What happens when I listen to 50

This week upon listening to various types and genres of rap music made me think long after class finished. We listened to 50, then the Goddess', and clearly the large majority of the class had different reactions. Some of us were offended by 50 cent, some empowered and some pretty indifferent if it wasn't the music we usually have on our MP3s. However, when gay, feminist rap was reviewed there was laughter, and there seemed to be less offence, less empowerment and more indifference throughout the audience. Which made me wonder: does the gender, sexual preference and even "style" of an artist predetermine what we think of them? 50's beats were louder, more powerful and had a more serious tone to me. Was this because he's a well publicized black man? Why when I listened to Goddess' music was I chuckling, and felt that it was more of a joke or planned learning opportunity than really good music? Was it because they were female, or gay, or an underground music type? If we don't have these shared sensibilities with the artist do we automatically distance ourselves from the music, putting ourselves "outside of the ideology" they are presenting? I think to some extent we do. Some people say they don't listen to "emo" music because it sounds like a bunch of teenage boys on the verge of suicide because a girl broke their heart and no one understands them. Would listening to emo music put you under this ideological umbrella, hence giving you subjectivity as a depressed individual, and thus make you sad and suicidal in practice? Probably not, after all its "just music" right? I think where Hooks is going however is taking this idea and putting a positive spin on it (which I enjoyed). By artists encouraging those who have experienced (or hope to experience) what the song is depicting they are definitely raising awareness and raising new connections through their music (whether it be "beneficial" or not). I think in the case of 50 cent he will always be controversial - that's probably the way he likes it. And as for Tap's interpretation of how he was hyperbolizing discourse and throwing it back into white people's faces - truely amazing. I thought the idea was wonderful. But as for my thinking that the Goddess' rap was somewhat of a joke, I think I have to look at why I did that a little more. Whether or not I wanted to seperate myself from their ideology or if I wanted to embrace it but didn't know how is not the issue. I think in "the last instance" we should all just open our eyes to where the artist might have been coming from, and maybe it will broaden our horizons. And like Taps said, we get shown a lot of horrible things in our lives besides from our music. Music is an outlet, both for the artist and the listener, and in my opinion sometimes you need a little angry music once in a while - even if it does give you a mental image of 50 about to "push up on it".

The White in Full House

In White's article Ideological Analysis and Television she looks at television from a standpoint that many of us do not even know exists. As she reveals, it is true that when we sit down to watch a television program, we sit with the notion that we are going to be entertained. What plays for us isn't something we critically analyse, but just accept as "the way things are" in that particular situation. As White discusses, "a variety of perspectives and topics [are] expressed in [a] show but [are] ultimately contained by dominant conventions and norms" (White, 192).
This quotation reels me into an old favorite I think most of us grew up racing home from school to watch - Full House. One episode in particular comes to mind in where DJ Tanner goes to a school dance. She likes a young man, who in an effort to try to be cool brings beer to be enjoyed by all of his buddies at the dance. DJ witnesses this, and having a strong moral conscience, tries to convince the boys that it is wrong (of course) to drink beer at a junior high dance. After Uncle Jesse (sporting that mullet we all crave) witnesses these happenings the boys scram and leave DJ as the accused. Now, even though DJ tells the truth it is hard for Uncle Jesse to believe that she wasn't drinking with the rest of her friends.
By the end of the episode, as predictable as Uncle Jesse's great hair, we all learn a very important family lesson that inevitably (when watched with parents) was discussed long after the show's end. We learn that in Full House's "traditional, middle-class, (almost) nuclear family" drinking is wrong for a young adolescent to do (White, 184). We see that honesty always rewards those who practice it, and we see how in the end, family is most important when Uncle Jesse apologizes to DJ for not believing in her.
Now although the drinking example may not prove this entirely, I think the life lessons that Full House imposed on us as young people weren't always perfect solutions for everyone. Looking back they are quite conservative, racially white, middle class solutions. As a child I looked to those solutions for how I would solve my own problems (as trivial as they seem now), however were they always what was "best"? I'm sure my parents would whole-heartedly agree, but then again as I get older, more worldly and more independent, I'd like to think that I stray further from the standardization both they and Full House like to preach.

Blah Blah Blawg

Upon hearing that we had to create our very own blogs for women's studies I was a bit discouraged. To me blog meant endless celebrity gossip about what people wore (gasp!) and to where, or a space on the Internet for overly opinionated individuals to vent. I had always hated the way the word "blog" sounded to top it all off. However, upon attending the lecture on how to create a blog of my own, I happened to come across some very informative and even intelligent blogs out there - most by opinionated people, with half decent opinions! Needless to say I was quite surprised.

Creating a personal "space" as it is on the Internet is quite the concept. You can write what you would like, make it appear the way you would like, and even use discretion against the people who are allowed to view such choices. It was interesting to me how the Internet is so public, yet to the same extent very controlled. The format of my blog is controlled, but by me. I have links to all of the pages of my classmates in Women's Studies 320, as well as any other site I would like. I think this is a fantastic way to connect those reading my blog to sites of similar interest. The archive that is available on the blog is also great for referencing and cross referencing topics that are discussed here and in other spaces.

I hope my blog acts as a space for growth. I want to take my understanding of feminism and broaden it to such a vast form that I will begin to implement my knowledge in everyday life - possibly even enlightening others! I want it to be a haven for anything that is "woman", a celebration, empowerment and flat out adoration. Because we all know we deserve it!

Here's to 10 weeks of Woman...