Week 15

Final Wiki Assignment: (500+ words) Using Wise as your source, post about what you have taken away from the readings and discussions in this class. What have learned about yourself or others cultures/co-cultures? What insights, if any, have you experienced? Feel free to discuss several different topics but remember to cite the text (any chapter is fine).

I would have to say that the week that we discussed a musician or song that reflected the same values and related most to our culture was the most insightful wiki post yet. As well as the discussion topic about C.4 Global Music, this discussion really allowed me to evaluate the different aspects of music that move me. Music is a huge part of my life and I realized how much music is a part of my culture and the decisions I make during these two weeks of writing and discussing Global Music. Wise discusses several types of music in this chapter including hip hop music, rap music, pop music, punk music, etc. There were two quotes that really resonated with me:

Lipsitz articulates, “The ability to find that identity of passions and turn it into a diasporic conversation informing political struggles in similar but not identical circumstances has enabled peoples of African descent to survive over the centuries; it may now also hold the key to survival for the rest of the world as well” (as cited in Wise, 2008, p.99).

Wise states, “What is important about hip hop as a form is that it rarely remains as mere imitation but incorporates local cultural, economic, and political conditions” (2008, p.100).

These two quotes really caught my attention because I am a huge fan of hip hop.

I began to think back at some of my favorite hip hop songs and artists and really thought about the lyrics in the music and I noticed that Wise was correct. Hip hop music is mainly a form of interpretation. The hip hop artists are simply portraying to their listeners how they view the world and how it works. These artists tend to be great influences to our youth and speaking about our world and the realities of our everyday struggles is important for our youth to understand. Our youth sees enough negativity in the news and media and they are often stuck in a materialistic, technological zone that it seems as though they are numb or just plain old oblivious to the realities of the world we are living in. I believe that these artists have taken on a huge responsibility, whether they have done so consciously or unconsciously, to their listeners to be sure that they are portraying the messages in a suitable manner for all age groups.

Our youth is extremely influenced by what is seen and heard in the media. I believe that artists have a great opportunity to get through to our youth by suggesting positive paths to take in life, positive attitudes to project daily, and generally good moral character. A lot of the artists that I follow do these things I have just listed but imagine if all of them did these things. Maybe it is too much to hope for but, our youth could be the change we all wish to see for our future. Hip hop artists and those alike have such a great opportunity to make their influence a positive one. I mean, if you are looking to be famous, to make music, and why not look to be a positive role model while you are at it.

Week 13

Option #2: How do you feel constrained and coerced into specific cultural/co-cultural territories? Be specific and use examples.

After reading C.5 Territories of Cultural Globalization, I found that I relate to Faye Wong's story of obtaining her career in the music industry. Faye Wong struggled to earn her say in her career so she conformed to what her record company told her was best. She played out the stereotype of a passive Chinese woman and maintained this stereotype for sometime. Eventually she had earned enough success, took some time off, moved to New York, and when she decided to return to the music industry she was determined to do things her way this time (Wise, p. 109-111).

It interesting to me because I can relate to how she's feeling. I may not have sought out a career in the music industry and I am not a Chinese woman but I still found a few things in her story to relate to. In my culture, college is a must. You are expected to go to college while working part-time, or not work at all, and while you're in continuing your education to earn your bachelor's or master's your living expenses will be paid for. Should you choose not to go to school you are to find somewhere else to live and pay your bills and living expenses on your own. I have always thought this was a fair agreement. The thing I didn't agree with was that it had to be that I was going to school to earn a bachelor's degree or a master's degree, should I decide to continue further. I have always wanted to go to cosmetology school. My parents didn't believe that this was good enough. Long story short, I am finishing my final course to earn my bachelor's degree in Health Science with a minor in Communications and I am going to attend cosmetology school in the near future.

You see, I did something similar to Faye Wong. I conformed to what others wanted until I earned my right to make educated decisions for myself. Now that I have earned my right to choose what I want for my life, according to my cultural beliefs, I will make the decision to pursue my dream of becoming a cosmetologist. But thanks to my cultural beliefs, I am making this decision after completing a college degree. Which is something that is extremely important to have on your resume in our society today.

Week 12

Option #1: Select one song or artist/band or genre of music that you would use to exemplify your personal or a co-culture you belong to and the role it plays in signaling who you “are.” Be specific and use examples.

The artist I would say exemplifies my culture best would be India Arie. She is a soulful, spiritual, bold artist that values honesty, love, integrity, respect, natural beauty, real people, raw emotion, and most of all her relationship with God. She keeps a positive attitude and tone in all her music. Her famous line, "My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes," she explains that no matter what she wears she will always be herself.

This is someone I relate to. My culture, my values, my beliefs are similar to those that India Arie portrays in her music. In my culture I value honesty, love, integrity, respect, natural beauty, real people, raw emotion, and my relationship with God. Her lyrics are so real, she allows you to feel as though she is specifically speaking to you and helping to lift your spirits when you're down or going through some trials in your life. I would say she plays a relatively important role in my life and culture because her music is like an inspirational therapy. The knowledge and guidance that is often offered through her music is motivational.

To reference C.4, Global Music, Lipsitz mentions that Hip Hop music and the passion behind it has enabled individuals of African descent to survive over the centuries (Wise, 2008, p.99). He goes on to say that, "it may now also hold the key to survival for the rest of the world as well" (Wise, 2008, p.99). I couldn't agree more. There is a sense of truth, a genuine reality to the lyrics and feelings behind Hip Hop music and soul music. There's no denying that when someone else validates feelings that you're having or has experienced a situation you're going through and they make it to the other side of that experience, it gives you a sense of hope and relief. That's how I and my culture relates to India Arie.

Week 11

Wise and Kjeldgaard (pp. 71-72) discuss the idea of the “consumptionscape” – how we construct our culture through the act of consuming local, regional, national, or global goods. Within the context of this chapter - describe your own consumptionscape and how it impacts your cultural self.

When thinking about consumptionscape and its meaning, less opportunities to consume where the individual resides, I have come to the conclusion that our culture is one big consumptionscape. In the past, individuals consumed good that were produced and sold at local venues. Today, we have so many of our products being designed an produced overseas that I can't really think of much that has been produces here, locally.

I find it very interesting that, Western Culture and the standards of living and quality of products are envied (Wise, 2008, pg. 73), by other countries but the reality is that other countries contribute to our quality of products and allow us the opportunity to live with the current standards that we do by contributing the majority of the hard work put into the production of our products.

I also find it interesting that while the Russian youth "envy the standards of living and the quality of products from the west" (Wise, 2008, pg.73) but they question the morality of our way of life. My interpretation of this is that they see that we rely on other countries to produce and live by our standards but little recognition is given. I think morality comes into question because our standards of living are so high and people tend to forget how our high standards of living were made possible. It seems that we have taken for granted the contributors and contributions that have been made to the Western Culture and they've become a norm in the Western Culture.

Week 10

Often the media we consume reflects our culture(s). Select a television program or movie that embodies or bridges your culture(s) or co-culture(s). Describe that particular cultural aspect(s), explain why you think that TV program or movie is a good representation of your co/culture, and how this links into the text.

I am going to have to say that Grey’s Anatomy embodies my culture. In this television program there is an obvious underlying obligation to friends. Grey’s Anatomy is a hospital program where doctors and nurses become close friends, couples, and families. While there is a huge obligation to care for all patients who enter into their hospital, they also feel the need to protect one another. This is a huge part of the culture I identify with. I am studying to be a nurse and have hopes of working in a hospital one day but more than that I am a great, dedicated friend. I find great joy in looking out for those that I care about most. There is a bond between me, my family, my friends, and those who I have adopted as family.

In the text, Cultural Globalization: A User’s Guide, Wise refers to Benedict Anderson’s idea of imagined community which was borrowed by Arjun Appadurai. He argues, “there is greater community that one is a part of and which one feels such loyalty towards that one deeply identifies with it to the extent that one would go to war over it” (Wise, p.38). This is exactly how I feel about the community and culture I belong to. And this is greatly depicted in the television program Grey’s Anatomy.

Week 9 (Wise)

Strategic essentialism is a way to express an “essential identity” (which in practicality do not exist) but it is important to express that identity (gender, race, ethnicity, etc) at a particular time and place (p. 14). See text for examples.

Recall a time and place where you either practiced strategic essentialism or witnessed it practiced by a friend, relative, or co-worker (not in the media or via hearsay). Be specifc. How did it make you feel? Was it effective?

A previous co-worker of mine has practiced strategic essentialism a few times. We were having a conversation about athletes and for some reason she couldn’t stand football players. She must have had a bad experience with a football player or two in the past. She made a comment in our conversation about “Those dumb jocks…”. She was practicing strategic essentialism in the way that Wise explains in the text Cultural Globalization when he explains how “’Africans’ speak with a louder voice that ‘Kenyans’ because they are in greater numbers” (Wise, p.14). My co-worker was trying to make a point about a specific person who played a single sport. Instead of making a statement regarding that specific person and the sport that they played she made a general statement using a term that doesn’t describe all athletes at all but I believe that was her goal. She played into the Western conception that all athletes are alike, as Wise explains in the text Cultural Globalization (Wise, p.14). After learning about this concept it made me stop and think of all the times I have made the mistake of practicing strategic essentialism and going forward I am going to try harder to be more specific and not speak in general terms.

Week 8

The telegraph changed reality by, for the first time, separating transportation from communication. This had many impacts ranging from the development of monopoly capitalism to the idea of the multilevel transformative nature of technology.

Ideology of the internet – how has it changed reality (culture/communication) in general and for you specifically?

The ideology of the internet has changed reality in several aspects. For instance, I communicate over the internet for this course. I am able to build relationships with each student and the instructor without conversing face-to-face. I can complete a class that teaches me the same theories and concepts online, instead of being in a classroom. I can also communicate with my friends and family over the internet through email, instant message, twitter, blogspot, and other social networks. Although there are several positive aspects to the advances in the internet, there are several downfalls. It is far too easy for kids to instant message their mom, while they’re in their bedroom and their mom is sitting on the couch in the living room, to ask her when dinner will be ready. Instead of going to visit family that lives less than 30 minutes away, to spend quality time with them I would send them an email to see how things were going.

The internet offers an assortment of information on a variety of different topics. News, educational information, shopping, banking, networking, and so much more are all arranged through the internet. I’m not too sure where we would be economically (besides this great depression we’re stuck in now) without the internet and the services it offers and provides.

Week 4

How will new technology affect the development of your future “cultural-self?” Using technological developments of past “communication revolutions,” project into the future. Think about how culture in the past might have been influenced by the technology of the time and how new technologies (say in 15 years – 2024) might impact our personal cultural selves. Try to use specific, rather than general, historical references or concepts from the text.

Technology has and will be ever changing. Carey states, “Anxious middle-class parents, eager to purchase a place for their children in the occupational structure, pack them off to computer camps or direct them even earlier toward Harvard via infant training at the personal home computer” (Carey, p.90). These parents were trying to ensure their children a future in this country. My parents have the same concerns as these parents did. They want to make sure that we have the education and skills necessary to be a difference to others in this world.

For me personally, I am going into the medical field and a perfect example of technology and its effects on my future are Electronic Medical Records. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is a computer –based system that holds every individual’s medical records in a database. This database can be used by any doctor that you go to. It was created to try and lessen the amount of medical errors as well as misplaced information regarding the patient’s medical history. This system can track all of your prescriptions, weight changes, illness’, etc. The goal here is to eliminate failures or complication s when administering medical treatment. Medical professionals are trying to better their practices. This is how I interpreted Carey’s explanation of “America’s redemption from European History, its uniqueness, was to be through unblemished nature, which would allow us to have the factory without the factory system, machines without a mechanized society” (Carey, p.91).

Without technological advances in the past we would not have as many of the outstanding technologies that we do today. Technology created yesterday, today, and tomorrow have all made a difference in this country. Technology advancements are pieces of a bigger puzzle that has yet to be completed.

Week 3

What is the “value” of a college degree? Why did you choose to attend college and what are your expectations (specific or general) for earning a degree?

Earning a college degree is extremely important if you want to survive or get ahead in today’s economy. Even though we’re going through some rough times right now, when things pick up and businesses begin to hire new employees it will be extremely competitive. Having a degree, whether it be bachelors, graduates, or a doctorate degree you will be preferred over an applicant without a degree.  Obviously, the higher the degree, depending on the position you are applying for, the higher you will rank in the business’ eyes.

Starting out, I attended college because my parents said it was college or the streets. I choose college. After taking my sweet time at a junior college my mom gave me a similar ultimatum, “Take a full load of classes and pass with flying colors or you’re paying us back all of the money we’ve put into college for you and you’ll be finding somewhere else to live.” I didn’t understand why they were pushing college on me. So I made the decision to continue going to school but I had to “step up my game” and that I did. As soon as I started taking a full schedule of classes I found that I liked going to school and it lit a fire within me to get my bachelor’s degree. Now that I am in my final course to meet my minor requirements to complete my bachelor’s degree and receive my diploma, I am so thankful that I did it. I actually have plans to go to school for nursing, earn a master’s degree, and most recently I have even contemplated going on for a doctorate. I appreciate my parents for pushing me to reach my full potential even when I didn’t see it on my own and always expecting nothing less than the best out of me. It’s really paid off.

Week 2

What communication rituals do you practice? Interrogate a media based communication ritual - trace its origins - where did it come from? How did you create/adopt this ritual?

The most common communication ritual I practice is text messaging. I am absolutely addicted. A lot of people would say that text messaging is a waste of time, disconnecting, and impersonal. Personally, I am the type of person that communicates better when I have a moment to rethink what I want to say. Text messaging allows me to do so. I can type a message and re-read it, change it, delete it, and/or send it. It gives me the option to evaluate what I’m going to say so that I can avoid misunderstandings.

There are so many commercials out now for phone companies and the promote the use of text messaging and abbreviating common sayings (i.e. BTW meaning By The Way, and OMG meaning Oh My Goodness, etc.). They even have a commercial of an elderly woman explaining to her daughter, who is surprised by and asking about the amount of text messages her mother has been using, “IDK. My BFF Rose.” Translation: I don’t know. My best friend forever, Rose. So these communication rituals are all over the media and these phone companies try to push the latest and greatest text messaging packages and what not.

I began text messaging originally because I didn’t want to get caught talking on the phone in my room when I was supposed to be sleeping. My parents were strict on the amount of time I spent on the phone, probably because I would have spent all day if they’d let me. But text messaging allowed me to still chat with friends and then it just sort of became a habit.