Analysis 3

Racialicious.com examines the intersection of race and pop-culture, putting a modern spin on thinking about racial issues in the United States. It focuses on the latest celebrity updates and the blog critiques media representations of current social events. The context of pop culture provides a more forgiving atmosphere for race discussion because the individuals under the blog’s lens occupy a coveted position in society and have the means (money, power, influence) to break out of the constraints of racial and social stratification.

Immediately when the webpage is open there is a huge picture of Beyoncé. The blog post discusses Beyoncé’s image as a strong independent woman who fosters ideas about race pride and girl power. These ideas are widely distributed through her songs such as “Run the World (Girls)” or “If I Was a Boy.” But what is most striking about this blog post is not the written word and evidence of her record sales, but the images. The first picture is a natural face shot. Her hair is not artificially flying via a fan, nor does she have a smirk full of angst. Instead it is a picture of Beyoncé from the shoulders up with very minimal and natural makeup and a genuine smile. The light is hitting her face in a way that illuminates her eyes so that she is making direct eye contact with the audience. Race is not brought to the forefront of the picture, but the envy of every woman aspiring for the same natural beauty.

Later on in the article there is a picture of Beyoncé from a notorious photo spread in French Vogue that aimed to pay tribute to past African queens and African rituals. She is wearing traditional African tribal clothes, including jewelry and a headpiece. There is, however, an extra visual element to this picture: her skin. Her face is dramatically darker than the rest of her body and her natural skin tone. The drastic change in skin tone from her neck to her face brings a sense of inauthenticity to the picture. The lack of authenticity in the picture provides the foundation for discourse about race and past historical tensions. The picture aims to demonstrate the diversity of human life and the divisions due to physical appearance. Longaker and walker write, “Visual arguments often similarly create networks of association in order to make emotional appeals” (220). A change in skin tone should not denote a different level of beauty of equality, but the headpiece and skin tone transports the audience back to a time of colonialism. The change in skin tone creates an association in my mind to this era of exploitation. The association evokes ideas of the white man’s burden, which justified imperialist efforts. Personally, this time period is a shame to basic human rights: freedom, property and religion. Different regions have different traditions and this diversity should be celebrated, not used as a justification for discrimination.  

The reaction to this picture will be different for every person based on his or her heritage and background (socioeconomic status, education, religion, etc.). Values are an integral part of the interpretation process. Longaker and Walker define values as “Another kind of symbol (a word, a brand, a monument, a historical event) that ties into a network of affects, behaviors, and experiences” (223). Thus, certain abstract ideas and icons will resonate with certain populations. The headpiece and dress that Beyoncé wears in the second picture holds a special meaning to different African tribes whereas to me it is merely a symbol of a different culture. The first face shot of Beyoncé resonates with my generation. We grew up with the music of Destiny’s Child and then took part in the mass hysteria surrounding the “Single Ladies” dance. She is an icon and musical legend of my generation and thus this picture resonates more with me than it would with my grandparent. My grandparents may associate her with the hip-hop music on the radio; on the other hand, my generation associates Beyoncé with girl power, racial pride, and a beautiful voice.

It is said that a picture is worth 1000 words. This is precisely because it can convey more emotion with each pixel than a string of words can. Text has context and subliminal messages, but it is not universally understood like visuals. Visuals can physically demonstrate emotions and reach across generations and geographical areas. Longaker and Walker explain this share of emotional responses as an emotional repertoire. “… A relatively stable range of emotions shared by a large group of people are often in response to situations or objects that these people all encounter in their public lives. An emotional repertoire not only includes a range of feelings but also a behavioral script” (223). Thus the smile on Beyoncé’s face, which is perfectly highlighted by a ray of light, depicts a sense of joy and warmth to its audience. The audience has the same reaction to this photo because it is so natural and simple, however the African queen photo has different emotional responses for different communities. Common experiences, symbols, ideas and situations shape each individual’s emotional repertoire. For example, when I look at the African queen photo, I see a different culture. However, when someone else looks at this photo they may see a tradition of their tribe or heritage or something they have never seen before. Each of these responses elicit different emotional responses sparked by the symbols in the photo. 

Analysis 2

In class I found an online blog called “Social Justice: Discussions on Poverty and Social Stratification in American.” This blog focuses on a “social conscience” and views social justice or injustice as society’s treatment of their people (http://socialjusticeblog.blogspot.com).  In the first blog post of the site, published on December 31, 2005, the author explains the purpose of the blog. He or she writes that it is not meant to be persuasive or a place for rhetoric, but rather a springboard for discussion to consider current issues. Some of the current issues that the author writes about include high SAT tutoring costs in relation to affirmative action and Medicaid barriers. Although this blog was written from December of 2005 to September of 2006, the issues discussed are still relevant and controversial today.

Longaker and Walker define ideology as “a set of presuppositions that influences most everything” such as personal and professional relationships (185). The conditions that Longaker and Walker set is that the presuppositions must be held by an entire group—societal class, community, culture, etc. Ideology plays an important part within blogs because it provides a common ground between the audience and the author without any direct interaction. This blog goes one step further to investigate and question the ideologies of American society such as issues of minimum wage and The American Dream. The author’s two posts on The American Dream on July 25^th and July 27^th 2006 are completely contingent on a particular ideology. Without a previous notion of The American Dream, a set of ideas in the United States based on socioeconomic mobility, success opportunities and promised prosperity, the author’s argument would be rendered useless. Thus, discourse over this subject and the author’s opinions are enhanced by her reference to Horatio Alger’s rags-to-riches book “Ragged Dick.” The understanding of the blog is partially dependent upon the ideology on which it is built. Ideology, however, is only part of the story because it doesn’t exist without the author’s rhetoric.

History is extremely important within this narrative as well. History creates a social and cultural context for the current events that the blogger writes about. In addition, history is used as evidence for his or her claims. In the post on July 19^th 2006 the blogger references the 1997 congressional minimum wage freeze. These little bits of evidence scattered throughout the blogger’s posts goes one-step beyond ideology. Ideology is the foundation for a conversation on this medium, an online blog, and the evidence steers the way for discourse. The book references and details of congressional legislation shape the written argument and reflect the opinion of the blog’s author on top of a particular historical and ideological context. History further feeds into the presuppositions that impact the blog’s discourse.

After reading through the posts, I was intrigued by the ideas and arguments addressed, but I was left with tons of questions. When looking through a blog, it’s not just about the text, but the gadgets and information provided by the author as well. This particular blog only had an archive gadget on the right side of the screen to navigate through all of the posts. Discourse on the internet is contingent upon ethos, the skilled presentation of a rhetor’s character. So how can I trust a blog with no information about the author? The author reveals certain personal facts within his or her textual posts such as his or her hometown of Chicago and an email address at the bottom of the page, but nothing substantial. The author uses facts and links to newspaper articles as evidence for his claims, which garners the author some persuasion, but something is still missing to me because of the lack of a concrete identity.

In the end, the dialogue that the blog presents is dependent upon a particular ideology. In the Social Justice blog regarding poverty and social stratification in the United States, the ideology assumed is obviously American democracy. Then it is important to look at the voice of the author, in this case a socially liberal writer. With these things in mind the dialogue on the screen comes to life and opposing views can duke it out in the comments section. All of this is contained within a shared ideological foundation.  Ideology is crucial, but without the author’s identity something is missing. 

Analysis 1

Let’s look at a fictional representation of our political system: “Game Change.” “Game Change,” the HBO film, is based off of a 2010 book documenting Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign written by journalists John Heilemenn and Mark Halperin. The film begins just after the Republican Primary when Senator McCain was searching for a vice-presidential candidate for his ticket. It is largely a critique of the factors impacting presidential elections in the modern day. Nowadays it is more concerned with social media efforts and negative campaigning than the issues at hand and the responsibilities of public office.

This film caters to two audiences within the American public—the uninformed voters and the political thinkers. It is common knowledge that Senator McCain ran for president in 2008 against President Barack Obama unsuccessfully with Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-president. Pop culture generally associates this particular election with Tina Fey’s “Saturday Night Live” spoofs. Therefore the uniformed masses have come to understand this political campaign through the lens of satire and parody. I believe the film was an educational tool for the uniformed voter, introducing them to the sphere of American politics detailing the intricacies of a democratic campaign coming down to debate and national interview preparations. The most faithful viewers will be those personally intrigued by political-based movies and those who actually read the book in the first place. The movie aimed to serve as a depiction of politics in an era of the twenty-four hour news cycle and the double-edged sword that is negative campaigning.

The film was shown on HBO in February of 2012 just before the 2012 presidential campaign was in heat. Thus it served as both a critique of election season and insight into the current political atmosphere using the events of the past. Without directly impacting the Obama-Romney race, “Game Change” was an advertisement for the American political system. It was a different medium to talk about the near-past, events, such as the war with Iraq, that were not highlighted in the 2012 presidential campaigns. Events that still affect the country but are not as pressing as the fiscal cliff, healthcare or foreign policy in regards to Iran’s nuclear weapons development. In addition, it can be seen as a cautionary tale… Although this is based off real events, it is impossible to depict the absolute truth behind the election because everybody has a different version.

The film focused on Governor Palin’s campaign trail which discussed a few hot topics of the time: the war with Iraq, children with disabilities and energy independence. Today, these are two issues not discussed in depth, instead the fiscal cliff and political polarization of congress inundates the front pages of newspapers across the country. The issue of disabilities personally affected Governor Palin as her youngest child was born with Down syndrome. At the surface the film seems to be a springboard for discussion about these issues, which are not in the spotlight nowadays, but it largely serves the purpose of judging the election system. Governor Palin became such a celebrity during the campaign that “Saturday Night Live” sketches were covering her mistakes and her past indiscretions.

There is one line that highlights the purpose of the film, a critique of modern political campaigns. Rick Davis, the national campaign manager for Senator McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, says, “Listen, I too wish that the American people would choose the future Abraham Lincoln or Thomas Jefferson, but unfortunately, that’s not the way it works anymore. Now it takes movie-star charisma to get elected President, and Obama and Palin, that’s what they are – they’re stars.” The quote illustrates a stark contrast between the rules governing presidential campaigns in the distant past and the ones that we see now. Celebrity status garners national exposure as opposed to their political stances within the framework of their respective political party. In addition, it sheds light on society. It demonstrates a gap in the average voter. The current American voter may be more informed on the candidate’s past ventures as opposed to their stances on immigration and taxation. This piece of social rhetor is an example of societal analysis in the realm of political elections. It draws attention to what consumes the media during presidential elections, an important influence on a society of voters and the institution of the United States’ democracy.

The question stands… How are we truly electing our Presidents? Is it based on a system of merit and competence or celebrity status and negative campaign competition? 

Political Cartoon of the Week

theweek.com

State of the Union Video

Here's a clip on education policy:

President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address' Future Education Policy Proposals

On Tuesday February 12, President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address of his second term in office. This speech primarily concentrated certain issues such as gun control and education. Obama said, “Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on—by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.” This displays how essential education is to our nation and transitively the necessity for a strong the public education system. Investment in education, according to Obama, is a precursor to economic stability and thus he proposed a universal preschool. His push to expand pre-kindergarten initiatives attempts to address underprivileged students right from the start, however, he provided no specifics for this particular program.

He discussed the other range of this spectrum as well, college students. Obama introduced a legislative idea of making college more affordable, but circumvented a solution by proposing to choose a university “where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.” Not that this is a novel idea, but it has been on the bucket lists of many State of the Union addresses and campaign speeches with little direct action. Beyond the cost of higher education, Obama said he wanted to change the high school curriculum to better prepare graduates for the current job market, specifically in regards to technology savvy. This translates to increased focus in four subject areas: science, technology, engineering and math. This illustrates the inherent connection between education and readiness for the job market, which should occur “at the earliest possible age” according to his speech. Obama also hopes that these education policies will strengthen the middle class, one of his major campaign platforms.

The speech did a good job at outlining issues within the public education system, but his administration will need to put forth more concrete policies before feasibility can be determined and change can be implemented.