matthep's blog

Breaking Down Borders: Hoe Technology Transforms the Private and Public Realms

            This article starts off as the author, Robert Samuels, enters a Borders Café looking for a place to read a novel.  In doing so, he observes the daily routines of several people who similarly have come to Borders looking to use it as an extension of their home.  He then proceeds to go into detail about various people and their current activities.  First there is a man sitting on a table chair reading the newspaper as if he were in his own kitchen, next he describes a women who is snuggled into a large arm chair who is listening to her ipod and humming out loud and out of tune.  Next he describes another lady who breaks interview plans and makes vacation plans aloud on her cell phone.  At first it looks like the main point of this article is to show the current role of places such as café shops or book stores in today’s society.  The author makes the argument that public spaces such as these ultimately become an extension of our personal spaces.  Near the end of the article, however, it becomes clear that the article is actually centered on the role of technology in allowing this shift to occur.  While Borders is clearly a public realm, the use of portable technologies such as cell phones, laptops, and ipods turn these specific types of public spaces into a series of private spaces.

            I agree wholeheartedly with the authors observations of the current role of “public” spaces such as Borders café in today’s society.  While these places are very much located within the public world, modern wireless technologies allow for them to exist on a parallel, more private, realm.  I also agree with the author’s assessment of this new shift.  I feel that these technologies create positive and negative outcomes for humanity in general.  On one hand, these technologies create a very distance disconnection in person-to-person interaction.  We, as humans, are a very social being so this can clearly be viewed as a bad thing.  On the other hand, it can be viewed that there modern, wireless technologies allow for a new, more culturally expansive person.  While our direct interaction with other people is belittled by these technologies, they allow us to, in a sense, “multi-task” between the work and play functions of everyday life.  One minute I could be working on my laptop on an architectural design for a new high rise building to go up in Chicago, Illinois and the next I could switch the page over to YouTube to watch a 30 Seconds to Mars music video.  I feel this can be viewed as a good thing as it creates a differentiation and merger in our daily routines.  Before portable technologies such as the internet, cell phones, laptops, and ipods, there were very set locations for given daily activities.  For example, phones were rooted in a home, internet was centered on a private location, and music was limited to a large, more private player.  Now that these technologies have become portable, it only makes sense that there are to be certain public realms that act as an extension of private ones.  I don’t think this is such a bad thing.

THE MISEDUCATION OF HIPHOP

            This reading was about the apparent effect hip-hop has had on our country’s youth.  Many older generation educators and professors feel that rap is not only counter-productive, but outright a bad influence on youth.  The article goes on to tell how many “baby-boomer” generation adults feel that hip-hop is detrimental to young people because it instills in them these ideas of rebellion and “thug-ness.”  If lists off numerous professors and such who feel this way then goes on to tell that there is two sides to the story.  While there are a fair amount of people (not necessarily race-specific) who do take the wrong message from rap/hip hop music and do fall prey to a life of poor choices, hoochie-ness, or thug-ness but there are also a similar amount that do not allow this to happen.  For these young people, rap is merely a form of self expression and is genuinely feel good music.  Some older generation folks have a hard tie seeing this because they only want to see the negative side to the the music.  When it boils down to it, they need to be able to see the other side of the picture.  Both parties, the students and the professors need to compromise and realize that times and experiences are not constant from one generation.  While the “baby boomers” were the generation of jazz and (the beginnings of) rock, today’s generation is one of rap and hip hop.  The sooner both parties can realize this, the sooner some of these issues will resolve themselves.  On the other hand though, there will always be a group of young people whom choose the wrong path.  People need to not be so quick to always associate this behavior with rap music and, more so, with other young people who associate themselves with this music genre.

This reading, titled Rap and Race: Its Got a Nice Beat but What About the Message?, as all about modern day rap music and how it is viewed by, and effects different ethnic groups.  The article opens up with a brief history of rap music itself, saying that it originated and had its roots in New York City.  This type of music emerged in the mid 1970’s and has currently spread to be a national, and international, phenomenon.  Since its creation, rap music has always had a connotation with civil disobedience and political unrest.  This genre, while lacking vocal pitching and tone, focuses much more heavily on the message than some of the other genres of music which, arguably, are solely for instrumental and vocal pleasure.  Often times, rap music has a very distinct connection to African Americans.  Due to this, it has been scandalized countless times by politicians and bureaucrats.  Prime examples of this were Vice President Dan Quayle, President Bush, and President Bill Clinton.  To make these matters worse, these politicians were often found to have little or no knowledge about the given rapper or album!  The article then proceeds to tell how the author,  Rachel Sullivan, conducted a series of hypothesis driven experiments to test certain stereotypes circling rap music.  Among these implications were…

1. Black adolescents would have a stronger preference for rap music.
2. Black adolescents would be more likely to agree with the statements, “Rap is a truthful reflection to society,” “I find myself wearing clothes similar to rappers,” and “I find myself using words and phrases similar to rappers.”
3. Black adolescents would listen to a wider range of rap artists.   
4. White adolescents would be more likely to say rap music has affected their opinions toward racism.

Of these implications, the author found all were largely true except for the last.

      Reading this article got me thinking about my own opinions and views toward rap music.  Personally, I am quite biased on the topic because I am an avid opponent of rap music.  I think generally speaking, with the exception with certain given artists whom can either talk exceedingly fast have a keen grasp on the English language, rap is a genre of music that takes very little talent.  That being said, I do agree with a lot of the things Rachel stated in the article.  First off, I agree that rap music is often attributed to a very specific ethnic group.  Even though there is a quite large number of white adolescents whom listen to, and enjoy rap music, I agree that it is predominantly directed toward, and thus generally viewed by, African Americans.  Next, I also agree that the genre of music itself probably has different meanings to different ethnic groups.  I feel that most African Americans take a certain level of pride in rap music as it clearly has its roots entangled in their own.  This possibly causes some to attribute certain life lessons to the music.  Caucasians on the other hand, might simply listen to the music because it has a good beat, catch melody, or good tune.  Finally, I feel the study Rachel did at the mall further proves and validates both hers and my views about the specific genre of music and its affects on different ethnic groups.

London’s amazing! By far the best city I’ve ever been to. I love how you can see a 16th century romanesque church right next to an uber contemporary building with a sweeping glass facade. So far there really hasnt been that much culture shock; the main differences are I would say have tto do with currency…you have to pay for public restrooms! Also, the night life is amazing! All in all, great city…we’ll see where the trip takes us!

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I expect this class will be a lot of fun.  While I expect to learn a lot about the history of the built world and the history of Europe, I expect to have a great time and get to know every one in the class very well.  I will most likely drink a lot…of water that is.  I also plan to see a lot of the European land scape as I have never left the United States.  Due to all this I am very excited for the trip.