Hip, Hop, Hooray...

This class is certainly exposing the difficulties of viewing media without a critical mind. It's so easy to just forget why hip-hop culture developed and see it simply as a fact of our society. I always feel torn whenever the subject comes up because I am an avid listener of hip-hop music and yet I am also quite knowledgeable about the slavery, segregation, and the ghettoization of blacks in the Americas. When I reflect on its role in maintaining stereotypical images of blacks, I feel guilty for supporting the hip-hop industry. Yet, another part of me sees this culture as a way for blacks to maintain visibility in a white-dominated society that would otherwise squash them into the background. As someone mentioned in class, some black parents see athleticism and entertainment as the only two routes to get their children out of the ghetto lifestyle. This is not a problem within African American culture so much as a sign that there are serious hang-ups built into the American Dream that limit the social mobility of minorities. It becomes, once again, a question of education. It is widely recognized that there is a lack of funding for inner-city schools in the United States. This needs to change so that more African American children can see themselves moving out of lower class living through schooling and other professions besides entertainment and sports. Hopefully, some of these changes will be realized during Obama's term. However, we cannot simply label such careers as disreputable. Singing, dancing, and shooting hoops are not the problem. The problem is WHY these are such popular careers paths for blacks. Is it strictly choice? Or is it the only way to maintain a decent lifestyle? Or at least live the life that the dominant society idolizes? So many questions, and, once again, very few concrete answers. What's important is that we keep on asking...

Alienation not Technology

Teen suicide is something I have a hard time understanding. I simply wasn't a melancholy teenager who majorly struggled with identity and relationships. Sure, I had some conflicts with my parents and it was sometimes difficult to get my male peers to notice me underneath my puffy hair and glasses, but I never contemplated taking my life over it. It frightens me that so many young people are willing to throw their life out the window due to a few hang-ups along the way. What does this say about their self-esteem? How loudly does it speak of their inability to communicate their feelings with others? However, before delving into plausible answers that I have no way of justifying, I should reflect on my own experiences and why I never saw death as a superior option to life.

First off, I can say without a doubt that I am a fortunate individual. I was born into a loving family with three older siblings who paved the path of adolescence for me. By the time I came around, my father's pet laws had broken and three cats freely ranged the basement. My mother did little more than nag me about my ripped jeans. I was not constantly fighting against the people I loved about who I was or was becoming. This shows that my parents learned how to pick their battles. They set examples for me and I virtually innately avoided alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. I was unique in my dress and was interested in social justice already as a teen, but they acknowledged that these were healthy ways of expressing myself. Furthermore, my friends, even if they experimented themselves, never pushed their habits on me. I rarely felt left-out at parties or other social events. I was known for my humour and outgoing nature, not for being a goody-goody. I never felt the need to make bolder statements than the ones my talents made themselves. This leads me to my second point...

I was always involved. I loved school and the fact that I could learn about various subjects and issues. I enjoyed sports and was encouraged to play on teams throughout high school. Some would at this point argue, "Yeah, but you were also good at everything. It's easy when you're good at everything." False. Yes, I was a natural athlete and school came easily, but this doesn't mean that maintaining your own standards is easy. I was always worried I'd stop being good enough and this is something that I'm still dealing with today: What if I can't keep up with the expectations people have of me? What if I just stop doing my work or stop working out or stop handing out granola bars to homeless people? What do I have? Who am I then?

So, on the one hand, I see how I have had the benefit of an amazing family, reliable friends, athleticism, and academic achievement. These are all areas that, if they are tough for teens, are more likely to lead to depression. But, on the other hand, there is also the depression that results from feeling pressured to maintain a certain persona. Many stories circulate about that straight-A teen who hung himself or herself for some reason or other.

What I think it comes down to is an alienation from oneself. It is the inability to find satisfaction with one's own actions and ideas. As much as people think that technology is much to blame for this, I think that it is not so much technological innovations that are at fault but the way in which we use, or view, them. As suggested by Robert M. Pirsig in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: "...the real evil isn't the objects of technology but the tendency of technology to isolate people into lonely attitudes of objectivity" (p. 367).

Seeing Pink

Today's class discussion revolved around the media's portrayal of females and femininity, most notably in television shows and movies targeted at a young audience. As expected, the discussion was quite binary:

1. Some people believe that media negatively influences youth. They staunchly claim that media dictates how a child views himself of herself and that movies and television shows reinforce certain social stereotypes.

2. Others believe that television shows and movies are moving away from traditional portrayals of women and girls. They argue that new characters dismiss older stereotypes and emancipate the female gender.

My own stance on the topic is somewhat difficult to ascertain, and whenever I try to organize my thoughts on the subject, they become quite convoluted. I do appreciate the opinion that older films encouraged ultra-feminine roles. Disney's many princesses were rarely independent and perpetually relied on a strong male figure to save them from their dire situations. Cartoon women were not the only ones to be viewed in such a light- the damsel-in-distress saga is one that reveals itself in a plethora of other genres.

However, despite this recognition of a sexist past, I do believe advancements have been made for women in the movie/television industry. Women are now more often portrayed as clever, strong, and independent. Although a love story is usually still twisted into every plot, the relationship tends to more balanced, or at least not perceptibly patriarchal in nature. Nonetheless, if one really observes these new trends, one realizes something else... sex appeal is the handmaiden of being a clever, strong, and independent woman. I take the example of the movie Hitch (2005), starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes. I appreciate the fact that Sara Melas, played by Mendes, is a self-made woman who has made little time for men in her life. However, there is still this need to make the leading woman extremely attractive. Women cannot just be ordinary; they must be sexy and beautiful in order to be evidently successful.

The problem with addressing such issues is that these movies don't pull such themes and ideas out of thin air. The storylines are usually based to some degree of another in social realities. Attractive women are more likely to get ahead in life. So, the correlation between being pretty and well-off and independent isn't that far off... if off at all. What will happen first: A change in how the media portrays women or a change in how people view women in real life?

See it Like a Slumdog

I knew it as soon as the lights were switched off. The professor was going to attempt to critically analyse Slumdog Millionaire, framing it as one of Hollywood’s projects to give a false image of developing nations. I wasn't buying it.

It felt strange that, for once, I was not fully in agreement with the teacher's attempt to find ulterior agendas within the media. Wait, perhaps I should be more clear. I do believe it is important to reflect on the messages found in the movie, especially for the many people who will watch the film with no recognition that there possibly could be hidden agendas within the production/screening of the movie. However, after having watched it myself, I knew that criticizing the facts that "Mumbai was portrayed as dirty", "India was portrayed as poor", and "a white man was running the show" was pointless. Mumbai is dirty. India's population is predominantly poor. White people do run the show, be it Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the economy, politics, you name it.

I have traveled. No, not to India, but to rural parts of Mexico, Haiti, and Costa Rica. Life is muddy, death hovers over you, equality is nonexistent. How false would it have been if Hollywood had, instead of filming the slums of Mumbai, focused on serene mountains and pure, flowing streams? The movie was not meant to be a nature documentary, it was meant to view life from the eyes of a young person who had lived as a "slumdog"- an Untouchable from the streets of the most populous city in the world. From an Untouchable's point of view, police are brutal, you do search through garbage dumps in search of food and valuable items, and you are mistreated by the general public. Slumdog Millionaire did not glorify anything in a typical Hollywood sense except for the fact that an Untouchable was even allowed to rise up in status, something which is virtually impossible. And yes, there was the love story, but at least it was one that did away with the notions of the importance of virginity which is pervasive in traditional Indian culture.

I think we need to view this movie as a beautiful chance for individuals to see another reality and be aware of the inequalities that exist in society, not as an attack on India or its people. I commend the creators of this film for their excellent footage and the exceptional rawness of this film.

Getting Involved Via the Internet

The debate goes on: Is technology in the classroom beneficial to students? I would say, without a doubt, yes. However, I want to frame my answer carefully, for I do see the potential downfalls of technology and do not think that it should replace all other modes of teaching and learning. I want to specifically structure my use of technology, most notably the Internet, around the subjects of responsible world citizenship.

What do I mean by this? Well, I see a responsible world citizen as someone who is:

1. Aware of the plight of other human beings, wherever they may dwell
2. Conscious of the state of the natural environment
3. Motivated to bring positive change to all the creatures of the world

Essentially, I would have my students pick a main project to work on every term. The project should be related to topics such as environmentalism, animal rights, human rights, or disaster relief. In order for the students to feel more ownership of the project, I will allow them to search the Internet in teams of two for organizations they would like to support. I would then have each team present their favourite organization and what its cause is. The class as a whole would then democratically vote by ballot for the cause they think the class should support.

Following this initial activity, students would then have to do research on the chosen organization, as well as whatever they are advocating for. For example, if my class has decided to help Programa de Conservación y Educatión Ambiental, a conservation group for sea turtles in Costa Rica, I would then have them do Internet research on sea turtles, their habitat, diet, ancestry, and so on. The information gathered would spur on cross-curricular activities in language arts, science, and geography. Research can also go more broadly into the subject of animal rights, animal conservation, and environmental awareness. E-mails can be written to the organization. Correspondences can be initiated with children living on the Península de Osa in Costa Rica, where this organization is based. Perhaps my class could engage a classroom in Osa to volunteer some of their time to help with sea turtle conservation. My students could hold a film-viewing night about sea turtles and raise money to send to the program. There are endless possibilities, and it all can begin with showing students how to use the Internet as a tool to become involved in topics that should and do matter, both to them and the rest of the world.

Thanks Be To Gutenburg!

The title of this blog may seem unbefitting considering that the chapter assigned for last week had nothing to do with Gutenberg or his printing press. But, upon further reflection, is not the Internet much like the first printing press?

In the fifteenth century, the printing press was revolutionary in that it mass-produced literature so that more copies were available for the general public. Until that point, reading was reserved for the clergy or the elite; even the Bible, as popular a moral guide as it was, was difficult to come by in print. This meant that the wealthy, literate members of society were the ones who dictated what was shared with the masses, and hence, what was believed to be true. What the invention of the printing press did was allow more people to personally increase their knowledge base via literature. There was no longer such a strong censorship on what the general public could know and believe.

Similarly, the Internet now allows any individual to increase their understanding by facilitating information searches and sharing ideas on a plethora of topics. As the printing press did in its day, the Internet challenges personal, religious, or political agendas because various viewpoints are brought forth. People no longer have to blindly trust in authority but can rely on their own research to figure out what comes closest to the truth about any given situation.

This correlation between the printing press and the Internet came to me last night while I was studying European history and talking to a friend on the phone. My friend was informing me about a movie he had seen recently. The film investigates topics such as Americanized Christianity and American foreign policy and economics. Its thrust is similar to that of conspiracy theory (or the studies of Noam Chomsky), claiming that there is a hidden agenda behind the actions of the United States government. Interestingly, my friend told me that the film can only be found on-line because the producers are not interested in making money- all they want to do is spread what they believe to be truth. The producers trust that the Internet is a sure way to access people and open their ears, eyes, and minds. That's a pretty powerful idea, and, unlike the printing press, there is virtually no lag time between the publishing of these ideas with their reception by readers/viewers.

However, it is critical that people are media literate so that they can be sure that they are using credible sources of information and that they are accessing a wide variety of resources. It is not good enough for me to watch this movie on America’s conspiracy theory without researching the claims the movie makes. It is crucial that I formulate questions and do further investigations before drawing any type of concrete opinion on the topic.

Exploring Media: Digital Photo Album

The smell often hits first. The stench bounces off the subway walls and can be followed like a trail of breadcrumbs. Some passersby pull their scarves up into their faces. Others question each other about the reeking alleys, making no qualms about their whispers and scrunching noses. Eventually, the scene of the smell is reached. As they walk by, some give a passing glance. Some look straight ahead, afraid of looking at something they dare not see. Very few stop.

They're used to it. They're used to being given a cold shoulder, a blank stare, or a sigh of contempt. No one likes to be confronted with poverty, uncleanliness, mental illness, or addiction. No one wants to acknowledge that a society like ours can allow people to live on the street, beg for their food, and collect enough cash in a Tim Horton's cup to buy their next hit. No one wants to accept the fact that, in a city such as Montreal, very few individuals choose to be homeless. However, their presence in the nooks and crannies of our concrete jungle forces us to see that all is not well with the world.

The creation of this digital photo album was to share something about myself. Well, every day as I take the metro or walk to school, I am confronted by the reality of life in the streets. I try to look closely. For me, there is nothing to shy away from. I do not feel guilty. I do not feel shame. I do not feel sadness, necessarily. What I do feel is a burning sense of injustice. That part of me, that fury in my soul, is the part of me I want to share with the viewer. It is the section of my mind that rejects social inequality. It is the slice of heart that fights against the prejudices that we have all been socially warped to hold.

Every subject in my photo is someone who I encountered while meandering through the metro system. I admit I sometimes had to go somewhat out of my way to photograph these individuals. But is it difficult to notice them? It certainly should not be. Homelessness surrounds us. But, what is most disconcerting is that many people have, in fact, become so accustomed to seeing such despair that they are unmoved. Destitution has merged into the backdrop of the city instead of standing starkly against the wealth of our nation. Yes, some homeless people are addicted. Yes, some are mentally ill. Yes, indeed, some even choose to live in the streets. But the question I ask myself when I encounter them, and the question that raises itself from any level of critical analysis, is: What is wrong within our society that forces people to reject being part of it, be it a willing abandonment or not?

I hope that this digital photo album gives viewers a chance to reflect on the questions that this topic generates. One may not think that one is affected by the wellbeing of all, but a close revision of history will show otherwise.