Tricia Rose

Tricia Rose Time Interview

Some Things I Understand

The interview was not hard to understand. I definately grasped most of the material. Rose makes several key points regarding the culture of hip-hop, how it has changed, and why. Her main arguement is that "fans and detractors alike have advanced illogical, dishonest and offensive arguments about why the genre is bad and why it's great."

Furthermore, I can understand how Rose analyzes the complexity of the genre, and how mainstream media has developed its own ideas of what it means. She highlights all of the difficulty in producing music that supports the "richness" of the original hip-hop cultures. Instead(there are) idea(s) "that a certain kind of sexual deviance or violent behavior defines black culture has had a huge market in commercial mainstream culture for at least 200 years. Also, sexist images, which hip-hop has a lot of, seem to do very well across the cultural spectrum. So sexuality and sexual domination sell. Racial stereotypes sell." It is in this piece of Rose's interview that the complications of the genre are highlighted.

Some Things I Don't Understand

"There seems to be the tendency, when people complain about what they hear on the radio, for artists to say, "Well, if you don't like it, just turn it off." There's that shift in responsibility from artist to fan. Is that a disingenuous defense?"

This quote was not something I did not understand but it was something that I had to read twice just to make sure that I understood not only the vocabulary in the context, but how the question fit into the rest of the interview's main arguement.

Connections to other course themes

- This is much like our original assumptions about class. It sets hip-hop up as a foreign entity, or an "alien life form"

-Like Hine it has its own labels and vocabulary that had to develop much like the word of teenager

Comments-
This article was a light read, and definately easy for me to understand. I have seen Tricia Rose speak here at school, and after hearing her, her voice came through her interview with clarity and strength.

Um- so here are some links regarding media literacy- Im trying to catch up on my back posts I swear for those of you following my page the whole semester wont go down like this Im just having a really hard time personally right now- but stay tuned because my page will be some awesomeness by the time Im done-


so here are some links

FYI I just googled Media literacy with no quotations

Resources and workshops for K-12 educators promoting critical thinking to help students read media messages.
www.frankwbaker.com/

Featuring the Media Literacy Speakers Bureau™ and hundreds of resources for media literacy education in school, home and community.
www1.medialiteracy.com/

Your knowledge of media literacy has a good foundation, but could benefit from further study. Learn more about the media through our list of related sites ...
www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/quiz.html
*** This one has a cool interactive quiz

For many years now, The National Telemedia Council has been asked if any clear, succinct yet comprehensive overview of media literacy was available. ...
www.ci.appstate.edu/programs/edmedia/medialit/article.html

Media literacy is fundamental in helping young people to become informed citizens who can actively and successfully communicate with society and the world. ...
www.mediachannel.org/classroom/
**This last one is a little different it speaks to why media lit matters a little more than what it is

So heres to catching up- comments welcome

When I was 13

so IM behind as usual but here it goes....
13 sometimes it feels like it was yesterday and other times I feel like it was a few lifetimes ago. I was in the eighth grade. Funny that its the age were suppossed to write about because it was one of the hardest of my life. I was at an all girls school where the 8th grade had 32 kids. I was the victim of an internet crime, my father was going in for his 2nd and 3rd of 6 spinal surgeries in November and January. My uncle died unexpectedly at the same time. I was a sick kid- physically and mentally... and I was at the beginning of what continues to be one of the hardest and longest coming out processes. (Yes I date girls)
So all that shit aside- I can tell you that I excelled academically- I won the science fair by building a hovercraft(think flying saucer)- Painted an award-winning rainforest mural for my school,took 3 languages, and was a raging theater dork, I did Marat Sade and Steel Magnolias that year. I also played lacrosse for my school. I listened to 70's rock, wore parachute pants and band t shirts, had a different hair color every week, and had just started to learn my 3rd or so instrument. I went to work with my Dad to our business on Saturdays as much as I could- I liked(and still do) making money. For every success there was a learning experience(aka failure) and for every up there was a down. I couldnt have been me without it, thats not to say I wish to run back to it. At the time I probably felt like dying- like I was the only kid who was dealing shit, what I know now is that everyone was- it just depended on how much, how often, and what kind. So- I think my battle scars are sexy haha. Sometimes it feels like yesterday-sometimes it feels like a few life times ago.
C

Linda Christensen-Talking Points 1.

Linda Christensen, "Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us"

Christensen makes numerous claims in her piece regarding popular culture and media in relation to youth. She argues that (p. 126) "Our society's culture industry colonizestheir minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." Throughout the article she continues to support this point with numerous examples from past student work. Given the background context and various examples I understand the weight of Christensen's arguement entirely.
One other point of interest that I understood on the basis of personal experience with its implications was that of the "Cindy Ellie" story and the difficulty of finally seeing an example of women of color in a story yet, the message for women was still the same- new clothing, new hairstyle, and you'll get the man.(133) I understand this type of outcome when all the other variables on which blame could be placed(race, class etc) are removed the message about women's co-dependancy and need to follow fashion trends to achieve the female ideal of marriage remain. Christensen clearly demonstrates this dilemma in her "Cindy Ellie" example.

I can't say at this time that there were points that I did not understand given I have read this article a handful of times previous.

Due to the fact that we have not yet had other course readings or themes that have emerged I cannot connect this piece adequately to other material.

Point to share:
Christensen makes a good point about the need for release of negativity that can be associated with learning the control the media has over identity politics and classroom/ relationship interactions. I like how she makes it clear that she needed to find the students an outlet for the frustration that would help allow them to feel like they were making change, and I think its an important step, even if students have to find a way to do it on their own.