Music and Censorship

Music and Censorship Music and Censorship Music today is an important part of our lives. It is a way to express ourselves as individuals and it is a form of art that helps us define who and what we are. We use it to express our feelings, our views, and our ideas. Today, many artists are faced with censorship and is one of the controversial things that they have to deal with. Censorships purpose is to limit or restrict certain parts of a certain subject. In music words are either changed or bleeped out so that it would be considered appropriate. But, if music considered an art form, then why censor it? Musicians are artists and music is their way of expressing themselves. Censorship takes away everything that defines art and what makes artists ‘artists. In music, there are different types of styles or genres. There is classical, pop, rock, country, metal, and the list would go on. But theres a certain genre thats primarily targeted by censors†¦and that is rap. Rap is probably one of the most popular music genres today, but is also one of the most criticized one. The reason why it is criticized so much is because it has explicit content usually having references to sex, drugs, and violence. To some people they believe that it promotes sex, drug usage, and violence acts while others believe that its simply just self expression. So what if it does talk about all these bad things? What happened to freedom of expression? Freedom to create andfreedom of speechare vital to our society. Music is art and there is no question about that. Censors need to realize that art not only explores on happy and pleasant feelings, but also fear, anger, sadness, and truth in our everyday lives. It is essential to recognize that aside from lyrical qua lity, there are other things the makeup music. In Victor Lombardis Music and Censorship, he quotes Peter Michaelsons, author of The Aesthetics of Pornography in saying â€Å"The responsibility of society, if it accepts poetry as a mode of knowledge, is to remain open to what poets of all genres, including the pornographic, have to say. Otherwise all mirrors will soon reflect the same imbecilic smile.† Censorship isnt something new; in fact, its something thats been implemented dating back in the early 1940s. In Kathleen Anthonys article Censorship of Popular Music: An Analysis of Lyrical Content, she states â€Å"In the 1950s radio networks and stations commonly used this form of censorship, altering song lyrics or removing lyrics deemed offensive for broadcast†¦often the songs meaning was changed considerably and without consulting the songs original lyricist for the revition†(8). In 1985, albums began being labeled with ‘Parental Advisory for explicit content. In Steve Joness article Ban(ned)in the USA: Popular Music and Censorship, he states â€Å"the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) agreed to Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) Request for lables on sound recordings warning of explicit content†(6). However, The ‘Parental Advisory labels and tracks that were edited have only made rap artists even more inspired and creative, and th ats why listeners are even more drawned to it. Many listeners want to hear the original version of the music or track that is censored because it doesnt convey the truth. While some artists choose to write about love, nature, or happy thoughts, others choose to write about struggles in life. If the words in the lyrics are articulated in a manner that is offensive and makes the person uncomfortable, the solution is to simply not listen to it. One of the most controversial music artists today is Eminem. A lot of people absolutely love him and a lot of people hate him. Using his incredible skills in writing and rhyming, he is able to rap pretty much about anything and everything, from his hardships in his early life and his dislike for the mainstream media, he became one of the most well known iconic rapper today. To artists, their work is their pride, it is what defines them and their work is their reflection of themselves. To censor their work is to deny them their ability to express themselves. In Eminems song Till I Collapse, he talks about the importance of his music and how it affects him. â€Å"Music is like magic theres a certain feeling you get when youre real and you spit and people are feeling your shit. This is your moment and every single minute you spend trying to hold onto it cause you may never get it again. So while youre in it try to get as much shit as you can and when your run is over just admit when its at its end.† Eminem feels that it important to hold on that something that is dear you (which is the feeling he experiences when he raps) and not give it up because that is what you are and the feeling you get when you have that is something that you might experience again. â€Å"Cause sometimes you feel tired, feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.† In his song Stimulate he talks about how his songs are attacked by censors and people who dislike his music. â€Å"My lyrical content is constantly under fire No wonder why I constantly bomb back To combat attacks with constant concepts When lyrics are constantly took outta context Failure to communicate with congress has Been a problem for the longest, I guess† Eminem is telling the listeners that his lyrics constantly attacked because of the things he says in his music and how everything taken out of context. This only causes him to retaliate by creating more songs based on the reactions hes getting. What people need to realize is that some topics that the artists sing about are purely for entertainment and are not meant literally. â€Å"My music can be slightly amusing You shouldnt take lyrics so serious, it might be confusing Just trying to seperate the truth from entertainment Its stupid, aint it? I get sick of trying to explain it† According to one interview with Eminem, he was quoted as saying: â€Å"A lot of my rhymes are just to get chuckles out of people. Anybody with half a brain is going to be able to tell when Im joking and when Im serious.† However, according to Todd Brauers article Rap Uncensored, â€Å"This is actually quite uncommon. There are many rappers with lyrics like this and most dont bother to clarify what they say as being â€Å"just entertainment.† Rap does present the hard truth about many aspects of inner-city life and our nations hidden problems, but people, especially kids, need to learn that a large portion of the violence, drugs, sex, vulgar language, and images used in rap music are not something to admire.† Even though some many of the rap songs are offensive, it talks about inequality, poverty and politics which contain important messages that people can definitely relate to. This is why so many of the people who lash out against rap music are white people.In Robin Lakoffs book, The Language War, it was explained that the majority group has a tendency to overlook opposing views to keep their power. One can look at Eminem as part of a majority group; however, since he has such a strong relationship with the black culture it makes him an easy target to get bashed. In Bell Hooks interview with rapper Ice Cube she stated â€Å"The way that white people continue their power is, in part, through their control of our (the black races) images and representations.† If someone has control over who gets to say what, then those people have the power to define society. This pretty much says the war over rapcensorshipis not only a battle over whether or not the First Amendment is being crossed, but it is also an attempt by those in power of language to prevent change and suppress those threatening it. Efforts to ban songs by artists like Eminemand Ice Cube would balloon the â€Å"us versus them† mentality even more, leading to people who do not support the songs lyrics but do support free speech (Chideya). The basis of America is to let everyone be able to voice their own opinion so I dont see any good reason for that to be completely taken away. Warning labels, edited album versions, and age restrictions on buying labeled albums serve as a fair compromise without largely limiting peoples access to rap music. I dont think there is a way to completely stop people from obtaining this music without violating some of our constitutional rights. Again, education about the lyrics and topics that exist in rap music seems to be a better combatant.

Comparing and Contrasting Men and Women

MEN AND WOMEN In terms of aesthetics, men and women think very different about their prescriptive towards men and women. Both seem to think differently from one another because men and women are very different from each other. As far as history can go there has been a battle of the sexes going on. Men and women have always interchanged from the bottom of the pyramid to the top. But like always men seem to be on the top. Since men are always at the top level it seems to me that women have to exert themselves to various limits to get noticed but while still keeping a humble mind.This is why women look at themselves for so long in the mirror as well some men do. The studies of beauty in some cases, are much more important to both men and women, but sometimes are afraid to feel a little too cocky about them. A common phrase women use is, â€Å"Boys will be boys†. The reason why it’s used like this is because girls are really distinctive from boys, as well as boys to girls. There are a myriad of reasons why women are the way they are, and a countless reason why men are the way they are.Men, in fact, will always have it easy and pay less attention to women when women most need attention from men. Oppose to woman, who have concerns about what she will wear, or do her hair, but in the end have no complements from men. In the essay written by Dave Barry, he states, â€Å"Men don’t even notice 97 percent of the beauty efforts you make anyway† (Barry 370). I feel like some men don’t take the time to observe a woman’s efforts; instead they stare and have less of a clue of what to say, and move on.Women, most likely would want to be complemented to satisfy themselves with the effort they have done. Susan Sontag uses a perfect example in her essay and states, â€Å"To be called beautiful is thought to name something essential to women’s character and concerns† (Sontag 644). It would be more meaningful to women if they w ere called beautiful every day, to let go of the low self-esteem. Let’s talk about why men are the way they are. I believe that some men are the way they are because they are desperate for a women or sex.Men should feel embarrassed of themselves because it does affect women to see men’s actions be such a routine. Men usually get frustrated when they don’t see things the way they want to, and girls pretty much like it because they get the sense that men are filling their part in caring just a bit. Yet, women don’t get pleased easily. When Elrenreich compares their differences, she states, â€Å"As a general rule, women get irritated: men get mad† (Elrenreich 218).I think what she refers to is that some men sometimes decide to take the lead and play immature, while women have to sit there and support them. This is because women show their way of respect towards men, unlike men who rule themselves and care less about what a women feels. Women instead use their parents’ strategy and respect men by not getting mad, albeit some men do, and some men don’t. Men do not always stress to keep their physical appearance like women do, but instead they try to see themselves as â€Å"kings of the world†.For thus say, men think that they can get any women in the world, when women are struggling and are much more classy to say they can have a man in better phrasing then men do. In the essay, What I’ve Learned From Men, by Elenreich, she explains how women are so much respectful than men and states, â€Å"The attraction of the â€Å"tough guy† is that he has- or at least seems to have- what most of us lack and that is an aura of power and control† (Elenreich 217). Men and women are so opposites from each other when it comes to confidence.Men feel like they know it all, when women feel a lack of confidence. Women sometimes try to use different personalities depending on who these men are. I feel when wo men want attention; they’ll get it, if only they try to be someone else, and Berry makes a clear statement about being out of character, and says, â€Å"The problem, of corse, is that we are not the authors of ourselves† (Berry 9). This is why women sometimes try too hard in using their beauty and knowledge, because some men just play hard to get.Whether men and women argue about their differences and similarities, I feel like there will never be an end to the battle of the sexes. Each individual has different opinions of who’s right or wrong, but no one has the right to state that they are correct because nobody is perfect. Both men and women have their good side about their beauty, and that is what makes someone unique, special, and memorable. The best for men and women is to be themselves in respect to their aesthetics and the beauty that was blessedly given to both sexes.

Robert Merton Strain Theory Essay - 1017 Words

Identify the key aspects of Robert Merton’s ‘strain theory’. It was a powerful statement focussing on the social causes of crime but what were its limitations? This essay is going to demonstrate an understanding of Robert Merton’s strain theory, the advantages of the Strain theory and also the disadvantages of the theory. Robert Merton (1910) best known for developing theories of deviance. Robert Merton is considered to be one of the most influential social scientists. Merton’s work is highly influenced by the work of Emile Durkheim who was a French Sociologist whose work was mostly based on social order, and how society remains moderately stable. Durkheim considered himself as a functionalist. Functionalist took a rather unique†¦show more content†¦Durkheim imagined society as an organism, where each component plays an essential part in the solidity of society, but none of the components have the strength to function alone, and if one experiences a break down or a crisis, eventually the other parts will fail. According to Durkheim, society is built on people that have common values and a collective conscience. However, when there are periods of great social change or stress, our collective conscience eventually becomes weakened. People then begin to look after their own interests rath er than obeying the values of society, and eventually people may begin to lose a sense of self, and feel like they don’t have a sense of belonging in society. Durkheim calls this situation anomie. When our collective conscience has collapsed, anomie occurs which increases the rates of crime. Durkheim’s concepts of anomie was later developed and adapted by the works of Robert Merton. Who said that Durkheim’s theories on anomie were far too vague. Merton argued that anomie was a situation where the goals that are approved by society are not available to a significant proportion of the population. Merton argues that people involve themselves in deviant acts when they cannot achieve socially approved goals by genuine means. In result of this, deviance is a result of the strain an individual feel when they cannot achieve the socially approved goals legitimately. Merton related these ideas to the American dream. TheShow MoreRelatedWhy Merton s Anomie And Strain Theories Have Been Regarded As A Valuable Analytical Framework For Studyieng Deviant And851 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Merton’s anomie and strain theories have been regarded as a valuable analytical framework for studyieng deviant and criminal behaviors (Deï ¬â€šem, 2003). In 1938, Merton first presented his theory, which has become the springboard for plenty of subsequent theoretical discussions. His contributions on social structures and anomie has been frequent ly quoted and heralded as one of the most important theories in sociology. Although anomie and strain theory can be seen as an undisputed classic, theRead MoreRobert Merton Anomie THeory2189 Words   |  9 PagesMeyer R. Scholnick also known as Robert King Merton was born on the 4th of July 2010 in Philadelphia in a Jewish family from Russia that immigrated to the United States of America. He took advantage of the culture riches surrounding him by frequenting nearby cultural and educational venues when he was in High School. Mertons numerous childhood encounters composed a basis for his theory of social structure. The field of criminology and criminal justice has employed many of Merton’s prominent conceptsRead MoreRobert Merton s Strain Theory1299 Words   |  6 PagesI have selected Robert Merton’s Strain theory and Edwin Sutherlands Differential Association theory and their approach to the study of crime for my essay. 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The implications of social exclusionRead MoreThe Causes Of Deviant Behavior, Psychological Approach And Sociological Approach1676 Words   |  7 PagesDeviance is a kind of behaviour which is contrary to the dominant norms and values of society. In reality, there are many different theories to explain the causes of deviant behaviour, including bi ological approach, psychological approach and sociological approach. This essay will be using two criminological perspectives which are the biological and sociological explanations to analyse the causes of crime in depth, and evaluate the two perspectives and the related criminological evidence. SociologyRead MoreMertons Strain Theory1912 Words   |  8 PagesSection A Briefly outline and highlight the contribution of Merton’s strain theory to criminology. Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist that wrote in the 1930’s putting out his first major work in 1938 called Social Structure and Anomie. 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As a result, lower class gets frustrated because they are not able to achieve upperRead MoreMertons Strain Theory1923 Words   |  8 PagesSection A Briefly outline and highlight the contribution of Merton’s strain theory to criminology. Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist that wrote in the 1930’s putting out his first major work in 1938 called Social Structure and Anomie. After publication, this piece was we worked and tweaked to counter criticisms. The importance of the time frame of which Merton initially began his work is significant, as during this time crime and the approach to crime was examined predominantly basedRead MoreThe Movie Departed Essay1326 Words   |  6 Pagesproject on is the movie â€Å" The Departed.† The characters play an important role in the movie showing various criminal acts that they chose to play out. In my essay I will talk about the crime that is being taken place in the movie, Merton theory on Anomie, Strain, and the Social, Cultural, Economic source of organized crime. I believe these theories define the characters personality in the movie. The movie â€Å" The Departed† is a movie about Two Boston State police Officers that both share differentRead MoreBank Fraud2603 Words   |  11 PagesStrain Theory on White collar crime: Counterfeit University of Oklahoma April 14, 2014 White collar crime is a defined as a crime committed by an individual of high spcial ranking, that receives alot of repsect in the comunity, the term coined by socialogist Sutherland. Over the years this descriptio of white collar crime has been contested and now covers a range of crimes. One in particular is counterfeit. This can happen

A General Sense, By Bram Stoker s Dracula - 1907 Words

1. Romanticism, in a general sense, was an artistic movement that began at the end of the eighteenth century, and, particularly in music, dominated the nineteenth century. Artistically, many traits of Romanticism directly contrast Classicism. While the Classicism reflects balance, logic and reason, universality, allusion, and a strong sense of the physical world, Romanticism thrives on sentimentality, untamed nature, diversity, and the supernatural. The arts, in general, are the most obvious product of this time. Untamed nature had been an interest for quite some time, carrying over from the transcendental movement, notably from authors such as Henry David Thoreau. The interest in the supernatural was inseparable from Romanticism, appearing in every art form. Novels such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula demonstrated the curiosity in the occult. Notable musical that also concern this topic include Hector Berlioz’s opera Faust, the Witches’ Sabbath from Symphonie Fantastique (which also includes a demonic version of the â€Å"Dies irae† chant), Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz, and Modest Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain. Much of the Romantic Movement in music also involves the portrayal of human emotions, such as Hector Berlioz’s affections for Irish actress Harriet Smithson through his Symphonie Fantastique. The social constructs also began to evolve during this period. Carrying over from the late Classical period was a large middle class. Coupled with improvements in printingShow MoreRelated Intertextual Exchange in Carmilla, Dracula and the Historian1639 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Writers seldom duplicate their influential precursor(s); rather, they often work within a certain framework established by other writers or generic conventions, but vary aspects of it in significant ways† (Friedman 155). Sheridan Le Fanu’s, Carmilla, Bram Stoker’s, Dracula and Elizabeth Kostova’s, The Historian, clearly engage in this intertextual exchange, as evidenced by their use of narrative structure and striking character parallels. Published in 1872, Le Fanu relates the story of CarmillaRead MoreThe Ideas Of Sexuality And Gender1676 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will discuss the ideas of sexuality and gender in Bram Stokers Dracula with comparative analysis of Robert Louis-Stevenson s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and it s ideas of doubling. While drawing from questions raised in Christopher Crafts essay Kiss me with those red lips on the dual inverted nature of vampirism. It will answer these questions of do we have penetrators or orfices? What are the relations between blood and semen, blood and milk? While ultimately coming to a conclusion of whatRead MoreThe Opposition Of Dracula And Its Influences On Vampire Literature1467 Words   |  6 PagesThe opposition of Dracula and its influences on vampire literature Have you ever thought to yourself, what has influenced vampire literature today? Well, neither have I, but it wouldn’t hurt to touch on the subject. Dracula introduces the idea of lust and death within vampirism. Also, there are many connections that I make throughout this essay between Dracula and I am Legend, proving that Dracula was an influence on the book. The opposition of Dracula has had great influences on vampire literatureRead MoreEnglish Source Doc.7581 Words   |  31 PagesTitle: Dracula: Stoker s Response to the New Woman Author(s): Carol A. Senf Publication Details: Victorian Studies 26.1 (Autumn 1982): p33-49. Source: Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Jessica Bomarito and Russel Whitaker. Vol. 156. Detroit: Gale, 2006. From Literature Resource Center. Document Type: Critical essay Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale, COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning Full Text:   [(essay date autumn 1982) In the following essay, Senf contends that, contraryRead MoreAnalysis Of From Simple Beast And The Bride Of The Isles 1380 Words   |  6 PagesKevin Zhang Ms. Frisbie English 4 7 November 2014 From Simple Beast to Complex Human Initially thought of as another tasteless fiction similar to its predecessor The Snake’s Pass, Irish writer Bram Stoker silenced his critics and received worldwide praise on June 1897 with his popular literary work Dracula. Although many literary works about the vampire originated far before Stoker’s time, such as Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819), James Planchà ©s The Vampire; or, the Bride of the Isles (1820), AlexandreRead MoreComparing Vampire And The Vampire Diaries1660 Words   |  7 Pagescultural phenomenon would not have happened without Dracula. Without Bram Stoker’s novel, there would be no stereotypical vampires that capture the culture’s conscious. Aside from telling a story on vampires, Dracula also explores ideals about the women of the time in which it was written, which is the Victorian Era. Throughout the Victorian period, one of the predominant concerns was the role of women and the place they fill in their society. Dracula is one of many Victorian novels that explore theRead MoreThe Age Of The Vampire1793 Words   |  8 Pagesin the public eye for decades. The characteristics may change as will the looks but they have the same amount of popularity. It all started in 1897, the writings of Bram Stoker gave the world the story of Dracula. This story is considered the source material for all vampires to follow. Many of the characteristics laid out in Dracula can still be easily found in current vampire movies. Though there was never a â€Å"golden age† for vampire movies, as it is a subgenre for film, it did greatly participateRead MoreThe As A Weapon For Fight The Evil Blood Sucking Monster1882 Words   |  8 PagesAs Bram Stoker uses the Eucharist as a weapon to fight the evil blood sucking monster; he arises questions about conflicting religion views, engross es the anxieties of the Victorian population regarding superstition and brings about the blasphemous theme of Dracula as epitome of the one true God and his omnipotence in Western religions. During the frenzy provoked by the opposing views of the Church of England and those of the Roman Catholic; a 19th-century movement rose which thrived for a renewalRead MoreAnalysis Of Bram Stokers Dracula2059 Words   |  9 PagesVoluptuous Vampire or Proper Prude Written and set in the late 19th century, Bram Stoker’s epistolary novel Dracula is a pivotal book in gothic/horror literature. Like most novels written by men, Dracula appeals more to the male audience and their fantasies and fears about women than to the Victorian Age woman. In the novel, Lucy and Mina are the only two female characters the reader meets in detail, and they are also the only two characters that are seen becoming vampires – indeed, they are theRead MoreFemale Sexuality During The Victorian Era Essay2230 Words   |  9 PagesVictorian society, in general, saw lust and sex as taboo subjects in public. This view was held even stricter against women of the time and society viewed women as not having sexual desires in total; their only desires should be those of their husband’s. (Podonsky) Many novels touched upon this topic of female sexuality in the era, including the infamous Dracula first published in 1897. Dracula is an epistolary novel written by Bram Stoker accounting the move of Count Dracula, the main antagonist