POP CULTURE

"Pop Culture is the new Babylon; into which so much art and intellect now flow . It is our imperial sex theater, supreme temple of the Western eye."

Pop Culture our Gold rush" our new age , our Book/Bible" The Word. The visuals of what has to be, are we seeing God has our Master come; thru the Deejays. The murals of R.I.P to the Saints are the Temples that we praise, do we now prepare to be struck down like the days of Babylon or has Pop Culture solidified the murders of many thru- the lyrics of our Gods? has heaven become the blue Sky's that we trill to fly first class? "The Queens" of our culture must be nude, lipo and Max Factored up-imperial; pop culture has determined our sex from what was intercourse to a course Tri-Hi-Bi sexual ,maybe Pop culture is the New Babylon, Religion - Myths - Magic and Gods all speak one language united we stand divided we fall !

"The distance between who I'm and who I want to be is roughly the same distance between what I think of myself and what I actually am".

Probably the hardest thing for a human being is to judge who I am. We all move in the world of fantasy, the world of imagination. When I was a kid, I was thinking myself as a superhero, when I'm an adult, I think myself as a superstar; at my old age, I might think myself as a super dad. But in the real world it might be something else. there is a long distance between this fantasy and real world. In the real world in my childhood I was just a kid, in my adulthood I'm a student and a taxi driver. When we dream and daydream, it makes us happy and it might be the real happiness. (Biswajit Sarker)

How do you define cool?

Akin to the Wolfe quote I wrote about last class, what defines “cool” is defined by the individual or cohort of individuals who belong to a certain group. For example, what might be considered “cool” for a group of scientists (who are, to reference the Boswell quote, usually constantly thinking of the future and, as a result, are likely ahead of their epoch) may not be considered “cool” for a group of French literature majors, who may focus more on literature of the past or anthropology of the present. To essentialize, what defines “cool” is defined by what the cohort an individual is part of believes is cool, because, though we are all complex in our own ways, what comes off as cool with a certain group of people will always remain relatively non-individual because it is appealing to a greater number of people. This is the great maxim of society and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

- Josie Raccuia

Culture

"Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs." - Tom Wolfe

This quote reminds me of the term "cultural capital." Meaning, one cultural experience can be worth more in the cultural capital than another. Take the New York Philharmonic versus Justin Bieber. One is worth more than the other.

Though, is this really true? Who is to say what has "more" worth in cultural value? Typically we think that seeing Othello at the opera is cultured, but what about for those who grew up around cultural experiences akin to the finer things in life? Visiting the Florida panhandle could be just as "cultural." So, yes, culture is elevated to a set of beliefs, but this set is valued and determined upon what the individual considers "culture."

- Josie Raccuia

The Bible Tell Us to Love Our Neighbors and Love our Enemies Because Generally They Are The Same People

He said he loved me, he said we were a team
"Do or die, it's you and me baby against the world"
He said he couldn't breath without me

These are the beautiful words he would speak after he would
Blacken my eye, bust my lip
Promising to never do it again

How do you love a person who is your best friend and your enemy
rolled into one, very carefully
Never sharing too much, but just enough
Knowing one day you might have to confront your enemy
Killing your best friend


K. Germany

I refuse to have such little faith in humanity

“The floor of the white man’s failures is the ceiling of the black man’s expectations.”

I’m not entirely sure how to approach this quote, though this certainly denotes that black men either have a very self-deprecating sense of humor or have very little confidence in themselves. It is unfortunate to think that the color of one’s skin could inhibit one from becoming the greatest he/she can become. Everyone has the same amount or odds of potential when we are all put on an equal playing field. I find this quote to be a very unfair and, frankly, unorthodox because I find such self-deprecation frightening. To think that blacks could or would think of themselves like this – even in a humorous context – shows the opposite of how far society has come. Contrary, I’d like to have more faith in humanity in saying that we HAVE come far. Of course, there are still problematic issues in our society that are in dire need of recognition, but I refuse to believe that this is one of them.

I refuse to have such little faith in humanity.

- Josie Raccuia

Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

Political strength amounts from war, deception, and credits, corruption to say the least. The barrel of a gun yields prowess and agility. So what else would politicians want than to look unbeatable? The best thing about politics, nowadays, isn't the rhetoric, laws, or morals of a nation, but rather the appearance of a successful congress, invincible men in combat gear and a leader. Political power doesn't have to do with the actual matter and content of a nation's problems. Political power has evolved into a diagram of spectacles, appearances, and much more. The world has seen its empires, and great civilizations, but when will the people once again hear the voice of a virtuous hero? The barrel of a gun signifies nothing but violence, war, and strife. Political power should grow from the mind of a leader.