Free Write

For years students have been asking me to allow more free-writing assignments in the online journal. I intend to make it a point to assign more this year - perhaps one a month.  This will be the first one. This is a “free-write.” Using between 350-450 words, respond to some pressing (or not so pressing) issue that you’ve been contemplating. This issue may or may not relate to our course material. You can write about something serious (i.e. political, philosophical, academic) or something not-so-serious (i.e. pop culture, sports, entertainment).

The only thing I ask is that you take the assignment seriously. I expect that your post will be well written, convincing, and intelligent. Please do not use this as a forum for insubstantial venting or general silliness. You should develop a position and support it appropriately. You do not need to conduct extensive research. However, a little research might give you more credibility.

You may even, if you are struggling to develop an idea, respond to one of your peer's posts. If you do this, just be sure to use your own evidence to support your point of view.  If you choose this option, you should submit your response as a "New Post," and not a "Comment."

David Bowie's Space Oddity

I exist as an oddity. According to Dictionary.com, an oddity is an odd or remarkably unusual person, thing, or event. Odd or unusual explains who I am.  In David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” the story of astronaut Major Tom was revealed. Tom was launched into space and revolved around the Earth but his capsule lost its place in Earth's gravity. It shot off into the vastness of space and Tom was lost.  This is the obvious view of the video but musicians are true artists and poets. Their videos and poetry always have meanings beyond the literal words, or images.    “Space Oddity” remains about alienation and distancing yourself away from people by becoming so lost in your own mind, that you're “high” above everyone else; much like David Bowie was high above Earth. 

The video serves as a warning that too many people continue conforming to social standards and not enough are pulling away. A few seconds into the video, you see a moving reflection of Bowie. Is David Bowie “reflecting” on life?  At 1:27 “Major Tom” leaves his “tin can”. The “tin can” survived as the last piece of society that Bowie had with him, and that piece moves on. When the spaceship opens to release “Major Tom”, the white world of the spaceship becomes the midnight black of space.  The contrast of colors creates a feeling of curiosity. Can a person truly survive without society?  

Bowie sees the world as a sad place that needs fixing but he remains unable to communicate with anyone about that change.  The vastness of space continued as his only option to express himself. "Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do". He realizes that there's nothing he can do to any of the problems that affect him in the world.  But when that sentence is sung at 2:03, a beautiful woman in a long flowing dress becomes visible. She becomes free and does as she wishes.  This mystery woman followed in the path of what Bowie did half a minute earlier and becomes released; she spins and turns in space showing just how free she truly is.   
    

"Can you hear me Major Tom?”  The pseudo personality “Major Tom” is David Bowie’s term for reality. Bowie has lost communication with those in reality, and reality itself.  When he says, “Can you hear me Major Tom?” starting at 2:56, Bowie’s face is full of worry. But when Bowie says, “Can you hear me Major Tom?” for the third and final time, Bowie looks directly at the camera.  The beat of the song slows down at this moment.  The tone became very somber with musical sounds slowing down and voices singing very calmly. The singer realizes that maybe society isn’t needed, that maybe things won’t be as bad.

"Planet earth is blue and there's nothing I can do". These words are the last thing we hear.  Just like with the earlier meaning when the sentence was first used, Bowie realizes that there's nothing he can do about all of the problems he sees in the world.  But this is a different time than the first. Bowie finally quits his pursuits of freedom and returns back to reality. A reflection of Bowie with two women on a couch acts as the final image we are left with.  A woman on each arm leaves us with the impression that life can be good and maybe society can as well. 

“Space Oddity” is the conception of casting out from the normal crowd and becoming something new and different.   The end of the video bears a few color effects but while the specific color may not be important, were these color change maybe a metaphor of David Bowie’s intention of wanting us to change as well?  

At a time when women were struggling to gain the same respect as men, emerged singer Cyndi Lauper, motivated to use her fame as leverage for the feminist movement. In 1983 when Lauper’s famous hit, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was released, women were kept from obtaining high-level jobs at corporations and issues such as abortion and sexual harassment flooded the US Congress. According to Lauper’s book, I Want My MTV, Cyndi specifically intended her song to be a “message that we [women] are powerful human beings.”

In her video, Cyndi wears brightly colored clothing and struts down the streets of New York, pushing men to the side.  Cyndi accessorizes with a chastity belt symbolizing her entrapment in a society dominant by men. Cyndi’s music video included her friends and family instead of actors or models because, “when a women saw the video, she would see herself represented, whether she was thin or heavy, or glamorous or not, and whatever race she was.”

As Cyndi sings, “some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her from the rest of the world,” a growling man appears, wearing a gorilla suit and scoops up a woman as if he’s capturing a princess.  This reinforces Lauper’s idea that men dictate society and women must oblige to their standards or face punishment. The contrast of black and white shows this outdated view juxtaposed with the idea for gender equality. As the sun beats down on Lauper’s face, she sings, “I want to be the one to walk in the sun,” implying her pride to be a feminist.  

Cyndi’s mother and father demonstrate the old fashioned views perfectly. The mother’s repetitive glances at her watch add a quirky touch yet insinuate her disappointment that her daughter does not come home until the next morning. As Cyndi argues with her mother, the older woman grasps her chest, shocked at her daughter’s attitude. Cyndi wants girls to embrace this attitude and liberate oneself of society’s influence to “live your life right”.

Although not widely know, Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was a cover of Robert Hazard’s song. Hazard told the story of a young man who enjoys taking advantage of girls every night.  Hazard’s lyrics include, “Father dear, you are the fortunate one. Girls just want to have fun.” Cyndi switches the position of these lyrics to say that she and her mother are not the fortunate ones because they must fight for equality. Although the verses are almost identical, this small change makes a big difference in significance. Simply shifting the phrases she found degrading, Lauper created an empowering feminist anthem in response to an insulting song.  For this reason the song lives on through generation of women.

MJ Billie Jean

                   Billie Jean is NOT his lover.  MJ makes it very clear.  Actually, he makes it too clear.  Most people, if presented with a situation like this, would solely deny the action’s validity.  But MJ, being the king and all, he decides to make an entire song about it.  This created disagreement among the people that attempted to interpret his song.  There were/still are, many who thought his song was simply to deny having a relationship with this women, Billie Jean.  The other argument, however, is that he made this song to give a single person recognition, for whatever reason he felt necessary.  Both of these are correct..  MJ wants to make a point to everyone that the accusations made are both thought up and false. 

Music is often seen as a form of rebellion, a method of expressing ideas in a way that will not upset convention but still spread a stronger message to the audience. The catchy lyrics of the Clash’s 1982 hit single “Rock the Casbah” tells the story of a Sharif, or Arab ruler, who orders his people not to play any rock music, but the population refuses to comply with his directive. Written in part as a reaction to the Iranian Ayatollah’s decision to punish those who owned disco players, the song promotes disobeying authority to do something that is right, although not legal. The music video conveys this message by demonstrating the principles of breaking the rules to have fun.

The music video features the interactions between an Arabic man and an Orthodox Jew limo driver, two ethnic groups that have always shown hostility to each other. Although each originally reacts with suspicion to the other, they are soon dancing together to “Rock the Casbah” in the Jew’s limo. This unlikely pair frolics around the town, doing things that are against their respective religions’ rules. The Arabic man is seen drinking beer with his Jewish counterpart, as the lead vocalists sings, “Degenerate the faithful,” which is what Muhammad declared alcohol would do to the Islamic people. The limo driver and his companion are also seen frequenting a Burger King, a place that would not be serving Kosher food pure enough for an Orthodox Jew to eat. These two men getting along and participating in these morally illicit activities together shows the audience that breaking the rules can lead to good as these two groups were brought together, despite the long-standing animosity between them.

The lyrics of the song itself show rebellion against authority for a good reason. The song speaks of all manner of people, from Bedouin nomads to the Sharif’s air force, flagrantly ignoring the Sharif’s wishes and “rocking the Casbah.” The chorus of the song begins with the line “The Sharif don’t like it,” implying that the people are enjoying themselves with music because it is banned by their tyrannical leader. The idea of music being a sign of rebellion is continued as the Arabic man totes a boom box around with him as he goes about town.

This song represents the purpose of rebellion as the people constantly subvert the Sharif’s ruling and they party to the banned music. This was meant as a contrast to the new Iranian government, headed by the Ayatollah, which had banned all music and other Western influences as the Ayatollah deemed them harmful influences to Muslim culture. As seen in the video, the Arabic man is listening to his music while drinking beer with his Jewish friend; all things that the Ayatollah would have considered heretic and, as the song says, ”not kosher.” Overall, “Rock the Casbah” is designed to show that breaking the law to do something that is right should not be considered evil.

Without clothing to use as a form of expression and hide our bodies behind, humans are stripped down to the core, literally. Some feel they lack if they do not have tangible garments, that make them feel unique. Many people can mask their personality better than others. So if they are fully exposed physical beings, who are they now?

"Thank U" an empowering song by Alanis Morissette, has an even more striking performance in her video. Completely naked for four minutes and twenty seconds definitely makes a bold statement about what she thinks humanity is all about. Of course, it is controversial and maybe to some disturbing that she tells this story naked. But she is wise to be daring, her message is received. 

The video starts out in an alley way with Alanis stark naked staring at glowing orbs floating in the air before her as she stares at them with wonder. The glowing lights are like god, giving her a perspective that she has never seen before. These little glowing lights give her some sort of insight about what the true meaning of life is: noticing what you experience inside. After being entranced by these lights for a few seconds, the song starts up and she begins to observe the life that surrounds her. The lights make a re-appearance near the end of the video and again she still stares at them but with a look of understanding. She now understands this new perspective, she understands what it means to not only look around herself but to look inside herself for answers. 

Alanis reminds me of Eve from the Bible. In the story she is raw, and her nakedness does not  cross the minds of Adam, or the animals or even God himself as being strange. But once she gives in to the evil snake and eats fruit from the tree, she suddenly feels as though she needs to be covered up. It is admirable that Alanis wandered the streets and the grocery stores and the subway completely exposed, but the only words she has to say are thank you. Then thank you to what and to whom? 

Thank you frailty, consequence, disillusionment, clarity, nothingness, terror, silence. Seven human emotions that juxtapose with each other on the surface. But looking deeper they are all connected. With silence comes terror. With nothingness comes clarity. With frailty comes disillusionment. They are all consequences of each other. And that is the way the circle of life works. Everything is an effect of cause. Most people do not understand that when they do something, there will be reaction. 

But Alanis knew there would be a reaction to her video. I find it amusing that she is naked the whole time and no one acknowledges that. However today if a person were to walk naked into a crowd of people there would be shock and horror and disgust. The surrounding people having no reaction to her naked body and it just shows some sort of human exception. That yes she is naked, but there is no problem with showing what she truly is. She even exchanges a heartfelt smile with a bus goer. Some people that are walking by touch her shoulder or her arm, look her in the eyes and without words say, "I understand". 

Alanis' soul purpose is to express that humans do not need all this stuff to show how we feel. The nakedness obviously makes a bold statement, nakedness is also simplicity. Because at the end of the day we are bodies and souls. We are raging balls of emotions trying to get by. Only some of us will make the effort to live. 

The Beautiful People

“The beautiful people, it's all relative to the size of your steeple”. Marilyn Manson does not care for the critics or haters in the world. He expresses what he believes and because of that his resultants are masterpieces. “The Beautiful People” gives the audience a chance to look at the world through Marilyn Manson’s eyes. He portrays his abhorring views on Christianity, as well as his notion that the world is corrupt.

In order for an artist to distinguish themselves in the world of music they need to be unique and drag in their audience. The first forty eight seconds of this video do not include any lyrics, but instead a series of perplexing shots on things such as eyes, worms, teeth, hands, marching boots, and leg prosthetics. Bugs and worms seem to be a reoccurring theme in his music videos, but the marching boots, teeth, and hands all resemble his idea of order. The synchronized boots marching in line represent how society is bound tight, and how no person should stray from the pack. The white hands with no detail show how Marilyn Manson perceives people, at least Christians. The lifeless white hands and perfect straight teeth embody how all people are uniform and do not differ. Therefore the prosthetics and the strange looking people, featuring himself, are breaking boundaries. Depending on what religion you practice, or “the size of your steeple”, determines your view on people who are not the same as you.

Because of religion and society, Marilyn Manson has reached the decision that the world is corrupt. Two figures on stilts in long garments are seen in a classroom, suggesting that there is something eerie with our education. Are we being taught too subjectively? Are we not being exposed to enough perspective?

Rather than show more disturbing, unsettling, and eyebrow-cringing scenes, Marilyn Manson has a group of people, who appear to be normal, walk in a circle around him. He is on stilts, wearing odd looking clothes, and has his face is covered in white makeup. He seems to be conducting the path of these people, or maybe he is trapped. Perhaps instead, they are revolving around him. People are cruel and often live for something to ridicule, so he is their target. Another scene shows people walking in rows, but upside down. The change in the camera view signifies how Marilyn Manson believes the world to be corrupt. Depending on your perspective, determines whether or not you see things as Marilyn Manson, or of those marching in line.

Therefore the question is raised, who are the beautiful people? The Christians who follow order and attend church? Or the few who dare to be different?

Who is Thom Yorke addressing when he sings the line, “You do it to yourself”? In the context of the music video for Radiohead’s “Just,” he is talking to his audience. He answers, with this line, the question that the music video raises to its viewers: “What makes this man lie down in the street?” Radiohead never divulges the literal answer to the question, but the music video uses it to engage viewers in the process of understanding its real intentions.

“Just” cautions its viewers against acting out of self-interest, like the crowd acts at the video’s end. This crowd does not come to the aid of the man on the ground but provokes him—despite his cries of “Don’t touch me!”—until they torture the secret from him. The music video intends for its audience to identify with the crowd, and uses this to build its warning against following the crowd in its actions.

Jamie Thraves, the director, promotes empathy for the crowd with several tactics. Suits permeate the video—even Thom Yorke is wearing a tie—to make the audience identify with this archetype for the common businessman. But the interest Thraves creates regarding the question he intends for viewers to repeat is his greatest tool in creating empathy, and sensitizing them to the fate of the crowd. Thraves’s use of subtitles anchors viewers to a definitive dialogue. The omission of subtitles at the end, the fallen officer, and the magnitude of the crowd lying down are meant to disconcert the audience because they disrupt the ordered world of the video. With the question unanswered, viewers are meant to demand one with the crowd’s intensity, and discover that, by asking this question, how alike they both are.

“Just” hints at who bears the responsibility for bringing the crowd to the sidewalk. At the younger man’s fist display of self-interest—“You could have broken my neck!”—he says the line with sudden anger. The music’s volume increases for emphasis, before the video cuts to Thom Yorke looking at the camera in contempt. It accuses viewers of their capacity to act just as the man does. The man on the ground prays, “You don’t know what you ask of me,” framing himself as religiously devoted and the crowd assailing him despite this. The fury of the younger man’s impatience portrays the crowd as equally antagonistic. Thus, the crowd’s role is reversed at the video’s end, making their self-interest obvious.

Radiohead intends for its audience to associate the self-interest of the crowd with what’s responsible for the crowd lying down. The video informs the viewer—if you suffer for indulging in your self-interest, you will have, ultimately, done it to yourself.

“I don’t give a damn about my reputation.” It is a sentiment often echoed by punks, rebels, and other brands of misfits hoping to differentiate themselves from the rest of the comparatively tame population by displaying their apathy towards societal expectations. These revolts against regularity, however, often fall flat, because deep down doesn’t everyone want to feel that they belong? No, not everyone. In her 1980’s music video for her popular single “Bad Reputation,” Joan Jett makes it abundantly clear to her audience—comprised of both fans and critics—that she will go against the grain and triumph not in spite of this but because of this. Jett’s physical appearance and primary sources are strategically used throughout the video in an attempt to prove to her viewers that she is successful because she does things differently in every facet of her life.

Take Jett’s clothes as an example. During an era of bright colors, big hair, short skirts and exposed shoulders, Jett stomps through the majority of her video with heavy boots on her feet, an ill-fitting leather jacket on her back, and a snarl on her face. Her masculine, grungy look is vastly different from typical eighties fashion. This wardrobe choice is used to establish her rebellious nature.  The video’s message revolves around the fact that Jett is different from everyone else and is proud of it. Her song is certainly removed from the expected eighties music, but if her audience looks at Jett and sees mainstream eighties fashion then they are less likely to believe Jett when she claims she is unique. As the common expression states, “seeing is believing,” so Jett ensures that her audience is presented with a look that matches her message. This approach is compelling, but if represented by a single source, not convincing, something Jett takes into account.

Concrete evidence of Jett’s unconventional success appears in the form of multiple primary sources. The music video is littered with shots of posters and music billboards advertising Jett’s other popular songs. The posters have headlines that scream about Jett’s success, while Billboard’s Top 100 blatantly displays another one of Jett’s songs as number one. Since this information comes from sources other than Jett, they serve as an affirmation to her claim. Instead of having one source of information to rely on, the audience can clearly see that Jett is truthful when she says her uniqueness has brought her success because they can see tributes to that success. People might be skeptical when it comes to believing someone when he or she praises his or her self, as that person’s opinion is likely biased, so Jett’s inclusion of multiple perspectives is done in an attempt to validate her success to her audience.

Most people walk a thin line in their lives- on one side is their desire to be unique and special, on the other is their desire to belong and be accepted by others. Jett, on the other hand, leaps over that line, sets fire to the side of acceptance and embraces the side of uniqueness.  She makes this clear in her “Bad Reputation” music video through clever rhetorical strategies. And if she doesn’t? Well, she doesn’t give a damn!

Tupac Shakur, also known as 2Pac, one of the most popular and influential rappers of his time, produced a video in 1995 for his single "Dear Mama". Shakur, being raised in a poor family on the streets of East Harlem in New York, was familiar with crime and struggle from a young age. Many members of his family were actively apart of the Black Panther Party and consequently were in and out of jail constantly throughout Shakur's childhood. In fact, Tupac's mother was in jail while she was pregnant with him due to charges involving the Black Panther conspiracy. It did not take long for Shakur to follow, getting entangled with the law frequently, as seen in his video, which was only one of Shakur's many troubles that he faced as a kid.

Watching the video one will come to find that the purpose of it is to tell a story. The story the video elicits is one that mirrors the lyrics, which describe the appreciation he has for his mother because of the support she gave him while he was growing up. In this video, Shakur tells his life story and the struggles he lived through. While doing so, Shakur stresses his mother's importance in helping him survive. Even though she had battles of her own, such as drug addiction and the hardships of being a single mother, she always bolstered him remaining by his side whether Shakur was sick from a cold or he was skipping school and selling drugs. The intent of his music video is to portray this message; to tell the story of his life and how his mother got him through it.

The concept of the video is Shakur's mother is having multiple flashbacks for she is viewing some kind of photo book that contain pictures from Shakur's childhood. The majority of the video is during these flashbacks, which are little previews or excerpts corresponding to what Shakur is rapping about at that time. For example at one point the video depicts apparently a young Shakur and his mother sitting at the kitchen table. His mom appears to be helping him with his homework. They laugh together and his mother picks him up and hugs him tightly. While this is going on, 2pac's lyrics "you was always committed, a poor single mother on welfare tell me how you did it. There's no way I can pay you back but the plan is to show you I understand, you are appreciated" are being rapped. Homework is a matter that, like Shakur, many kids struggle with and so at this moment Shakur is recognizing his mother. He recognizes for her devotion to supporting him in every way possible, even if she was helping him through something as simple as homework. Another example is the part of the video that shows Shakur's family around a table preparing what seems to be peanut butter sandwiches. Shakur, his half sister, and mother are all giggling together enjoying each other. The lyrics that go along with it are "and I can see ya coming home from work late, ya in the kitchen trying to fix us a hot plate. You were just workin' with the scraps you were given...". Clearly this is a demonstration of the poverty Shakur and his family struggled with if a "hot plate" was considered peanut butter sandwiches. Nevertheless Shakur's mother was giving her children the best she had and he is thankful for that. Instead of nothing at all, Shakur had food in his stomach and that was due to his mother which shows how much value his mother possessed.

The appreciation and love Shakur has for his mother due to her sacrifice and hardwork she committed throughout his life is what he captures in this video. The story Shakur tells explains he is grateful that the battles he fought were not fought alone because that had made all the difference.

   Scantily dressed women dancing in sync; what's not to love about the Spice Girls' "Wannabe" music video? Sex sells, and the lustful intrigue of society in the 90s was no exception. This video appeals to the youths of the Spice Girls' audience and is meant to entertain and to sell both the song and the singing group. The song itself promotes friendship over any other intimate relationship and became a symbol of female empowerment immediately following it's release in 1996.

     The singers dance around rooms in the Midland Grand hotel in London, creating general chaos and harassing the elder patrons of the hotel. The concept of the video is to show the madness of the Spice Girls themselves, and to convey the message that all five of the performers are doing well as a group of friends and have no need for anyone else to make them happy. The Girls run around the hotel, causing a disturbance of general order and being reckless, and each individual's personality, as given to them by their 'Spice' name, is revealed: 'Sporty Spice' does a back handspring across a table in a sports bra and sweat pants, and 'Baby Spice' is dressed innocently in a white dress, albeit a short piece of clothing nonetheless.

   The patrons of the establishment are obviously distraught by the sudden and unannounced appearance of the girls, creating a juxtaposition between the singers and their audience and location in the video. Though the hotel is clearly a posh business filled with similarly posh older individuals, the singers are wearing casual and revealing clothing while dancing suggestively and playfully interacting with the observers. These girls bring the party with them and it follows the group everywhere it goes, ending with the boarding of a double-decker bus on the street outside of the aforementioned hotel.

   Though shot all in one take, the video accomplishes all that it set out to do; it is entertaining and quite memorable, and was obviously successful as it has sold over 7 million copies worldwide as of 1997.  The enlightened attitudes and actions of the girls rocketed the song and the group to fame, and will always be thought of when contemplating music that changed parts of the music industry for women.

             In today’s world, when we think of a boy pop singer, we think of celebrities such as Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers, One Direction and many more. Back before the 1990s, these popular boys were still a trend. These boys have many things in common but the biggest correspondence is that they have one audience that their work is targeted to and that is teenage girls. Famous male artists have been around for forever, swooning young teenage girls with their unbelievable looks and stellar voices. In 1988, “The Right Stuff” by The New Kids on the Block was released and definitely got their fans excited. In this music video, the musicians’ goal was to entertain and to appeal to young teenagers. They accomplish this through showing a typical teenager’s life of freedom, risk taking, and interacting with girls. The five singers are Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood. They are riding a car without seat belts; impressing girls in the cemetery; and dancing in a random room.

A combination of blacks and whites ignites the music video. One boy recklessly jumps into his car like the crazy teenager that he is. The other four boys laugh and push the boy down as the beat continues. These are typical teenage mechanisms. Seconds later, the screen flashed to the boys consecutively performing identical dance moves. Dancing is very influential because it sends the listener the vibe of the song. Some dance moves they do include, sliding, flipping their hair, and swinging their legs. This emphasizes on the fact that they are good looking. As they drive along, none of them are wearing seat belts and most of them are standing up as they cross a bridge. Here the boys are being “bad boys” which girls love. This is where they connect to their audience because teenagers are curious and immature and tend to do risky stunts. At one point, the boys are playing hide –and-go-seek in the cemetery with the girls. This is an unusual setting for a music video especially since the song has nothing to do with death or a cemetery. The producers probably figured this represented a risky stunt to impress the girls.

The whole music video is talking about how a girl can be perfect in her own way. Many girls fall in love with singers solely on their looks but there are other girls who fall in love with the meaning of the song. In 1988 when this song was released, the girls loved the song because of the five gorgeous boys performing it, who were basically telling the girls that they are the right one for them. How could a girl not love hearing this from a famous boy group? Music videos are based on entertainment but they usually send a message as well. In this case, the goal was to encourage young teenage girls and give them a hope of finding love.