnie talks about the damaging effects of online games on the social lives of teens. For one, the people who let these games interfere with their social lives are the type of people that honestly do not have a social life to ruin, and also, let people do what they enjoy! If they enjoy trouncing about on a virtual realm, more power to them.
ReplyDeleteOverall, if you have a problem with modern media, it is not their fault. The corporations behind this media are only appealing to a market. If you even consider sexual content and the like morally wrong, as I do not, the blame does not lie with the creators, but with the people paying for the content. But in general, to all of my peers, I make a statement. Chill out and just let people enjoy what they enjoy.
P.S. Is my post really as typical of me as Shefali says?
ReplyDeleteI have been reading my classmates' initial postings and I have to say, first of all: Shefali, you are so right! I am sick of the bad image that the music industry has produced; to think that ten years ago the industry was so much more wholesome, I quote a great singer from days past: "Let us pray/for the ones they call the children of today." As for the examples presented for TV by Emily and Diniese, society had really lowered its standards for the new generation of children, allowing young children to see what my parents would never condone me seeing; if I was young, they would ground me. If I was grown up, they would say that they thought that they had raised me better. Furthermore, one of the symbols of cleanliness in a dirty world is so stricken by animosity by people who have nothing better to do that the video for his most famous song has over one million dislikes, while there are only about 550,000 likes. There is who the young should look up to, not the examples outlined by my peers.
ReplyDeleteThe media is a disaster. Young children are being influenced by people who act like drug and sex-crazed lunatics that seek to do nothing but get another hit and more pleasure. What is sad is that good music still exists; it is just getting harder to find. Many of the songs that I listen to are from other places because I tire of the recurring theme of partying and rampant materialism.
I agree with my peers in that the music and television shows broadcasted to the public are not properly rated and are corrupting our society. Our generation is constantly bombarded with negative influence just by turning on the radio or the television, but can some of these televisions shows help teens make the right decisions? Personally I know that the show “Sixteen and Pregnant” has impacted the people around me. Once watching the struggles, challenges, and sacrifices the teen mom has to endure, teens learn to enjoy the life they have and not take it for granted, by making fatal mistakes. Dineise’s post helped me come with this assumption, for she only talks about the bad. Maybe it is just a self-conscience thing or an excuse for myself, so I do not feel so bad watching the shows; for the reality television and explicit music does more harm than good and I truly believe that they are negatively impacting the adolescent years of teens.
ReplyDeleteReading through the posts made by my peers, I came by several posts that criticize modern music, calling it a cacophony of arbitrary noises put together simply to appease the masses. From Swayam’s sarcastic and caustic remarks of modern-day musicians as incompetent leaders who appeal only to a blinded population to Shefali’s and Josh’s tirades of the downfall of modern music, I believe that such criticism is an ignorant oversimplification of an entire industry. Such a generalization is bound to be an inaccurate representation of the true meaning of music. Although I agree that some music has lost quality in recent years, there are some genres that retain musical and inspirational qualities. Not all music is overly focused on teenage love or spiteful violence. Some genres are able to appeal to an individual’s inner conscious. Not all lyrics are superficial and shallow. Some songs speak to us of the struggles of humanity against any obstacles. Not all artists are pre-occupied with society’s perception of them. Some sing simply to spread a message and inspire a generation. A prime example is Kanye West. Although he is widely regarded as an egomaniacal individual, his lyrics have meaning. He is able to move past the simplistic notion of creating music that only sounds good; he is able to create lyrics that have meaning. There is still some light in the sea of darkness that has become our modern music industry. Not all hope is forsaken. It is up to you as an informed listener to differentiate between purposeful music and a random synthesis of sounds coupled with useless lyrics. Additionally I believe that any downfall of the musical industry is the direct result of the degradation in society’s own expectations and morals. The music which is now referred to as popular mirrors our own values. Can we really expect music to be purposeful when our own lives have slipped into a moral abyss entirely void of emotion or a sense of right or wrong? Only when we begin to change as a society can we expect all music to take on a sense of meaning that is currently held by only a select few genres.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading over my classmate’s posts, I see that we share many common beliefs on where we stand on society’s corruption on adolescents. I agree with Diem that movies are showing too much to kids too young. However, I feel that as we move further into the future, movies will continue to show graphic scenes and they will depict them in an even more obvious way, making them more apparent and longer. The Proposal’s scene was very short, but I think eventually they will come more often, along with a longer lasting duration.
ReplyDeleteI think I am also like Josh in that whenever I listen to music, I read into the lyrics. Many kids today, in my opinion, don’t really listen to music that really goes deeper than sex, drugs, and money. I think that it’s evident they mainly listen to it because these songs have a catchy beat. While it is fun to listen to some music for the beat, in the end, I wish to know what the songs are saying. I find that my favorite songs do not really include any form of a catchy beat and though the lyrics may or may not have rhyme to them, the lyrics still talk about things I can relate to or have experienced; the lyrics are meaningful and therefore, amount to overall eminence.
Skimming through the latest issue of People Magazine, I couldn’t help but realize that most of all the people being gossiped about in this book had the occupation of an actor/actress. As I thought about the idea of being a highly respected director who employed many actors today, I asked what’s to be respected in an actor?
ReplyDeleteI would dream to employ bimbo actors who truly could not act worth their life just so they’d make for interesting headline stories on the front cover of OK! If need be, I would have him/her protest to the fans that they were an advocate supporter of PETA yet wear authentic fox fur on every major item they have. I want an actor who can take the heat of the gossip without breaking a sweat. An actor who will freely admit themselves into rehab to look as if they were ‘the perfect, model citizen’. When strolling down the red carpet, I want an actor who will wear the most submissive clothes to ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ and convince the public and the fans that the designer who created the outfit was out to get you and your fame which was the reason for the ‘wardrobe malfunction’. I want an actor who will write a book about their middle-class suburban childhood but, put a twist to the story saying that they grew up as an inner-city street kid on the blocks of lower-class New York. I want an actor who is willing to give up anything and everything just to make it big in the business so that when the Oscar is received you can tell the world of the hard and strenuous work put into being an actor.
Actors must sacrifice living a normal life to living a life of eternal gossiping and stress-inducing situations. They must carry on a phony persona to their fans in order to gain their respect. What ever happen to giving respect to get respect? It takes special people to make it their main goal in life to be on the front cover of People Mag or OK! Reflecting on the job description, I thought being an actor/actress is a respected profession. I mean, having to do all of these actions, you’re bound to get some type of creditable award in the end right?
Skimming through the latest issue of People Magazine, I couldn’t help but realize that most of all the people being gossiped about in this book had the occupation of an actor/actress. As I thought about the idea of being a highly respected director who employed many actors today, I asked what’s to be respected in an actor?
ReplyDeleteI would dream to employ bimbo actors who truly could not act worth their life just so they’d make for interesting headline stories on the front cover of OK! If need be, I would have him/her protest to the fans that they were an advocate supporter of PETA yet wear authentic fox fur on every major item they have. I want an actor who can take the heat of the gossip without breaking a sweat. An actor who will freely admit themselves into rehab to look as if they were ‘the perfect, model citizen’. When strolling down the red carpet, I want an actor who will wear the most submissive clothes to ‘wardrobe malfunctions’ and convince the public and the fans that the designer who created the outfit was out to get you and your fame which was the reason for the ‘wardrobe malfunction’. I want an actor who will write a book about their middle-class suburban childhood but, put a twist to the story saying that they grew up as an inner-city street kid on the blocks of lower-class New York. I want an actor who is willing to give up anything and everything just to make it big in the business so that when the Oscar is received you can tell the world of the hard and strenuous work put into being an actor.
Actors must sacrifice living a normal life to living a life of eternal gossiping and stress-inducing situations. They must carry on a phony persona to their fans in order to gain their respect. What ever happen to giving respect to get respect? It takes special people to make it their main goal in life to be on the front cover of People Mag or OK! Reflecting on the job description, I thought being an actor/actress is a respected profession. I mean, having to do all of these actions, you’re bound to get some type of creditable award in the end right?
As a traveler, I have witnessed for my own eyes the differences in cultures, specifically between the American culture and the Chinese culture. Where one nation encourages freedom of speech and expression, the other is infamously known for its censorship. Can you guess which is which? What interested me the most in these posts were the comments made by Emily, Dineise, and Paige, regarding the quality of material that the entertainment industry incorporates into its television shows and movies. Emily, for example, brings up a valid point about the uselessness of many reality television shows that either flaunt the stupidity or wealth of people. As a car fanatic, I am personally annoyed by the girls who request cars that cost more than their own net values. I do not even want to know how much their insurance costs, and I cringe when My Super Sweet Sixteen later follows up and reveals that the car has been totaled and replaced. Shows such as these and Sixteen and Pregnant only illustrate the downfall of America’s younger generations. Where we used to be depicted as a motivated population (“children are our future”), we are now subjected to pitiful cries of “Daddy, get me this!” I want to point out that in China, I have not once heard any mention of birthday parties, much less of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on them. I am also pretty sure that most teenagers there are not exposed to the concept of sexual activity either. The majority of them are prudes, as exemplified by one of my parents’ friend’s daughter, who flinched at a scene where a couple gave each other a chicken peck on the lips. She must have been at least seventeen at the time. Furthermore, any child would be disowned by their parents if pregnancy ever occurred or be encouraged by one of the animated abortion commercials that come on between shows. I additionally want to mention, with regards to Dineise and Paige’s statements, that the suggestive material in television shows and movies is not always a bad thing. It really depends on how a child is nurtured prior to watching it. If they already possess a sense of right and wrong and maturity, you might find that media will not affect the children as much. However, I am not completely beating down their arguments. At times, the entertainment industry really does go overboard by including as much as they can without crossing over into R-rated movies. The truth is, though, that the industry has the money and power to do so without arising too much conflict. In fact, some of you might recall seeing articles and YouTube videos designated to finding the perversions in Disney.
ReplyDeleteSorry this is late everyone but this is my post from last night...my internet has been out! Sorry!
ReplyDeleteReality shows have reached a peak in popularity because so many young people have become hooked on them, not because their content is of meritorious value. Many teenagers aspire to be “fist pumping” like Snooky on Jersey Shore while they should be doing their homework and focusing on their own futures instead of whether or not Sam and Ronnie will get back together or if Snooky will get out of jail. For some reason, the viewers of these shows seem to really believe that what they are watching is reality. But someone has to be standing there with a camera in their hand shooting the whole thing, which eliminates the sense of actuality on the show. Every character on these reality shows is constantly aware that they are being filmed and this changes their reaction to every situation that is thrown at them on these shows. The only thing real about these reality shows is the fact that they are real people who are REALLY stupid. The only exception that I believe can be made to this rule is reality shows like American Idol. When talent and audience voting become involved, I think that the entire appearance of the show becomes classier.
Peer Response Posttt
ReplyDeleteWhen reading my classmates’ posts, it became more aware to me how corrupt our society really is today. It is not just in one area either; this corruption is literally taking over the minds of young people in society today. I agree with Shefali’s comments about Ke$ha and Lady Gaga and how they portray an image that no mother or sibling would want their child or younger brother or sister exposed to. My sister is only in the seventh grade and a lot of her friends are already acting more mature regarding sex, alcohol, drugs, etc. than I ever have. Whenever this topic is discussed, I always tell my mom that Ke$ha is the reason for destruction among middle school children today. I mean seriously, “got a water bottle full of whiskey in my hand bag” and “sipping in cars, hitting on dudes.hard.”? How are these lyrics of any merit at all?
I agree with Mihir in that not ALL genres are meaningless, but in comparison to the past, yes more music that is exposed to the young generation is corrupt. I know our peer post is over, but I'm just dying to say more. Evan, I believe that its not sexuality that is wrong, but it should emerge at a later age. Innocence is the key element to being a child. Many of these youths are not emotionally or physically prepared to deal with such a mind altering topic such as sex.
ReplyDeleteSwayam's post stood out the most to me because he's correct in that musicians of today's generation have pressure to please their fans through a way of escaping the stresses that society brings in life. Music itself creates a utopia that will never be achieved on this conflicting world today. Also, I liked his comment that musicians create catchy music to attracts listeners but also to create this subconscious world of where all you problems are gone-kind of like a utopia of society today.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Shefali that Taylor Swift’s lyrics are gossamer and shallow. I believe that she her ranking on America’s Top 40 Countdown and she gears her songs towards what she thinks her fans desire instead of how she actually feels. Her tween and teen listeners alike are frequently oblivious to love and accordingly do not find fault in her songs. Not only are her lyrics flimsy, but so is her talent at singing. With the technology of Auto-Tune, record producers focus more on selling an image, like BN, than finding natural talent. Taylor Swift generally appeals to teenage girls, so her generated image is that of a sweet young woman who relates to relationship problems of high school. The BN, on the contrary, is created to be relatable to those who feel isolated and desire to evade emotion. As Josh Martin has stated, pop music is recorded for soundtracks of parties and groups of friends to sing along with. Swift’s songs are designed to include tunes that are capable of being stuck in the listener’s head and to include lyrics that are appreciated by the listener. She remains a top selling artist because she caters to the dreams of her audience.
ReplyDeleteEvan, I never said it's wrong to appreciate the beauty of human form. But do 13-year-olds really have such ability for such a task? I highly doubt that. In fact, even some adults lack the ability to truly appreciate the human physique.
ReplyDeleteI always find Swayam’s posts insightful and very intellectual, so I read them. Of course I read everyone’s posts ☺ but this time what Swayam said really caused me to physically contemplate. This time I was fond of what he wrote about musicians and how they “are required to entertain people and provide an escape from thought.” This made me consider and ponder why I enjoy music and playing the piano so much, and I believe it is because when I am playing my piano or listening to a song by an artist, who specifically wrote a song to help me escape from the natural world, I feel more at peace and ease than I did before. On a side note, without the glamorous aura musicians and well known pop artists portray today, they most likely would not be as popular. Like Swayam said, “becoming a star provides a blindly loyal fan base,” but without the fans the star would not be necessarily admired or worshiped.
ReplyDeleteWinnie, good for you for rising above the terribleness of today’s accepted “hits.” I too am not fond of what is blasted across the radio. In my opinion the music that is considered popular and “all the rage” is really garbage. I tend to stick with my burnt CD’s and iPod play lists! I admired your view take on video games. How they are “depriving kids of social interaction and leading them to believe that being ‘productive’ means that you have leveled up and forged new armor and weapons.” That made me laugh. It is an unhealthy addiction that should be stopped like Winnie Said. I wonder if the trend of video games will continue in the near future? Will our children have the same opportunity to destroy their minds with meaningless wastes of time too? If the gaming companies wanted to actually do something good in the world they could possibly incorporate education into their games. Make learning your math fractions and AP United States History a blast! Now that I would endorse.
I have enjoyed reading my peers' posts about the negative effects of pop culture. It is unfortunate that music has turned into a game of fast money in which random stuff is thrown together and processed onto the internet, where it is sold and the creator makes a million in nothing flat. Shefali and Swayam made the best points, discussing the shallowness of the lyricism as the greatest downfall. Not only does it further portray the music as the trash that it is, but also does it show how society is being poisoned by it. Just imagine what the world will look like in ten years!
ReplyDelete