Rogr Lee
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I admit I got a fairly good vibe from rapper Kardinal Offishall - he seems
bright and informed and talented. But I have to disagree with his opinion
that the link between pop culture and violent behaviour is negligible or non-existent.
There is obviously a relationship between the two.
I do applaud, though, Kardinal's citing Quentin Tarentino, (Governor) Schwarzenegger, Scarface etc. as examples of how hip-hop music is used as an easy target for pro-censorship camps and the often underlying bigotry therein. Clearly we do have a society that relishes in violence-laden entertainment, and it is a very powerful influence (ask anyone who profits from it). But before influencing society, pop culture has always reflected it first - both the peaks and the valleys of human nature, of culture and sub-culture, whether we like it or not. The ignorant then try to sweep it under the carpet and deny its reality.
Unfortunately, youth are exploited relentlessly in today’s pop culture - naivety and innocence is key to many corporate market strategies. And the monstrous machineries of commercial television, radio and cinema - have become less and less innocuous in their effects. "Elvis' pelvis" may have been scandalous in its day, but nothing compares to the volume of often-glorified violence and brutality in today's media. The spirit of rebellion is a normal part of youth, but without a holistic context, without proper education, wisdom, and loving attention and guidance, it is potentially disastrous.
Clearly we do have to look at this 'percentage' of our entertainment that is condoning and glorifying and profiteering from violence. Clearly we have to look at how government institutions often do the same ("Shock and Awe"™, "War on Terror"™, "Regime Change"™, "War on Drugs"™, etc). We must work to discourage some of what we've become very complacent about and very complicit with. We have to, as communities, address these troublesome constructs with more responsible vision, and demand no less from our governments and our media.
Every man, woman and child dreams of good things. Despite harsh and sometimes horrifying realities, we are all capable of envisioning a world of justice and peace and reconciliation, restitution, healing of wounds and positive expressions of diverse realities. At the end of the day, what a civilized society feeds to its children must be nourishing and conducive to growth and betterment - not to dispossession, alienation and rage. Living in denial of certain unpleasant realities is often a contributor of the latter, but depicting them cannot be done gratuitously and irresponsibly either.
And yes, bigotry and its many bi-products still live in our communities and our families. Racism and sexism have been quelled somewhat by the evolution of social action in recent times but not yet erased. We are still beseiged and out of balance, yet we are becoming more and more aware - perhaps as an ironic bi-product of mass media. I believe that positive change is imminent. We can evolve, our society can learn to take the best of our knowledge and resources and help build and sustain an astonishing world - a world where there is no impetus or hungering for violence. There are many, many people, all over the world, who prefer to live in service of peaceful ideas, solutions and values… sadly their work is often unsung (or un-rapped), and definitely dwarfed by the loud, the sensational and the brutal.
Rogr Lee
Vancouver
