unanswered questions to spark interest

is it only me or do other people listen to certain songs because it also gives them a feeling or an emotion?  different music elicit different types of emotions.  perhaps it's a generational thing, but i bet some older people listen to oldies to feel the nostalgia of their younger years.  should do a multi-generational survey about music and emotions.

if language is performance and we are all performing our identities and roles all the time...then why do we enjoy watching other people play different people in movies and such.  we are actors too and our friends as well.  why do we love movies so much?  does watching a movie elicit different emotions then reading the novel?

we talked about code-switching for bilinguals but how about code-switching for multi-linguals (polyglots)?  if you get people that can speak 3 or more languages together, then which language will they decide to use?  of course language proficiency plays an important role in deciding which language they will use, but it would be worth seeing which languages people use for which situations.

what if we analyzed the errors that bilinguals make when they speak two very similar languages such as korean and japanese, vietnamese and cantonese, spanish and portuguese, english and german, or french and italian? are they more likely to mix languages or more commonly make lexical errors than people who speak more different languages such as swahili and arabic or english and chinese?

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baron writes, "what are the consequences of being always on?"  to answer that question, she writes about multitasking, the excessive use of technology, the cutting down on face time, "controlling the volume," the death of anticipation, and human choice.  

some of us revel in our ability to multitask, saying that we are more efficient by being able to do multiple things at the same time therefore completing more tasks more quickly.  however, by seeing those studies that microsoft conducted on how when employees become interrupted by a phone call or by an im or by surfing the web, it would take them on average 27 minutes to return back to work and sometimes even two hours.  obviously everybody handles multitasking differently as i'm not really phased when it comes to being interrupted, but then again everybody handles it differently.

the next effect is how the excessive use of technology may cause attention deficit disorder.  we see how people multitask and it is literally impossible to focus completely on more than one task so it may be said that we are slowly losing our concentration when it comes to more boring exercises such as writing or reading.  thus with the amount of advertisements we see everyday and how much shorter they had become, the attention span of students has decreased and many have trouble concentrating on important stuff like school.  so the argument here is that because of too much tv or cell phone use or internet use (and i would also add multitasking), students are losing their attention spans and their ability to concentrate in school.   i don't know how much data has been collected on this hypothesis, but i do notice a depreciation in the length of a student's attention span, but then add is the one diagnose all if your kid is not doing well in school.  therapists and doctors would assign kids medicine for add, fueled by the parents desire for a quick cure-all dosage rather than looking at environmental factors.  is it the technology or the kid or the parents?  idk

next baron writes about how using the internet cuts down on the actual face time we have with real people in our days.  we don't need to actually see people to convey messages and because of this baron argues that we lose important face time and the human value of meeting and talking to another person.  baron's example was how we could just send a facebook message to wish someone a happy birthday, but reluctantly call in order to avoid any awkwardness.  tieing this topic in with "controlling the volume," baron points out very important issues of how people are now selecting who to talk to and when they wanna talk.  until i came to notre dame, i never hear the word "awkward" in daily conversation.  but students here use it signify an instance of uneasiness that has arisen due to someone saying something strange or the natural quieting of conversations, commonly referred to as "awkward silence."  now it bothers me to talk to people who have to point out each instance as it occurs and to me these situations aren't awkward at all but rather normal.  silence is required to think and saying something radical is a common form of humor.  i don't know what the big deal is.  i think people nowadays have a fear of face time due to not having enough things to say or they are afraid of "making things awkward" for themselves.  so because of this fear they have chosen to use emc over real time talking.  i can't say that it is because of technology that we are lacking in social skills to talk to other people in face time, but i can say that technology does offer saving grace for those who choose not to talk to others in face time.  

another consequence of being "always on" is how the anticipation of a reunion or seeing an old friend is now gone.  since we can talk to almost every person we know anytime, and also if we travel for a while we can always call home, then where's the anticipation for that person when they return?  i mean, we already know everything that happened to that person because they either called us and told us about it or just wrote it on their blog.  so what do we ask when they get back?  we still ask the same questions over again because - i want to argue that - the anticipation is still there.  i believe that we have a ranking for the intimacy of technology in reference to face time.  emails are less intimate than phone calls and phone calls are less intimate than face time.  so we still place a high value on meeting a person and talking about their day or how their trip was.  the anticipation is still there because couples can't wait for their significant other to meet them at a certain location or what not.  

lastly, baron expounds on the importance of the human choice and how people use technologies.  technology is a tool, an instrument that humans decide to use.  it affects everyone differently and people handle technology in different ways.  some people pick it up quickly and for some people it takes a while.  its a benefit for its convenience and then its a disadvantage for its inconvenience.  it's all up to the individual when and where and why they choose to use it, at least that's what the inebriated anthropologist says.

The Assimilation of Hip Hop Culture into an Identity

DTWW Project Topic Proposal

Thanh Le

DTWW 45842

The Assimilation of Hip Hop Culture into an Identity

       Beginning in the United States, Hip Hop Culture is a global phenomenon that has reached various levels of prestige in different countries around the world.  It is now not uncommon for rap artists or Hip Hop artists from different ethnic and historic backgrounds to be performing on the same stage.  In this project I am interested in examining the global influence that Hip Hop culture has on an already existing culture.  Even though it is evident that each culture assimilates a new trend differently, I would like to focus on how artists from each country utilizes Hip Hop culture as a form of expressing one's identity.

    Since I am analyzing Hip Hop culture historically, socially, culturally, and linguistically, I will do various amounts of research through academic journals and books on the topic.  To supplement my research, I would like to conduct an interview of a diverse set of typical college students, ages 17-23, at the University of Notre Dame.  I am interested in the role that Hip Hop culture plays in defining one's identity and I want to ask each interviewee to create a rap or rhyme and see what topics the individual chooses.  My hypothesis is that students, from no matter what background, relate the same way to Hip Hop culture where it plays an important role in their identity.  Students will use rap and rhyme to depict their values or morals, aspects of their character, or political stances.

    My research will offer insight into all of the class topics.  Hip Hop culture consists of rap and rhyme which forms a method of verbal art or play.  Hip Hop artists rap about societal issues and political issues, trying to make their voice heard and trying to persuade people to their own viewpoint.  Hip Hop Culture is a global phenomenon that is widely available through technology and the internet.  Lastly, many people worldwide identify with Hip Hop artists and the morals and values that they rap and rhyme about.  Fundamentally speaking, Hip Hop artists perform in front of varying audiences who expect a socially responsible and powerful message to be conveyed, and the music functions as a channel for the artists to send their messages.    

Condry, Ian.  2006.  Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization.  Durham and London: Duke University Press.

Pennycook, Alastair.  2003.  "Global Englishes, Rip Slyme, and performativity."  Journal of Sociolinguistics 7(4): pp. 513-533

Prevos, Andre J. M.  1996.  "The Evolution of French Rap and Hip Hop Culture in the 1980s and 1990s."  The French Review 69(5): pp. 713-723.

Sherzer, Joel.  2002  Speech Play and Verbal Art.  Austin: University of Texas Press.

re: lonely generation

before i write about my response to the claim that our generation is becoming more lonely with a looser definition of what a "friend" is and where our "close friends," the people we share our important information and secrets with are dwindling in numbers, i will expound upon my credentials.  i have been using instant messaging on aim since 6th grade (10 yrs ago), and i am still using the same screen name.  i had the experience of using icq and the multi-chat functions that allowed me to communicate with users from countries all-over europe synchronously.  i have played on muds in 7th grade, i've connected to servers using tcp/ip since i was 12, i've sent emails while watching sailor moon, and i'm a member of facebook, myspace, youtube, and imeem.  although i've only had a cell phone since 2005, i did play mmo-rpgs since i was 13, 8 yrs before world of warcraft.

now that i have explained my proficiency in online technologies, i want to explain that although having a looser definition of what a friend is, i feel that it does not take away from "real-life" experiences.  just because we have so many friends online, doesn't mean that all friends in "real-life" have to be some sort of uber-friend where you can always confide in them and trust them to always be with you.  we treat friends in real-life loosely and we treat friends online even looser, at least that's what it always had been since i've started using the internet.  friends are just as important as they always were, at least thats what the inebriated anthropologist says.

oh, and i also had the experience of having my first girlfriend break up with me over email and subsequent im conversations!

Political party news in Korea

the article mentioned is at http://kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm, click on past news, click on oct. 7, 2008 click on "implementation of october 4 declaration urged."

utilizing fairclough's principles from his article, i will attempt to analyze this article writtin by the kcna, a state-run korean central news agency in the democratic people's republic of korea (north korea).  before analyzing the article, my viewpoint of the article comes from what i know about the country of north korea.  a communist nation where the media must always portray the country and the party in a "brighter" light, north korea will always mention the good sides of communism but never about the famine and poverty that is currently happening.  my presupposition is that the genre (hymes' "speaking") will be communist political party speech.  the article is about a call for the implementation of the october 4th declaration from last year - basically confirming a former declaration in june 15th declaring cooperation between the two nations, possible reunification, and peace.

on the basis of fairclough's representation, the writer of the article clearly depicts two opposing sides between the dprk government and the lee myung bak group.  first, the writer summarizes the oct. 4th delcaration, then goes on to claim that general secretary kim jong il, with his "strong will for reunification and his wise leadership," will successfully fulfill the delcaration to "develop inter-korean relations and open up a new era of independent reunification, peace and prosperity."  on the other hand, the lee myung bak group, leaning towards the us government, came to power and "cried out for confrontation with fellow countrymen."  the writer states that the lee myung bak group are a clear obstacle to the unity of the nation and my interpretation of the writer's words is that they are against everything positive for koreans - such as developing relations and reconciliation between the two nations.  lastly, the writer "calls upon all koreans to turn out in a nation-wide struggle to decisively smash the anti-reunification moves of the lee group.

the writer makes many points that one cannot really disagree against, except for kim jong il being wise.

continuing with the "faircloughian" analysis, as opposed to many news agencies leaning towards the marketization and democratization of media, the kcna writes mainly about political occurances, and also politicizes non political articles concerning business.  everything is about the party and how "good" the party is.

the first ultimate presupposition the writer makes is that the reader is familiar with communist ideology and marxist doctrine.  everything in the article is about unity and cooperation to "usher in a new era of independent reunification, peace and prosperity.  "all korean people should unite" to combat the  forces that attempt to violate the dignity and sovereignty of a nation, which of course is made by the people and ultimately serves its people.

there is nothing in the article about what the lee myung bak group concretely did.  nothing about what kinds of obstacles the group set up nor about how or who they are collaborating with as in "subservient to foreign forces."  without knowing exactly what the lee myung bak group has done, there is no way to come to the conclusion that the group is undermining the nations sovereignty or threatening peace and security.  ultimately, the writer is driving the reader to think a certain way.  

returning to fairclough's interpretation, this article is composed of two, maybe three actors - the state, the korean people, and the lee myung bak group.  the state is what made strides to write the october 4th declaration that ultimately supports the people and sets forth the importance of achieving reunification, peace, and prosperity.  the korean people, in accordance with the declaration, must stand-up against all who attempt to threaten the values and goals of the declaration.  and the lee myung bak group are the people who have threatened the ideals set forth in the declaration.

this article was essentially a reaction to the fact that it was the one-year anniversary of the oct. 4th declaration.  by naming certain groups who are against the declaration, the writer could rouse support for the declaration be calling out to the korean people.  after all, who would be opposed to reunification, peace and prosperity, probably no one, at least that's what the inebriated anthropologist says.

Global English - Hip Hop

to quickly skip back to verbal art, after reading an article about the state of the studies of global englishes, and the importance and meaning of performativity, i see that hip-hop culture is very much multi-faceted. although hip-hop originated from african american urban culture, the hip-hop seen and used worldwide does not exactly reflect that of african american culture. for instance, pennycook analyzes the lyrics by a hip-hop/rapper group named rip slyme, and although pennycook finds that the rhythm and rhyme of the verse is typical of hip-hop, the group utilizes english as a form of self-identity. specific words such as double and freaky side are english words, but at the same time, these words represent different aspects of japanese culture - double signifying an individual of two cultures and freaky side, conveying the notion of individuality. english is not simply a homogenizing force that attempts to cover the world with a single identity, but rather, speakers of english vary in how they interpret it, how they use it, and why they use it. pennycook quotes mitchell stating that english is "a tool for reworking local identity all over the world." english is a vehicle for hip-hop artists to express their sense of identity, similar to how the many different forms of breakdancing resemble the different areas where it originates. pennycook also quotes cameron claiming that it is false to assume that people speak because of who they are, but rather that how people speak defines who they are. the globalization of english is a complex occurrence that affects all aspects of society, but we must not forget that every culture assimilates it differently; thereby, creating a phenomena resembling but different from the original, at least that's what the inebriated anthropologist says.

The Sklar Brothers

this time for my blog im going to write about my choice in humor centered around the comedy central special on the sklar brothers. they immediately open their act with a joke on how they are doing an audition for the hbo young, jewish, identical twin comedian special. the reason this line is so funny is because they play on their identity as young, jewish, identical twins where they are entering into a ridiculous competition. also, this joke would not work to well if the audience lacked the visual cues and the ability to see the twins on stage.

the unique ability of this comic pair is that most comedians come on as solo acts. the sklar brothers are able to play multiple characters on stage, and they can tell their stories with greater clarity because it is easier to have a conversation with another character than as a solo artist. similar to abbott and costello, the sklar brothers tell great stories by playing two different characters and by speaking with strong intonations and inflections. their piece on the "girls gone wild" parody allows one of them to play the announcer of the commercial and the other brother to play the role of a girl gone wild. another example of the benefit of having two comedians is the piece where the brothers play the roles of a homeowner and a telemarketer.

not only do they play different characters, but they both can play the same character and complete each others' sentences - creating a fast-paced act. on their skit about a father scolding the two brothers, they both say phrases that their father use to tell them, where both of them act like the father. the combination of the two comedians rapidly yelling lines creates confusion and chaos, but also allows the audience to feel how the brothers felt and allows the audience to hear the many voices of the father.

lastly, their ability to complete each others' lines is unique to the paired acts where solo artists have much trouble doing so. the completing of lines creates unity between the two comedians, but also creates unity with the audience as well. the situation feels like a conversation between multiple friends, and that is what makes the audience more comfortable. not only do the sklar brothers complete each others' lines, they also say the same lines. the muttering of the same phrases places higher emphasis on those lines and also acts as an exclamation.

comic pairs are difficult to find because there has to be so much continuity and cooperation between the comedians. finding other people that share the same beliefs and humor is difficult enough, yet you also have to get along with them and not feel like throwing them out, at least that is what the inebriated anthropologist says.