Global Citizenship

Global Citizenship

            Who am I? How do the choices I make reflect my cultural values? How do I identify with other people around the world? As an individual in this capitalist society I am connected to millions of people around the world. By putting aside all of our differences we are able to notice core similarities between every person. By being a productive and engaged global citizen I am able to create a universal web that connects me to people all around the world. With the influence of music we are able to intermix in order to identify and understand different people, cultures, and practices.

            Music has a powerful ability to influence, describe, and shape ideas politically, socially, and personally. Musical practice influences society largely in the way that it can emulate what type of society we live in. Here, in America our fundamentals are based on a very capitalist society. We produce so many products in order to sell. Consumerism is massive and our whole structure relies on supply and demand. This type of mindset reflects the most popular form of music that we are accustomed to in America-high-fidelity. Characteristics of high-fidelity music surround itself on one major idea: to sell a product. It takes a very capitalist approach as to how we listen to music. This form of music reflects our societies value immensely. In America we don’t focus on the effort, time, and quality of our product, but instead we consume so much we just care about the numbers. Another way of describing our most common form of musical preference is presentational. We are so used to paying an artist in order to hear only them perform. This sets up a hierarchy and also allows for a very restricted form of social bonding.

            We can learn a lot about a society based on their music just like people around the world can learn a lot about us through our musical preference. For example just through playing mbira and knowing the context behind music rituals in Zimbabwe we are able to understand how different people live their lives. A participatory musical preference allows people that practice it to live as egalitarians. Wouldn’t if be so comforting and different if people in the United States adopted this form of thinking? No hierarchy, no competition, and a main focus on social bonding sounds so comforting. This type of environment would not only be beneficial towards change but it specifically targets the formation of relationships. The best way to learn about another culture is to actually go to that country and immerse yourself in their entire culture. Listening to their specific type of music can tell you so much about how a culture thinks and acts.

            By being aware of what you do and how it affects the world around you, you are able to begin the process of being a productive global citizen. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to relate to other people especially if you haven’t experienced a certain feeling that they have, but regardless of experience we are all able to relate to someone somehow. Also another difficult idea is understanding exactly who you are and your identity. Identity is never stagnant and is always shifting especially at the adolescent stage. If you are able to know who you are and what you value, understand your relationship with the rest of the world and how it impacts people, and then understanding the consequences of your impact is what a global citizen is. You must be open to difference and change. The adoption of a participatory framework would be the first step towards active global citizenship. One important idea towards becoming a better global citizen is being inquisitive of the world around us rather than being dismissive. I believe that by starting a change in your own personal life and growing off of that change will prove to be beneficial.

            The idea of being inquisitive rather than being dismissive can be related to my life quite easily. Starting freshman year in college I really hope that my high school years have helped me adopt this way of thinking. Everyone always told me before I left Pittsburgh that the most important thing to do is keep an open mind. This idea empowers you to be a better global citizen, and with all of the ingrained stereotypes that we have become accustomed to it is hard to change how you think. By adopting a participatory framework we are able to observe and learn about other formations worldwide. This is essential towards being a global citizen because the minute we start learning about the world and different cultures the more we humanize people.

            As I mentioned before being able to identify with other people and cultures is just one step towards being a better global citizen. Realizing the consequences and the impact of our choices on other people is essential. Just thinking in terms of yourself can be detrimental towards your progress of becoming a stronger global citizen. Every action you make whether it is buying a product like Nike shoes or even milk from a local farmer has an effect on that certain worker. When our mindsets shift from just how our choices affect ourselves to how our choices affect the people in our world then we can become more accepting as a community. We don’t notice how much our decisions, thoughts, and choices impact the rest of our world. When we start noticing this and when we start thinking in regards to consequences then when we will be able to progress as engaged global citizens.

Bloomington Contra-Dance

 Bloomington Contra-Dance

            Dance has been fully integrated into my life as a part of my Colombian culture. Through a Hispanic perspective I see dance as essential to my cultural formation rather than a fun activity that happens from time to time. Experiencing a new type of dance for the first time was exhilarating and enjoyable. I assumed that Contra dance would be a vapid motionless form of dancing in which I am certainly not accustomed to. My assumption immediately turned me away from this form of dance without even experiencing it for the first time. I am so glad that I was able to free myself of assumptions and let my guard down in order to give contra dance a chance. I was soon proved wrong.

            The form of dance that adolescents worldwide are familiar with compared to contra dance are two completely different styles. Mainstream social dancing allows for people to socialize in a very limited manner in comparison to contra dancing which focuses on social bonding and the formation of relationships. There are many noticeable factors in mainstream social dancing that add to the restriction of social bonding. The fact that a nightclub is always dark and the music is way too loud makes it almost impossible to observe or communicate: the fundamentals of forming relationships. When thinking about why people come to nightclubs it becomes solely measured on entertainment. This form of thinking creates a high-fidelity environment in which the focus for the person is to be entertained and for the club to sell a product. Social dancing in mainstream culture reflects presentational values and in these values we are able to see no social bonding, focus on money, and a hierarchy. Cliques are formed among people like good dancers, attractive people, shy individuals ECT. In a club we are socialized into an environment that surrounds this presentational framework.

            In contrast to social mainstream dancing, Contra dance presented a participatory approach. The environment that we experienced yesterday was designed specifically to create relationships without even us noticing. This form of environment, although rare to see in modern social mainstream dancing, is conducive to real social bonding. The focus was much more on how the dancing made me feel rather then entertainment and selling a product. At first I felt a little uncomfortable partly because I was thrown into a new form of dancing that I had never experienced before yesterday, but also because I was approached by older experienced men who wanted to take control. Personally it is a little frightening and intimidating to have to step outside my comfort zone in order to try new things. After I let my skepticism go I felt happy and more comfortable with the people dancing. I never felt different or held to a lower standard because it was my first time dancing contra dance. There really wasn’t any form of hierarchy because the more experienced dancers were very open and comforting towards the novices. The contra dancing made everything more personal especially in regards to connection. Since we had to dance with everyone in the room at one point I felt as if I was making a small connection to every person. The factors that were once considered a problem like light or noise weren’t at all a problem for contra dance. I was able to observe every person I danced with and we were also able to communicate as a pair. It was a very intimate setting and it really focused on the formation of rapports.

            Since I absolutely love dancing I mean it fully when I say I would certainly attend this event again. I loved having the feeling of being able to connect socially with various people of different ages and ability. I think if I kept attending contra-dancing classes it would make me want to step out of my comfort zone more and I would want to look for other participatory activities to get involved with. In a more general sense dancing really makes me happy. I feel refreshed and excited when I dance and I sleep more soundly. That’s what I learned from contra dancing.

            Overall this form of dancing was quite an experience. My first partner, Donovan, was hilarious and I think he really made me open my eyes to contra dancing. We both had a blast and it was really funny dancing with people that were more experienced. We both caught on halfway through and really enjoyed dancing, and since he likes to joke around it made the experience just ten times as fun. I look forward to showing my parents what contra dancing is and how its participatory aspects make me feel more comfortable and happy. I know they will also enjoy it just as much as I did. I also look forward to trying it again!

The Punks are Alright!

            Music has the power to flawlessly connect different people from around the world creating a unique multicultural web that makes us one. It can be used as a social force towards a certain idea as seen in “ I love Hip-Hop in Morocco”, or it can be a matter of life and death. Youth around the world can experience a feeling of communitas based on how music makes a person feel. In this essay I will discuss how punk music in Brazil and Indonesia empowers youth and offers refuge from political religious and social issues that people face.

            When I think about the lifestyle I live in I immediately think of the word comfortable. Opportunities and hard working parents have been two very essential factors into why my life is so comfortable compared to millions of other people around the world. Comparing my lifestyle to other kids worldwide I always point out our differences without even regarding our similarities. It is those differences that we feed off of that blocks us from understanding how extremely similar we are to kids in Brazil and Indonesia. This documentary strongly changed my perception of youth culture in these specific communities by opening my eyes and allowing me to identify with other people and cultures. It completely erased all of the differences I immediately thought about, and helped replace those differences with commonalities. One extremely significant struggle that I noticed was the impact of religious and political issues on their lives. People in Indonesia specifically are faced with this constant feeling of being stuck looking back towards traditional Islamic values, but also looking forwards towards Western globalization and influence. They continuously struggle with this issue not knowing what or how to react because they are not freely given the power of choice. On the other hand poverty in Brazil forces desperate children into dangerous situations like involvement in the drug force posing severe risks towards their lives. Both of these struggles are something I personally do not face, but the fact that each of us inevitably faces a certain struggle makes us able to identify with each other through global citizenship.

            Heinrich and Dolly both really differed from each other yet they both shared one intense love for punk music. Together they expressed how punk music is not only a form of music, but also their lifestyle. They discuss how it is a remedy for sickness and a way in which it can keep kids off the street out of harms way. For me, I find music to be my personal escape from life’s obstacles. I listen to it in order to get away from what is bothering me and it soothes me and reassures me of my comfortable life. I can relate to Heinrich and Dolly in the sense that music is so powerfully ingrained in their lives. Also another big thing that I can relate to is the struggle of faith in my religion. Although I grew up Catholic I find myself questioning my faith and questioning certain aspects of my religion. I struggle with trying to explain to myself the importance of faith when I don’t even know if I believe in everything the bible says.

            Another importance I wanted to distinctly point out was how music symbolized much more than just how they felt listening to it. They actually communicated to the viewers that punk was a lifestyle. Heinrich described places like the school as being ‘punk’ which basically means the ability to do something yourself and growing off of that certain something. Punk music can be a symbol of resistance, empowerment and motivation for a change in Indonesian culture and that is something I related to. Although I don’t listen to punk music, I feel that rap music to me is a source I seek for empowerment and motivation towards change.

            Through music our lives all intersect in terms of global and cultural flows. It becomes a linked chain that does not flow in a unidirectional manner but more multi directional way. Although I probably will never meet these certain people in person I can identify with them through my love and need for music. Our inspiration in Brazil and Indonesia is extremely prevalent. In the movie we saw commercials that depicted girls wearing ‘Western’ clothes and guys skateboarding. We see a large influence of western globalization on other countries, but some people don’t see the their influence on us. If it weren’t for people like Dolly we wouldn’t have our everyday Nike sneakers or hats. It’s more of a circle that connects us because through perspective Dolly sees the American consumer as the reason he even has a job. We on the other hand see Dolly as a person who makes our clothes that we wear every day. Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s have made their way around to every country through American influence, but do we not stop to recognize how many Chinese or Thai restaurants there are in America? Our cultures are so heavily intermixed that we don’t even realize how similar and essential we are towards one another.

            With the help of this movie I was able to notice my identity and how it plays a direct role with other people in this world. I really began to question exactly who I am and how my choices I make reflect my cultural values. By being able to identify with a person I was able to begin to think about whom I am in relationship towards Dolly and Heinrich and furthermore how I want those relationships to impact my cultural identity. Through such a simple thing like music I am able to accomplish so much. Together we recognize how much we impact our global community, and individually we learn how much we impact each other.  

I Love Hip-Hop In Morocco

Finding a middle ground between your passion and religion has proven to be extremely difficult for rap artists in Morocco. The culture of Hip-Hop worldwide has not fully been accepted into the lives of certain individuals, and unfortunately for some it never will be. Rap music can be used as a social weapon and motivation towards religious and political change. With a positive and clear message artists can convey any certain feeling towards a specific audience. In order to communicate this urgent need for change rap artists in Morocco decided to join together in a cohesive Hip-Hop festival known as “I love Hip-Hop in Morocco”. With one goal in mind they set out to enlighten, empower, and embrace social change in order to inspire a society bound by restrictions.

            The artists that were introduced in the documentary contributed various valuable thoughts as to what they thought Hip-Hop meant. DJ Key, a talented young performer, strongly represented the idea that social change would be inevitable through the continuity of music. As a large advocate for change in a time of strife and restriction, he ingeniously recognizes the fundamental missing aspect of what his country lacks- organized effort. Involvement is essential towards the distant first step of change in his country he argues. Although faced with the constant dissent towards hip-hop culture in Islam he explains to viewers that without music nothing would influence a movement towards change.

            Another extremely influential group in Morocco known as “H-Kayne” describes the continuous want of guidance that they feel the need to offer to other aspiring artists. Notoriety and the establishment of a large diverse fan base adds to the idea of being the first example to revolutionize social change. With the complete absence of freedom of speech H-Kayne describes how their lyrics must be manipulated into tricking the public eye. Double meanings and insinuations are used in order to express certain feelings that are deemed as ‘anti- Islam’. With severe restrictions on freedom of speech they feel that their music can only be decoded by a certain group of people. With their fame they can essentially spark a movement of change throughout their country by guiding others.

            The last group that I found to be influential in the rap culture of Morocco was the duo “Mot de Passe”. For this essay I chose to speak solely on Fati Show, and how her influence as a female rapper has the potential to not only weaken a common stereotype, but also rally a completely different group of people towards social change- women. Evident throughout the hip-hop culture rap music has been portrayed as a more male dominated form of music. Not only is Fati Show faced with the constant issue of religion and rap music, but she is also faced with prominent set gender roles in rap culture. Admiration is the first feeling that comes to mind when I think about the difficulties she must overcome. She believes that a rapper is someone who enlightens and sends a message to the public. Her devout sense of perseverance pushes her to continue spreading the message repeatedly until the public fully grasps the concept. Performance is essential towards her facilitation of social change, and by having a platform in which she can perform she is able to fully express her ideas.

            I felt the need to clearly define Islam and globalization in order to highlight the major differences between both. Islam is a religious faith of Muslims whom believe in absolute submission to a unique and personal god- Allah. Globalization is the processes of international integration that is made up from increasing human connectivity and interchange of view and different aspects of culture. Both ideas are complete odds in which rap artists are faced with. They are constantly searching for a way in which they can integrate both religion and rap without eliminating one. Each artist interviewed in the documentary expresses this hardship they face, but not one person offers one set solution. Perspective, in my opinion, plays an important role on how you perceive the mix of religion and globalization. In DJ Key’s perspective, he finds it extremely difficult to mediate between the two and uses a ‘wall’ as a metaphor. With prayer he searches for a harmonious peace that one day he hopes to see between his religion and passion. H-Kayne approaches this obstacle in a different way using their lyricism as a tool to essentially ‘trick’ certain aspects of their religion that forbids vulgar ideas. Although they are aware that even lyrics do not have the power to demolish the invisible wall between religion and rap they at least attempt to negotiate their freedom of speech. Fati Show on the other hand is blessed to have an open minded supportive family whom embrace the idea of rap culture while still focusing on the core structure of faith. Her father states, “she is a good student, and she does her prayers” this form of thinking reflects a more democratic stance on life. Although the goal would be the acceptance of Western culture, like rap music and democratic ideals such as freedom of speech, and its integration in fundamental core religious practices; these artists for now must accept the clear division until a middle ground is discovered.

            A music festival that was partly funded by the American Embassy offers a nuanced manner of promoting and globalizing Western culture worldwide. Ten thousand dollars of taxpayer money was funded into this attempt of sparking a movement of social change in a nonviolent manner. Again perspective plays an extremely essential role when it comes to determining underlying consequences for the American government. People in America might view it from a perspective of wasting money especially if they do not support this specific genre of music. The culture of Hip-Hop even in America is frowned upon by certain people as vulgar, degrading towards women, and meaningless. With that type of mindset my question is how are those people going to let a rap festival represent who they are and what they believe in to other parts of the world when they strongly disagree? The audience’s response to the festival was incredible and they showed endless support to the artists. One interesting part of the festival was when Fati Show came out to perform and the crowd initially gave her no support. After she proved her credibility and talent through her performance she gained unlimited respect. She was able to weaken the stereotype of female rappers through one performance and I could only imagine how much power she could have initiating change in the future. The reaction of the audience foreshadows what could possibly happen if they continue performing. If the crowd of people at the festival understood what exactly was being communicated to them then I believe they are beginning to open their minds towards the understanding of rap culture. Although different from their culture they would begin to grasp the similarities between American and Moroccan culture and values. If America became more involved in their foreign policy by funding more nonviolent festivals and concerts similar to this I believe it would make our goal easier. This type of involvement in foreign countries is exactly what individuals need in America in order to learn from Middle Eastern culture, and in order to shift from a mindset of fear towards a more egalitarian perspective.

            By using hip-hop as a tool to connect both American and Moroccan values we see an inevitable mix between ‘enemies’. Hip-hop not only stands for a social weapon of change, but in terms of American society it connects us to innocent people that we perceive as a threat. Now it not only proves to be effective in Morocco, but it allows Americans to begin to think of these people as equals. Just as bad, good, happy, and innocent as we think of ourselves.

Reel Bad Arabs

Reel Bad Arabs

            The portrayal of Arabs in popular media throughout Western culture has been one with a highly negative connotation. The way in which we demonize Arabs has been adopted into our mentality as a social norm. We don’t even question why Arabs are seen as terrorists or enemies in every movie we watch. By making a certain group of people seem bad throughout popular films, we tend to believe it without question. Through film we categorize people under certain groups and stereotypes that become passed down through generations. These stereotypes become invisible to us since our brains are infected with misinformed facts from youth. In the documentary “Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People” those detrimental stereotypes are highlighted and explained. We are in turn left thinking about how we have never questioned these famous films and the portrayal of certain people.

            As a whole I found the documentary to be mind blowing. Exposing the truth about how Western culture thinks of Arabs was painful to accept yet motivational in the sense that it helped identify the stereotypes that must be fixed. The most interesting and controversial moment in the film was when Dr.Shaheen talked about the Disney Channel movie Aladdin. One of my favorites growing up, I never thought about how people were being portrayed in the movie. The open market scene when a starving child steals an apple, and the owner catches him forcefully with the intention of cutting off his arm just passed through my head as normal. In America that’s unheard of. Automatically we associate violence with Arabs without even stopping to think. Also I found it extremely interesting how Arabs are portrayed exactly how Nazi propaganda portrayed Jewish people. It shows how racism infiltrates our minds without notice. Another interesting moment was the bombing in Oklahoma City done by Timothy McVeigh an Irish Catholic man. It was amazing to see how the media especially the news automatically discussed the ‘Middle Eastern influence’. There was never a moment of blatant racism towards the Irish Catholics in Oklahoma City, but immediately we associated the bombing specifically with Arab people. Almost as if saying that only Arab people felt the need to hurt American people, and that American people would never harm those around them. It paints a very uncomfortable picture in my mind judging innocent people and making them evil without noticing the positives.

            I don’t feel that in the beginning there was any specific reason as to why we associated Arabs in a negative light and it just remained normal to us. We always feel the need to associate evil with a certain group or person and the film industry chose Arabic people. These invisible stereotypes instill more socio-political consequences. Not only are we as a whole country scared of people we know nothing of, but innocent people are stereotyped as evil terrorists. After 9/11 every person in this country feared Arab people based on twenty-two Arabs who chose to inflict harm on innocent Americans. We didn’t care if they were potential friends or lovers we automatically shut ourselves off from the positive. Living with this constant fear is detrimental to our growing society. If it continues to be passed on from generation to generation there will be no possibility of growth and change.

            Throughout the whole documentary I recognized about four movies. Shockingly enough I didn’t notice the blatant racism that each movie contained until watching this documentary. I remember the first time I saw Disney’s Aladdin. I absolutely loved it! It didn’t occur to me that most of the information was misleading and flat out wrong. I just enjoyed watching a beautiful princess and her lover fly around on a magical carpet. I do on the other hand remember being afraid of the market owner and Jafar. Their clothes and turbans seemed to be extremely different and for some reason it always stuck to me that if I saw that particular style of dress I would be scared. This documentary definitely helped point out the racism that I never noticed, but at the end of it all there is still a sense of fear that I associate with Arab people however bad that sounds.

            This documentary has clearly expressed how the power of popular culture, especially film, has planted a misinformed thought in our minds since young children. Furthermore it has taught me to always be aware of subtle yet blatant racism in social media. Although it has shaped my constant fear of Arab culture I am now aware that it is there and I must always be mindful of it. Popular culture proved to be an extremely powerful influence on my ideas growing up, but the lesson this documentary highlights is how we should be able to recognize it and know its wrong. 

Farmers Market Map

Farmers Market

            The farmers market really reminded me of our market back home. I really enjoyed walking around seeing the fresh, organic, locally grown produce and tasting the samples. What I noticed immediately was the variety of people that came just to buy products. There was a large variety between young people and older couples. I noticed that the only music being played was country music whether it was performed live throughout the market or through radio. I saw many families with small children sitting in front of City Hall and also walking around looking at produce. Almost everyone I noticed really got involved with the hands on activities offered like the tomato and cheese tasting. As far as politics goes I saw one tent called “Republican Women”, and I stopped to overhear what exactly was being said. An elderly woman announces her strong dislike for Obama and how he is friends with Muslims. Some people walk by without a care in the world, other stop to listen and nod their heads. What I found interesting was the band playing behind their tent, which brought attention over to the Republican Women tent. The food was certainly mixed up but in the same area for the most part. Cheese, eggs, meat, basil, veggies, and fruit were all mixed in the same area around the center. Flowers were also being sold near the fresh produce, and a small tent was also selling meat candy.

            The similarities between participatory aspects of the farmers market and music would have to be based around involvement. In participatory music everyone is participating and its more a circular pattern rather then just one person doing all of the work. Music is more focused on ‘the doing’ and involvement is essential for success. This type of structure mirrors the farmers market exactly. Everyone is participating whether it be selling, buying, tasting, or talking. A dialogue between seller and buyer happens at every little tent and without it nothing would be able to sell. The most important concept that both participatory music and the farmer market share is the focus on social bonding. In my opinion the best way to bond is over food so by even being at a market people generally come happy. Bonding with a certain farmer or person over a specific piece of meat or certain type of cheese can make your experience also worthwhile and exciting. Whether the conversation be about food, coffee, music, or politics everyone is involved and there is no hierarchy depicted.

Shut Up and Sing!

Shut Up and Sing!

Popular music in America has always exemplified national politics, and has had a keen influence on cultural and political ideas. After the traumatic acts of September 11,2001 our country plunged into an immediate state of grief, sadness, and mourning. A shifted political climate forced a new way of thinking that was captured through mainstream media. Genres of music motivated different perspectives and ideas on how to handle this unfamiliar and sensitive issue. The influence of music and political climate during that certain time frame culminated in a dramatic shift of grief to revenge and immediate physical action. This universal idea was adopted more by groups of individuals that primarily shared conservative and right-winged thoughts. The focus in this essay will be mostly on popular Country music and how its lyricism, focus, and message directly after 9/11 instilled an important sense of duty in the American people.

There is no doubt that music certainly has its associations. People immediately associate a certain genre of music with certain qualities that it should express. Assumptions through musical interests have also been adopted in ‘normal’ American perspective. The fact that I am a Hispanic- American interested in rap music automatically categorizes me under a more Liberal manner of thinking: “ Still, until recently, popular music- or what I would identify more precisely as the rock and rap axis of popular music- has been linked primarily with liberal to left-wing issues and causes” (Rebee Garofolo, Page 4). With that being said, automatically Country music is associated with the complete opposing view: “Country music has always been coded as conservative and patriotic” (Rebee Garofolo, Page 12). Since Country music has always been deemed as “conservative and patriotic” the natural increasing intensity of patriotism that exploded in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 was expected. One prime example of intense patriotism and revenge that was communicated through lyricism was Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American) off of his album Unleashed. Powerful imagery and a sense of retaliation overcomes the audience in the section, “Justice will be served, and the battle will rage, this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage, and you’ll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A. ‘Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass, it’s the American way.”

The pronounced shift in Country music from the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to retaliation is demonstrated in various songs that were composed throughout those years. Songs towards the beginning of 9/11 show more thoughtful reflection, but as time progressed America noticed the subtle switches to conservative patriotism and harsher fight songs. With the surprise attack of September 11, I believe the role of popular music was extremely affected because it had to adjust to the new political moment. Many people in America had changed their beliefs due to the unexpected turn of events, “If anything, Country anthems that pushed the envelope in support of government policy seemed more likely to capture the popular imagination” (Garofolo, Page 8). Now, the people of the United States had come together in an unbreakable united front that rejected any opposition. What happened to the Dixie Chicks at the time period demonstrated exactly how dissent towards the war and national security was forbidden especially in Country music. Martin Cloonan argues this perfectly, “it became increasingly hard for musicians to express dissent, not because music had lost its power to be able to do this, but because of a change political climate.” The extremely sensitive time period made disagreement towards the president’s decision on war unable to be communicated. It was seen as ‘Un-American’ and collectively people saw no other way to retaliate.

I was always certain that music has had the ability to express opinions openly no matter what that opinion might be: it is our freedom of speech. Even though I was not of age to completely comprehend the overall feeling of grief, I never thought that a shift in a political moment had the complete ability to suppress dissent and only allow ideas that were in support of the political issue. What Natalie Maines had said during an extremely fragile time was seen in certain individual’s eyes as forbidden. If it had not been for the time period and the specific genre of music that they were involved with, Natalie’s comment would have gone for the most part unnoticed. For example with Kanye West in 2005 and his comment, “George Bush does not care about Black people” on national television had no affect on his career. The difference between The Dixie Chick’s comment and Kanye’s mainly surrounded the assumptions that had been associated with each certain genre of music. Country music was automatically expected to show support for war, and it must exemplify our country’s intense nationalism. Rap music on the other hand was associated more with freedom of speech and different opinion. Many rap artists approach a certain political issue fearlessly in their music, and support a more liberal manner of thinking.

Personally I believe in freedom of speech, and I don’t understand why the comment that was said had been taken with such a negative connotation. If the Dixie Chick’s would have made the same comment in 2012 I honestly don’t believe it would have been blown out of proportion. Aren’t we allowed to have our own opinions and express them in any way especially through music? I understand how the time period made it difficult for people to express their own opinions due to such a high degree of sensitivity and shock. It is so normal now a days to hear people talk about all of the negative aspects of the president. Perspective and how a person interprets a certain issue through a certain frame is extremely important. Now that I am older I am able to understand how shifts in political climates affects music and furthermore life. With the election of President Obama into office in 2008 many rap songs welcomed the concept of change. Although my parents were my main influence on how I should think and act my music taste also influenced me. If I had been listening to country songs that talk about ideals such as continuity and traditional values my perspective on politics would have been shaped differently. With songs that explored all of the benefits of change that were drilled into my mind my opinion was shaped strongly through liberal views. Music’s influence not only shaped my political view, but it continuously makes me question my ideas. It allows me to be more certain of how I think and feel. 

Four Fields of Music Making

Participatory:
"Under the Sea"- Little Mermaid

This song happens to be from on of my favorite disney channel movies- The Little Mermaid. It depicts music being played in a participatory manner by showing various sea creatures unite in order to enjoy their time. There is no distinction made between audience and performer because every fish has their own integral part of the circle. There is certainly a collective feeling of involvement rather than having one individual person play while others listen. More importantly it establishes a bond between each fish, and it focuses on how the song/music made you feel as opposed to the quality. This particular song in the movie is approached in a very egalitarian manner: by dissolving the barrier between performer and audience and furthermore stimulating active participation towards the whole group. I personally do not feel that there are any limitations associated with a participatory style of music. It is certainly not as commonly seen or accepted by individuals in America as presentational music, and therefore I recognize the argument other people may have against this form of music. In America we thrive off of competition in order to stimulate motivation and progress. Competition is an integral part in our capitalistic society. I acknowledge the fact that many individuals believe competition is normal, healthy, and necessary. Some people just want to strictly attend a musical performance without having to be an active participant. So, I can see why some individuals would interpret a participatory style of music as a bother or burden. (I personally do not) This style of music offers a plethora of potentials such as social bonding, sense of community, feeling of equality, and satisfaction generated through feelings instead of quality. Participatory music is considered to be the most democratic in value due to no hierarchy or competition. It mainly values the formation of social bonding outside of a hierarchy where participation is essential.

Presentational:
"Get By"- Talib Kweli

This performance by one of my favorite rap artists in an example of presentational music. Talib Kweli controls the crowd with his rehearsed performance through a hierarchical scale. In this case there is a pronounced separation between performer and audience. Both groups of people, artist and audience, have certain tasks. The audience must not be actively participating yet rather listening. The performer carries a more complex task when it comes to providing and sustaining interest for an audience. Talib Kweli sustains the interest and energy of the crowd through change. He begins by steadily rapping then  mixes the song and cuts the beat short. By this point the audience becomes interested as to why he stopped his performance. He engages the audience once again by interacting with them through an active dialogue. He proceeds into his next song only after establishing a connection with his audience. Presentational music is geared towards the importance of a certain individual or group performing. Instead of focusing on active participation like participatory music presentational music frames the importance of the individual. Even physically we can easily see a distinct separation between performer and audience. The performer is usually always placed on a stage which intentionally is raised off of the ground. That physical change alone exemplifies the common hierarchical scale depicted at every live concert. This style of music limits participation tremendously because the performance is extremely linear in the sense that the audience cannot reciprocate. There is no focus on establishing a bond anymore so it becomes more of a focus on creating a sense of 'worship'. A hierarchical scale limits the feeling of communitas completely. Expectations from the audience for the performer is the ability to provide and sustain interest as a lasting effect.

High-Fidelity:
"Skinny Love"- Bon Iver

What characterizes high-fidelity music is the index and the value of the product. In order to have an index there must be a co-occurence that leads you to the next step. A natural habit for humans while listening to recorded music is the direct thought after about the live performance. Although it's a recording it has a lasting effect on a listener. The main expectation in high-fidelity music is for it to become a product that must be bought and sold. It is the most common manner in which we listen to music because we are not always given the chance to experience it live. Studio production is always associated with recordings because since we can only hear it, individuals are given the freedom to manipulate any and everything. Due to its production in a studio the public is limited to the actual truth, and in some cases the artist is as well. We are left listening to a recorded song with only a semblance of the truth about its creation. Personally, I think about it as being a gift not knowing where it came from or how it was put together. On the other side it has made music extremely accessible to the public. Without recordings of songs we would be left with just a memory of a live performance-given that you only heard the song during a live performance- that forces us to re create the song in our head.

Studio Audio Art:
"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"- Skrillex

This genre of music I rarely ever listen to because a lack of connection and appeal. Dubstep and techno music have become more prevalent especially during our generation. It can be defined as recorded music composed and manipulated only by its creator that has no intention of every being performed live. It's valued as sonically abstract, and through computers the composer is freely given absolute control. It severely limits human interaction and is the complete antithesis of an active music style like participatory.

Emotion and Meaning in Music

Joy:
"Home"- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Music has the ability to elicit several emotions from an individual: joy being a popular emotion. Putting a smile on my face has been a task that music has never failed to complete. In fact music can effortlessly  put me in the best mood at any time of the day. The interpretant (feeling) that this song makes me feel is one of happiness and joy, and it physically puts a smile on my face with every listen. There are certain things in life that really make me feel joy- being in the comfort of my own home is one. My home acts as a sign that reminds me of family. At home I am at peace, and with family as my object I feel joy and comfort. I think of my home as my own peaceful temple where I can just be myself worry free. My family plays a large part in my happiness as well and the song describes my thoughts perfectly, "home, let me come home, home is whenever I'm with you".

Sadness/Mourning:
"Take It All"- Adele

I usually am not one to openly talk about my personal feelings with other people, but I sometimes feel that talking is the only way alleviate stress. This song certainly evoked a strong sense of sadness for me during a difficult time in my life. I can't tell you how many times this one song has made me cry, but for some reason it always had a way of pulling me back. This Adele song personally stands for the end of an extremely close relationship between me and my boyfriend of over two years (sign). Since he was/is the only guy I've ever dated our breakup led to my immediate loneliness (object). The thought of being alone made me extremely sad. It wasn't just the end of a relationship that I valued, but the end of a meaningful friendship that I missed. I try not to listen to this anymore because I don't like to think about old memories.

Anger:
"Unfaithful"-Rihanna

Although I don't always listen to Rihanna due to personal preference I knew immediately that this song would be my selection for anger. I find cheating to be abhorrent, and I don't understand why it ever happens in a relationship. If a relationship does not seem to be working rather then being unfaithful I believe in talking. In this semiotic rapport cheating (sign) is the direct result of a dishonest relationship (object), which in turn leads to anger and frustration (interpretant). Through my experience in a relationship I have learned that the truth always finds a way to make itself known. That is why I don't agree with generally all of Rihanna's vapid song lyrics- "and to him I just can't be true". The thought of using another genuine person makes me question their morals. As a sensitive young woman I have always found it appalling that people have the capacity to take advantage of something good in a negative manner. Every individual is given the power to make a choice, and using that choice to ruin something with potential makes me extremely angry.

Family:
"We Are One"- The Lion King

Instead of discussing the feeling of 'family' which I felt to be a broad term I changed it to the sense of belonging. This song delivers a meaningful message that symbolizes unity as a family (object). The object of unity as family is a sign for home. Every person just wants to feel like they belong to something important. As we stated in class, in order to express our identity we must form and sustain social groups as an essential part of our culture. It is certainly comforting knowing that I will always have a place where I belong which is my family. Having a solid relationship with my family has been my inspiration to branch out and form other relationships with different people. I learned to build my confidence with making new friendships based off of my tight relationship with my family. The reason my confidence has strengthened is because of the trust I have knowing that if it doesn't work out my family will be there. "But you'll see every day that we'll never turn away"


Sexuality: 
"Can't Hold Us Down"- Christina Aguilera

Creating your own voice as a woman is essential to your growth and maturity as you age. In a society full of stereotypes about how a woman should act, talk, eat, and dress I find myself apprehensive to begin. Finding your own voice (object) by establishing a solid sense of self is terrifying to most women. Vulnerability hinders the progress of searching for our own voice as a result of fear. From society's perspective our minds have been influenced to seeing women as the stay-at-home moms, cooks, and cleaners. It takes courage to step outside of a comfort zone in order to prove to the rest of the world that you are to be taken seriously. By establishing your own voice and opinions you are able to resist (sign) preconceived notions and stereotypes that you, as a woman, find wrong. Not only will a new voice give you a sense of credibility it will also give you confidence. There is nothing more powerful than a group of women with opinions and confidence. (Of course this is my own opinion- I am not arguing that I think men are powerless) Christina Aguilera effectively communicates the need for women to join together in order stand up for themselves. I think her strategy turns out to be successful because she approaches this issue as a common concern for every type of woman worldwide. By telling us that this issue should be a concern to any woman it makes us feel comfortable enough to know that we aren't alone. By using a universal approach we feel empowered.

Songprint

As I ponder about the word 'identity' and its definition I am left thinking about who I truly am. Of course, over 18 years, I've been able to grow, learn, and change my ways of thinking about concepts and ideas, but have I really figured out my true identity? Truthfully, I believe that my identity is never stagnant and  forever changing- molding and reshaping the person I am over time.

Girl Talk- "Like This" 

So, who am I? I am a person composed of raw emotion, empathy, questions, opinions, passion, laughter, tears, and uncertainty. Not one song alone can define who I am because I'm always changing. In order to express this to the class I chose a song by Girl Talk off of his album "Feed The Animals". My reasoning behind choosing this specific song was because I think it perfectly emulates my rapidly changing identity. Since the song is composed of various samples of different songs I felt that it effectively communicated two important ideas: change and differences. My junior year of high school I switched from a large public school to an extremely small private school. I can honestly say that it was the hardest adjustment of my life, but I grew to value that challenge which essentially set me up to conquer more challenges ahead. Change in my life has been inevitable, and its powerful effect has molded me into the practical, bubbly, outspoken girl that I am. 

Louis Armstrong- "When you're smiling"

Shakira- "Hips don't lie"

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana I was surrounded by jazz music. Whether it be smooth jazz or hot jazz I remember always hearing it at any type of celebration. In class we began to talk about musical environments which made me think about mine. Of course I listened to Britney Spears and Destiny's Child growing up mostly through influence of my older sisters, but as a child my musical environment was certainly different. I have always wondered how certain beats and rhythms have the capacity to elicit a certain sentiment from a person. Listening to old Vallenato music that my mother blasted throughout the house in New Orleans has and will always be considered normal to me. Even as a little girl the repetitive drumming and complex guitar rhythms ignited a sort of fire inside of me that has never gone away. I grew up immersed in the Colombian culture from the very start. My parents spoke only Spanish to me, music was always playing, screaming was considered talking, and parties were always happening. I am certain that what I've been exposed to from a young age has stuck with me and will always be a part of me. Jazz and Colombian music are not just types of music to me: they have been adopted into my redundant lifestyle and have become a part of what I know.

Frank Sinatra-"My Way"

My vision has always been to just live my life making mistakes and learning from them by myself. Of course guidance from parents or mentors is necessary and helpful, but I've always told myself that I want to live my own life my own way. While I am still young I know I have plenty of mistakes and lessons to learn in the future, but I have had my share in the past as well. I see life as a continuous learning experience that forces a person to grow through mistakes they have committed. This song embodies my ideal of the type of life I lead. Frank Sinatra talks about how he's gone through his life, made mistakes, learned from them, but always remained true to himself and did it 'his way'. I want to, "live a life that's full", "do what I have to do without exemption", and "face it all and stand tall" by still remaining myself just continuously growing into a mature woman. I want to be able to ask a bunch of questions, go on adventures, learn from different cultures, and meet different people by remaining true to myself and my values. I believe that fear motivates a person to step outside of their comfort zone, and when that happens I want to be able to say that I did it my own way.

Dave Matthews Band- "Funny the way it is"

Family, education, my comfortable life of liesure that my parents have provided me. When I thought about how I would answer this question I immediately thought of my mom and dad. I imagine coming to a foreign country with nothing but hopes of becoming doctors. I have never met anyone as determined, hard working, and persistent as my parents. I give them every inch of credit, and I honestly do admire their work ethics. Through high school I never thought to take a step back and look at the way I live my life. Honestly, I live an extremely comfortable life of liesure that would not have been possible if it weren't for my parents. In comparison to thousands of other people around the world I don't feel like I even have the right to complain. It was not until this summer when it actually hit me that I was going to college, and that I would be away from my family for quite some time. I am not the type of girl to get home sick, but before I came to IFS from Pittsburgh I really thought about how much my parents have done for me. They have given me the amazing opportunity to move to a great new town, but even the small mundane aspects I appreciate so much. Not only do I value my parents and family tremendously, but I also value my heritage. Being Colombian makes me proud, and through my parents I was given the chance to visit and volunteer at an all girl's orphanage for children that had been displaced by Guerilla warfare. To say the least it blew my mind. The clothes, food, and conditions that these girls had been living in was terrible. I couldn't help but ask myself why it was that I get to sleep in a warm bed each night when these girls don't have enough beds for all of the orphans. Just by putting a simple smile on their face ignited a spark inside of me to do more. I wanted to do my part, even if it was just by painting their nails and putting their hair in pigtails. I will always live by the idea that a person won't remember what you did or said, but they will always remember the way you made them feel. When a person experiences something so moving, like I did, you can't help but to appreciate. That's why everyday I thank my parents for the tylenol they secretly left me in my purse, or the 'have a good day' note on my desk. Even the smallest things in life can change a persons mood. This song has always been one of my favorites because it compares the opposites of every day life. Dave powerfully points out the dichotomies between people, "somebody is going hungry, and someone is eating out". He brings out the realities of life without holding back exposing the truth that many people tend to overlook or avoid. Not only does the message of this song create a sense of awareness, it also makes me think about what I value most- my hardworking parents.