Deceiving nature and untrue promises of materialism
Three broad ideas are notable from the class readings. They include the deceiving nature of nature and untrue promises of materialism, the white supremacy using and controlling hip hop to put people of color down continuously, and lastly, a repeated false becomes and facts in the minds of the audience. The three ideas will be discussed separately.
Deceiving nature and untrue promises of materialism
Part A: Contemporary society has made us believe that material possessions will automatically make us happy and healthy. People work hard to be financially stable and possess assets while ignoring simple things such as love, excellent relationship, ethical behavior, and humility because they have been made to believe that is where true happiness lives. I consider it crucial for people to realize that though material possessions are essential, they are not the only ingredient to a happy and healthy life. There are instances when one will have all the wealth but lacks peace and hurt inside. Thus, we should at least strive to balance all ingredients to a happy life to realize the quality of life. I was a victim of such harmful beliefs before coming across this piece of writing, which has changed how I currently view life. The American Beauty presents Carolyn one of the most ‘successful’ women in the story. She defines success as possessing assets, big career and big houses. Mendes tries to be affectionate with her and shows her that they can experience passion. On the contrary, Carolyn is too obsessed with her couch that he fails to notice this and tells her that the couch is costly. She even yells at her for not realizing her success. The text reads, “Carolyn yells at Jane for not appreciating the life she has (meaning the possessions she owns.)” Carolyn curses and thoroughly abuses herself physically and mentally when she does not succeed in selling a house. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Part B: Social stratification has driven people to false beliefs. The society is stratified into classes based on their level of education, wealth, income, and occupation. These parameters have left people struggling to achieve them to be members of the first class only to get there and realize there are basic things that are important for a happy and healthy life. I think the social stratification (social class) makes numerous false assumptions that mislead people. Currently, one will study until they are thirty-five or more years to accomplish their career goals without caring about the relationship, love life, and other essential things. People choose a career based on their monetary value and is disregard the arts because they are paying less. The society has made us believe that a good career, job, cars, assets, and many other materials will automatically guarantee a happy and healthy. If we have to believe this, then why are suicides and depression among the so-called wealthy or first class on the rise? Why do we evidence many people craving and searching for love everywhere in social media or even in workplaces? Why do we see many first-class individuals misbehaving and hurting inside? American beauty shows how Angela, the talk of the town because of her prowess in modeling, is hurting. He has almost every material possession that everyone thinks would make her happy. Angela has a thin, blonde, and gorgeous body. Everyone admires her. However, she is suffering from low self-esteem and projects her emotions and feelings to people. The author states, “She is thin, blonde, gorgeous, popular and confident to the seeing eye. Inside she is scared and torn”. She is not happy despite her possessions and physical appearance. Why is she not happy? Colonel Fitts served in the military and lives a decent life. However, he is the opposite of reality. He is homosexual. I have realized that materialism is not even half of the ingredient to a happy life; it is a facilitator of a happy and healthy life. Hence, I will want to balance all the elements to a happy life as I strive to move up the ladder. This is to say I will follow the Maslow hierarchy of needs and ignores Webber’s explanation of the social gratification because it misleads.
White supremacy using and controlling the hip hop to continuously put people of color down
Part A: I have lived to believe that hip hop created a platform that African American youths could use to express their concerns and build their culture. Hip hop was the only power that African Americans had to get out of poverty, overcome the harsh and hard times. I have come to learn that this is not true. The white supremacy is using hip hop artists to crush African Americans. I have like hip hop music and appreciate the contents which are purely about the African Americans community and the hard time they had to endure. Unfortunately, the white supremacy is at the top controlling and managing everything that happens in the hip hop industry to the extent that they can remove, alter, add contents and control the hip hop image to fit their personal needs to silence the true voice of hip hop. I believe it is crucial to let people know that hip hop is no longer the power and the platform for expression of the growth of the African American community. People need to understand that the majority of the benefits from the hip hop artists are taken by those in power who are the white supremacy. After reaping the vaster benefits, they control its image and teach artists and the community at large the values that will continuously reinforce and promote the old behaviors keeping African Americans in the same old nihilism. Coupled with the social stratification, the African American community has been brainwashed to believe that money will get them power only to be villainized and the black women prostituted. Fanti says, “It’s created a lot of jobs for a lot of people that otherwise probably wouldn’t have jobs, but at the same time, man, it’s like mo’ money, mo’ problems.” While this is a win-win situation for white supremacy, the African American community loses terribly, and this can be evidenced by the continued high poverty, low literacy, and criminalization in the African American community.
Part B: I have always wondered why there are a lot of stereotypes, similarities, and little uniqueness, battles, and beef in the hip hop industry. Hip hop is from the African American community, and because most artists come from this same culture, they are expected to work together to preach the same gospel. From what Fanti, the member of the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, says, the answer is clear. He says, “Through the commercialization of today’s music, there is a lot of pressure for young black men to conform to very specific roles” The white supremacy in the pop industry has designed specific ways that these hip hop artists have to conform to be to keep their jobs. They have to walk, act, speak like their bosses, and will eventually adapt their bosses’ mentality. They have ultimatums, and failure to comply results in sacking and losing the position that they had established. Hip hop artists have deviated from expressing their concerns and promoting African American culture to satisfying the needs of their bosses for commercial gain. They experience pressures from their employers to behave and play specific roles in their music. The kind of conformity has led to redundancy in the hip hop industry and lack of uniqueness. People have forgotten their roles and are currently playing the role they have to play, which is hurting the hip hop’s initial objective and giving the white supremacy opportunity to exploit them for personal gain. The commoditization of hip hop has even worsened the situation. Though hip hop has created employment opportunities for many youths, the more money the artist earns from, it is continuously hurting the broad African American community and finally the artist themselves. Hip hop music has made the African American youths believe that a gangsta, drug dealer lifestyles, and other unethical behaviors will earn them good money and makes them succeed in the cold system. These elements come to haunt them and kill them before they enjoy the same money. Besides, it has made the African generation believe that they are not valued, and hip hop artist reinforces this lie through lyrics and harmful behaviors which the whole youth community imitates. I have realized that the best way to change the community and have the power is through truthfulness and self-determination. I do not need to gain while hurting others intentionally. I have to play my role, not the role I have to play. This means that I will do what will bring positive changes to the community who is not only my people but the world at large and not benefit myself and bosses while hurting the community.
A repeated false becomes facts in the minds of the audience
Part A: I thought people watch movies and films for leisure just like they do listen to music for relief or consolation. However, after reading the ‘Three short articles on Hollywood and History,’ I have learned that these movies and films may create false values and beliefs to audiences, particularly when they are based on untrue stories that lack substantial evidence. The audience will always take the best information from a movie, but they will never leave behind the false in a film. I should blame my positive view of everything in this case. Foner tries to defend Argo and Zero Dark Thirty by asserting that historians are enemies of progress and the nation and destroys foundational myths of nations. He says this to protect that claim that factual inaccuracies are better than the myths in Hollywood movies. However, that is not convincing enough to grant movies which factual inaccuracies license because their damage is vast in the community. For instance, the impression that Zero Dark Thirty creates in the African American community when it implies that the United States tortures detainees at the Guantanamo Bay may be destroyed more than the filmmaker, directors, and the involved parties think. Imagine how the Islamic will take the impressions which are not only grossly inaccurate but also misleading. The damages that these inaccuracies in movies and films created in the society that most of the top leaders and movie and film producers overlook make this a crucial concept that must be taken seriously. We evidence many weird behaviors and hatred and often blame social media forgetting the negative impact of movies. This reinforce understanding contradicted my previous thoughts, but I am happy now I understand the impact.
Part B: Pop culture, just movies and films with inaccurate information negatively impact the community. Producers, actors, and various stakeholders in filmmaking use inaccuracies to make their movies compelling but do not think of the impact they may have on the broader community. Hip hop was initially founded as a platform through which African Americans could express their concerns and build their community. However, with time, the theme changed, and oppressors who control the hip hop image have made the artist act, walk, talk and behave in specific ways that harm others and the community for their benefits. When Foner reasons that factual inaccuracies are not as harmful as foundational myths, he does not have the audience at heart. He says, “The myths propagated by Hollywood movies may be more distorting than their factual inaccuracies.” Historians are also the enemy of Hollywood.” Movies and films initially were produced with intentions to entertain while teaching the audience. However, like hop culture, producers, and top agents in the film industry have turned to be terrible. They strive to do anything to make their stories compelling even their stories may be destructive. David Neil Rapp, a cognitive psychologist, puts it; lies will become true when it is repeated. He adds that people will often use the wrong facts that they are told in stories or watch in movies to handle or respond to situations afterward. People will always remember the movie version of a story or an action even if they know the truth. I have learned that things are founded with great objectives and missions, but human beings are such greed to the extent that they alter everything to benefit them. The reinforced understanding gained in this pop culture provides an essential insight into my life. My intentions should be people-oriented and not self-oriented. I need to look at a broader perspective of everything to make sure that whatever I choose serves the initial purpose it was founded for. If I need to change anything, it should aim for a positive impact on my subjects, and that will be the most significant achievement.