"Pretty Hurts"

Many people consider Beyonce a big influence and role model to every generation. People admire her because she is a successful singer. In her song “Pretty Hurts”, Beyonce is representing a woman who is struggling to keep up with society's beauty standards. The video and song are defying the stereotype that women should only be valued for their looks and not their personality. The video shows different beauty pageant contestants constantly trying to be “attractive” and it also shows how much pressure the women feel.

Beyonce criticize the different beauty standards by showing how pop culture influence women to look a certain way. In her song she sings “Blonder hair, flat chest TV says bigger is better South beach, sugar free Vogue says thinner is better”. In society the ideal woman is suppose to be skinny, have light hair and skin, and healthy. The media also has a strong influence on children. When the media is telling girls to look a certain way and the girls don’t, the girls would start to develop insecurities. Another way Beyonce shows how harmful the standard are is by singing. "Mama said, "You're a pretty girl What's in your head, it doesn't matter Brush your hair, fix your teeth What you wear is all that matters". Beyonce video mother only wants her child to be beautiful rather than being intelligent . Mothers have a strong influence on their daughter as they grow up. This lyric shows that the idea that a girl should only be pretty and not care about her education comes from the girl's family and from people they look up to. The chorus of the song is another good example. She sings, “Pretty hurts We shine the light on whatever's worst Perfection is a disease of a nation, Ain’t got no doctor or pill that can take the pain away The pain's inside and nobody frees you from your body It's the soul, it's the soul that needs surgery”. People who will get implants and surgeries to fix themselves up wouldn’t be satisfied with their looks because the beauty standard are always changing. No matter how much we try to fix our appearance, there is no miracle surgery or temporary fix can make us truly feel better if it doesn’t come from within.

Part Of Me

American culture is dominated by gender stereotypes and ‘ideal’ gender roles.  These gender roles, pressured onto Americans through the media prevent people from living their life they want to.  One of the most common and widespread gender stereotypes is that of the domesticity of women.  This gender role can be portrayed in many different ways, but the main idea is the same; Women are expected to be dependent on their boyfriend or husband.In the past few decades, women have been trying to disprove this ideology and show that women can be just as strong and independent as men.  In her song and music video “Part Of Me”, Katy Perry uses a female gaze and defies female stereotypes to show that women can be just as strong and independent as their male counterparts.

Katy Perry’s “Part Of Me” is all about becoming independent from a man.  In the chorus of “Part Of Me”, Katy sings “This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me”.  This is in reference to her independence.  She is saying that no matter what her ex boyfriend does, he can’t take away her agency.  Agency is an important part of feminism because it allows women to be independent and to take control of their own lives.  The song lyrics and the music video project the same message.  In the music video for “Part Of Me” Katy joins the Marines after breaking up with her boyfriend.  This defies female gender roles because the military is a predominantly male thing.  The sticker she sees in the gas station reads “All women are created equal, then some join the Marines”.  Putting a female in a male dominated position is a bold way of promoting equality.  It shows that if a man can do it, than a woman can do it as well.  In the music video Katy also burns a letter that her ex boyfriend sent her, again promoting agency.

In conclusion, Katy Perry uses visual and auditory statements in “Part Of Me” to show agency and power on her own and away from her boyfriend.  This is just one of many modern day examples of female artists trying to break gender role stereotypes that have been deeply rooted in American culture.

The music video for "Part Of Me" is blocked on the OPRF servers and chromebooks, however the lyrics are posted below.

Katy Perry - Part Of Me

Days like this I want to drive away

Pack my bags and watch your shadow fade

[Standard version:] 'Cause you chewed me up and spit me out

["Complete Confection" version:] You chewed me up and spit me out

Like I was poison in your mouth

You took my light, you drained me down

But that was then and this is now

Now look at me

[Chorus:]

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

Throw your sticks and your stones,

Throw your bombs and your blows

But you’re not gonna break my soul

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

I just wanna throw my phone away

Find out who is really there for me

[Standard version:] 'Cause you ripped me off, your love was cheap

["Complete Confection" version:] You ripped me off, your love was cheap

Was always tearing at the seams

[Standard version:] I fell deep, and you let me down

["Complete Confection" version:] I fell deep, you let me down

But that was then and this is now

Now look at me

[Chorus]

Now look at me I’m sparkling

A firework, a dancing flame

You won't ever put me out again

I’m glowin’, oh, whoa

[Standard version:] You can keep the dog from me

["Complete Confection" version:] So you can keep the diamond ring

[Standard version:] I never liked it anyway

["Complete Confection" version:] It don't mean nothing anyway

In fact you can keep everything, yeah, yeah,

Except for me

[Chorus]

[Standard ending:]

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

Throw your sticks and your stones,

Throw your bombs and your blows

But you’re not gonna break my soul

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

["Complete Confection" ending:]

This is the part of me, no

Away from me, no

This is the part of me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me..., no

Throw your sticks and your stones,

Throw your bombs and your blows

But you’re not gonna break my soul

This is the part of me

That you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no

The Lego Batman Movie and Masculinity

The Lego Batman Movie presents a much more progressive version of gender roles, where men don’t have to be strong and stone cold and women don’t have to be passive and can hold high ranking positions.

Batman is shown to be old fashioned and behind the times. We see this when Barbara Gordon, the new police commissioner, points out that Batman is ineffective with any permanent solution to the amount of crime in Gotham City. He insists on solving everything on his own. Batman is living out the expectations most men have for themselves. He bottles up his emotions and pushes everyone away to deal with every problem on his own. All of this proves to be ineffective and out-of date.

Barbara Gordon/ Batgirl is a well rounded character not based around stereotypes. Barbara is the police commissioner, the voice of reason in the movie, a capable negotiator, and eventually becomes Batgirl. When we are first introduced to Barbara Gordon, it seems like she will be a generic, uninteresting love interest for Batman that by the end of the movie Batman will serve as a reward for whatever character development he accomplishes. But, we immediately see that is not the case when she doesn’t take Batman seriously as he tries to outdo her. At one point, Batman tries to pull one over on her instead of working with her, since he thinks he knows better. She arrests him.

The film’s message is about dealing with emotion in a mature way and treating others with respect in a way that would seem unmanly 10 years ago. Batman is a jerk during the entire movie, constantly taking advantage of the people in his life and not allowing himself to express how he really feels. All the other superheros don’t like Batman, and don’t want to be around him. Batman clearly doesn’t like any of them either, especially Superman, because they are able to healthily deal with their tragedies and form positive relationships with one another. As most people know, Batman is the way he is because his parents died. This film explores how the cultural expectations and Batman’s own expectations for how a man should act have made that tragedy in his life turn him into a terrible person. Batman only redeems himself after learning to healthily express his sadness and let other people into his life.

I have seen that recently more and more works of culture, like the Marvel movies, Mad Max Fury Road, the Harry Potter series, and even this film’s predecessor, The Lego Movie, have promoted more positive gender roles where men are allowed to have emotions other than anger, and that women are more than rewards’ for the title character.  Ironically, some of the only movies I haven’t seen any signs of this trend are DC’s mainstream live action movies. These have shown almost all  male characters as angry muscle men. All their female characters are set dressing, defined by their relation to whatever action hero they fall in love with.

I have found, in recent years, as I have started to lose people, that there isn’t an easy way to deal with loss.  I have found myself often questioning my own priorities when this happens. Every once and awhile, I have found a dying animal and tried to help it but it would always die, sometimes within hours of me finding it. I find myself getting emotional afterwards, and I always feel weak or think something is wrong with me.  It would just be an animal that I only knew for a short time. While what I feel is nowhere close to what someone losing their parents feels, I am familiar with that feeling of not wanting to get emotionally invested in other people.

Family Guy Feminist Critique

Many shows have gender roles and gender stereotypes but not as much as The cartoon show “Family Guy”. This show has shown many stereotypes of race, religion, and male and female stereotypes. Some of the most often shown stereotypes are of the female.replace with better word

In one episode of Family Guy the main character “Peter Griffin” is always doing something that gets him in danger and his wife “Lois” has to come along and fix it. This show that women always have to clean up for men. After she is done fixing his problem, she has the chores one for the kids, beds made, and dinner ready as the episodes come to an end. This shows that women stay in the house and can’t do anything but care for the children, clean, and cook dinner, all while the husband is out doing whatever he's doing.

In another episode of the show, Lois becomes a adult movie star, with her body on billboards, internet pages, and TV commercials. This makes her look like a sex object and shows that men can have sex with her whenever they are pleased. This relates to the real world by showing that women can be shown as sex tool where men can have sex with them whenever they want to. This also happens to Lois” daughter Meg when she is low on money and her boyfriend won’t give her money because she thinks she will spend it on clothes and makeup, so she has to become a stripper and please men when Meg doesn’t want to do it. Even if she doesn’t want to do it, she has too because she knows if she doesn’t she will get fired and will have no money. This shows that women can’t make money on their own unless they get a job that shows off their body and makes them look like a sex object.

The show also shows some brute stereotypes in men. In one episode, the families house gets intruded by several armed masked men. Peter has no choice but to become the hero of the family and take down the intruders. This being a cartoon show, it has him end up winning at the end and Lois and all the kids hug into his muscular arms as if he saved their lives. This shows that if there is anger that a women and kids are in danger the man has to come and save them as if they had no power or were too weak to save themselves.

In the show there are no rich women, there are only rich men and boys. There are some rich women but that is because they are married to the rich man.; This shows that the man is the only one that makes money even though they are rich and all the women has to do is keep the man happy. This relates to the real world because a lot of millionaires and billionaires are rich men and have wives that only stay home and keep the man happy.

There are many other shows that show these few stereotypes such as “South Park”, “King Of The Hill”, “The Simpsons” and “Full House”. This shows that the gender roles and stereotypes have not changed on television since the late 1990’s. This is what make feminist mad, especially when the see these TV shows and movies that have the gender roles and stereotypes.

Ronald Reagan is the New Satan

Presidents have always been respected throughout history, although everyone knows in their head that not all of the 43 were very good people to be president. A rapper named Killer Mike not so recently released a song about Ronald Reagan and Reaganomics. The title of this song is “Reagan” and it is a single from the R.A.P album. I don’t think this song is very famous, but it was released in May 2012. It definitely deserves a listen from anyone living in the US.

The song argues that the war on drugs which was allowed by Reagan, should be stopped because it’s allowing people in power to enslave people by using drugs as an excuse. He’s also arguing that the drug war was provoked by the US government. Below are lines that really capture the strong message Killer Mike is trying to spread to us.

Reagan Music Video (youtube has it blocked on the chromebooks)

Line #1:

“Cause free labor is the cornerstone of US economics

Cause slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison

You think I am bullshitting, then read the 13th Amendment

Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits

That's why they giving drug offenders time in double digits”

Here Mike not only argues that the prison system is basically a slavery business, it provides evidence just in case the listener doubts mike. Most songs just make arguments and don’t provide specified evidence about an argument. It’s also interesting because the way that mike approaches this situation makes it sound like he doesn’t expect people to believe him.

Line #2:

“But mostly black boys, but they would call us "niggers"

And lay us on our belly, while they fingers on they triggers

They boots was on our head, they dogs was on our crotches

And they would beat us up if we had diamonds on our watches

And they would take our drugs and money, as they pick our pockets

I guess that that's the privilege of policing for some profit”

Here he gives the listener a picture to look at in their head as they listen to the song. It uses pathos by putting the listener into the situation without having to say “what would you do if this was you?”.

Line #3:

“Ronald Wilson Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan

Ronald (6) Wilson (6) Reagan (6)

Ronald (6) Wilson (6) Reagan (666)”

This ending line is especially powerful because Mike compares Reagan to the devil himself. No where else in the song does he talk about religion being the solution to the problem, but rather he insists that no matter what the listener believes, the real devil we should be afraid of is Reagan and other higher authorities who control our people.

Changed man

In the song Silent Homecoming it talks about how a man has changed from a innocent boy to a man that all he sees is war. It also talks about how when he was young he used to play and fake about war, but then so suddenly he actually became one of those army men that he was playing with. It also talks about the physical appearance of the guy and what they think he will look like. They said hopefully his eyes don't look like death like the others. This song is a powerful song because not only does it talk about the war and how it changes people, but it also talks about how fast everything could change. Like he went from a little boy playing with army men to an actual army man.







://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAHxaapvFxc

http://www.metrolyrics.com/silent-homecoming-lyrics-ringo-starr.html

Why Phil Ochs Isn't Marching Anymore.

“I Ain’t Marchin’ Anymore” is a song and album by Phil Ochs. The song is about how Phil thinks that the old man are getting us into wars and how the young people have to fight and die in said wars and how he isn't willing to march into war anymore. He talks about the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and the Cuban `Missile Crisis.

“Look at all we’ve won with the saber and the gun.”
This line shows that weapons are the key to power and how people will do anything to get power.

“The young blood started flowing.”
This line is about how the young people were being sent to war to die because the old people wanted power.

“I ain’t marching anymore.”

This line is important because it shows how popular it was to protest the war at the time and how many people were doing it.

Dear Mr. President, come take a walk with me

“Dear Mr. President” from the album “I’m Not Dead” by Pink and the Indigo Girls in 2005, was a song about Bush’s administration and terms in office, including the Iraq War. This song was effectively an open letter from Pink to George W. Bush, who was President when this song was released.. It criticizes several areas of Bush’s administration, including the war in the middle-east and the failed “No Child Left Behind” Act.

"How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?"

How can he sleep peacefully while the mothers have no chance to say goodbye to their sons that were sent to a meaningless war.

"Let me tell you 'bout hard work"
"Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away"
The specific example is an issue that Bush didn’t do enough to solve: The destruction caused by the wars he started in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"How do you sleep at night?"
Pink is asking how Mr President slept at night knowing about all the bad he has done for this world.

Is There Still Love in This World?

¨Where Is The Love¨ was a top hit song by the Black Eyed Peas released on June 16th, 2003. The song is a very inspiring song that features Justin Timberlake. There was a 2016 remix of the song that came out after the original was produced. In the lyrics the main idea of it is about we have major problems here in the United States, but we are overseas trying to help get rid of terrorists in a war that we really don´t why it is going on. In America we have the: CIA, KKK, Bloods, and Crips all described as terrorists groups and we aren´t fixing the problems here first. Children are dying and growing up without mothers and fathers, which is not good for the future of America. The most powerful line is ¨Madness is what you demonstrate and that's exactly how anger works and operates Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight, Take Control of your mind and meditate, Let your soul gravitate to the love, y´all, y´all.¨ What is inspiring about this line is that all you need in this world is love and there should be no more hate. Love your own race and don´t discriminate other races, be equal to everyone.  They are suggesting to take control of your own mind and make love and find your inner self by meditating. Another key point to this song is they say people are dying including children, so is there really love in this world?

War

The title of the song is War the song from War & Peace album. Edwin Starr preformed this song. The song was recorded in 1970 during the Vietnam war. The song is using Vietnam war for a specific event. The song is arguing that war is not a good thing and the younger generation is dying over it. The main point is that there is a better way to solve this then with war.

The reason why this line is powerful because he is talking about how college students are the un rested generation. The next line is who wants to die in war because war comes and goes and the only thing to remain is the values of culture.

This line is on repeat throughout the song giving us a powerful message saying war is not a good thing the world.

Edwin Starr is trying to tell his audience that there is a better way than going to war and we should find the solution.

Into War

In the song, "American Blood" by Reckless Kelly on the album Bulletproof is an anti-war song with clarity about war. Reckless Kelly is the one who first performed it in 2008, released with his album. This song is arguing that war is horrible. It is not a good thing all of this is for a silver or golden or bronze star or medal, they can keep this star. For the war or not, the main idea is that the troops of war deserve a little more respect and support for the job they are doing. This song is helping appreciating the sacrifices and work men and women in uniform did as well as their families. This song also calls out Washington getting money for the expense of 30,000+ american lives.The very first line provided a new perspective of war was when he said “Johnny can't drink 'cause Johnny ain't twenty-one.Yeah but he's eighteen and he's pretty handy with a gun. They sent him off to a foreign land”. Johnny is young, he is not even in his twenties yet but they sent him to war. It just a demonstration of crazy it is in America, you basically do not have a choice for whether you wanted to go or not back then. It is like striking you of your rights. In the third verse he says, “Well Johnny can't walk but the medic said he's okay to fly. And the newspapers tell us he's a hero and hell of a guy”
This is extremely powerful because Johnny fought in war and lost his legs and all he gets for the work he did was tell the world he is a hero. It does make you think of how the world actually treats the people who fought and lost their limbs and other parts and all we can say is wow he is so brave and all that and give them a piece of copper or something. I know we have a day to celebrate them but we can do better than that.

We´ll meet again: Vera Lynn

The song: We´ll meet again performed by Vera Lynn in 1939, involves in the soldiers saying goodbye to their loved ones before they left for war. 

¨Let's say goodbye with a smile, dear

Just for a while, dear, we must part

Don't let this parting upset you

I'll not forget you, sweetheart¨

The line itself stated the army saying their final goodbyes before leaving, even if they died in the war, it´s still their final goodbyes.

´´We'll meet again
Don't know where
Don't know when
But I know we'll meet again
Some sunny day´´

The Loved ones will see the soldiers again in the afterlife to be happy once more.

´´And I will just say hello
To the folks that you know
Tell them you won't be long
They'll be happy to know
That, as I saw you go
You were singing this song´´

the soldiers that were still alive, write letters to their families and sweethearts to say hello to their friends for them, letting them know they´re doing alright.

Nobel Prize Worthy Lyricism by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan recently won a Nobel Prize for Literature, but for his music. This caused some outrage for some writers, who argue that this is like an author winning a Grammy. But once you take a look at Bob Dylan's lyrics in his songs, you understand why. Specifically in his song Blowin' In The Wind, the simple at first glance lyrics actually make you take a look at the war, and figure out the deeper meaning of it. This song is actually one of the most covered and reviewed songs, of all time. The song subtly talks about the Civil Rights Movement, and subtly brings up many other things related to war. He also literally brings up cannonballs, and asks how many more must fly before peace. The answer, Dylan sings, is "Blowin' in the wind". What Dylan means by this is that the answer to all the questions of war is out there for anyone who tries to find them. They're not hard to find according to Dylan. Dylan also brings up the Civil Rights Movement many times in the song, as this was going on at the same time as the Vietnam War. He asks when people will be free and exist peacefully in America. This song has a lot going on, but at the same time, is very simple. This song is one of the greatest protest songs ever, yet Dylan has been quoted as "This here ain't no protest song or anything like that, 'cause I don't write no protest songs". If you want to listen to this powerful song, I included it below.

21 Guns

The song 21 Guns is asking if we thing the war is worth fighting because of all the pain, suffering and sacrifice that results from it. The song point out some things like "does the pain out weigh the pride" or " do you know whats worth fighting for when its not worth dying for" and I think that these are good points. The war on terror in the middle east has been going on for a long time and many people on both sides have died and more will die if we don't think about stopping soon. I think at some point we just need to see how much pride weighs and try to stop this war that has been going on for too long.

21 guns

In the song 21 Guns it emphasizes how the war is not worth it and we're losing more than we're getting and the lives were losing just aren't worth it. It is a war that is still waging and I completely agree with the songs stance 100%. This is the longest war ever in american history and it's still going on. It needs to come to a stop eventually because plenty off innocent people are dying and good soldiers are dying out on the battlefield. We should just let it all go at this point. War is rarely ever a good thing.

Vietnam Veterans: Heroes or Villains?

After soldiers returned from Vietnam to the United States, they received a lot of bitterness from people and were blamed for fighting in a war in which a majority of people viewed as pointless. No gratitude was shown to these men, despite them risking their lives and fighting for a country who did everything short of dragging them to Vietnam. These men actually received quite the opposite. They were attacked by anti-war groups, spat upon, shunned, and in some instances refused service at restaurants. This was the first time veterans of any American war were treated so poorly. Before the Vietnam War, men returning from combat were met with glory, parades, and citizens viewed them as heroes. So why were Vietnam veterans treated so differently?

The song ¨Born in the U.S.A.¨ written by Bruce Springsteen comments on just that. He criticizes the United States for their treatment of the men who were serving their country and doing their duty as citizens of the United States. In the song he refers to how much these soldiers already had to deal with when they came back home, to then have to deal with the attacks of the American media and public. Springsteen refers to this in the line ¨The first kick I took was when I hit the ground.¨ In his song he also speaks upon how it was not only hard for veterans to get jobs after the war, but they also did not received adequate support from the government transitioning back into their lives. ¨Went down to see my V.A. man He said "Son, don't you understand".¨ The message of this song is still very strong and important. What happened to these soldiers happened and cannot be changed, however it is a great opportunity for the United States to learn from its mistakes and treat veterans of war as what they are, heroes.

Buffalo Soldier

"Buffalo Soldier" is a reggae song that was written by Bob Marley and Noel "King Sporty" Williams.  The song was performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers on Bob Marley's album call Confrontation. The song is about the black cavalry fighters who were sent to take over the west, and to get rid of the Native Americans during the American Indian wars.

In the first verse Marley says "Buffalo soldier, dreadlocked rasta, There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America, Stolen from Africa, brought to America, Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival." The term Buffalo Soldier is what the Natives Americans called the black cavalry fighters. They compared the soldiers physical features to a Buffalo. The line "I'm just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America" has mean because he is saying that the slaves who are fighting in the war are the ones who built America. The last lines in the Verse, "Stolen from Africa, brought to America, Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival," are powerful because whites had captured Africans to make them into their slaves. This line means that black slaves were fighting as soon as they arrived in America and before. "

Marin Gaye Protest

Whats Going On?





In the early 70's we have faced a lot of adversity with different things in the world. Some examples were police brutality and being forced to be in the war. Marvin Gayes' song, Whats going on? tells a lot about police brutality and what we should protest for to make things better. 

One of the most important lyrics Marvin Gaye had in his song was, "Picket lines and picket signs, don't punish me with brutality." This is powerful because Marvin Gaye is trying to say that when us black people protest everyone needs to listen, make a stand and make it powerful to a point where the police they need to listen too. Instead of injuring and hurting someone protesting. Another important line was, "We don't need to escalate, you see, war is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate." This is very important because he is saying violence and war is not the answer. Also, he is saying there is one way to defeat hate and that's to love. If only everyone loved and had respect for each other then the world would be a way different place and more organized. And that is what he is saying. Lastly, one more last lyric he stated was, "There's far too many of you dying, you know we've got to find a way." This is powerful because Marvin Gaye realizes how many people are being punished and killed just for protesting. He is trying to send a message to everyone saying there is a way to stop this mass murder rate. We can’t just ignore this, we have to make a change fast!

A not so happy holiday

In most facets of our culture war and soldiers are often portrayed as glamorous and respected by the country and people of the United States, however on closer exception of our actual society we see the opposite happen. The song Holiday by Green Day addresses the neglect and aggression of war that in recent years has become more apparent. One of the more memorable lines "Hear the sound of the falling rain, coming down like an Armageddon flame, The shame, those who died without a name" talks about how so much life is lost in war that the people could become nameless and forgotten among the bloodshed. The song is clearly also a critique of America's love it or leave it attitude during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with the line "Pulverize the Eiffel tower who criticize your GOVERNMENT" since Americans for a while called the french cowards for not wanting to help us in Iraq.
    

Christmas is A Time for Peace

The war in Vietnam was a very controversial war for Americans.  The population was split on the decision of the United States to send troops over to Vietnam to help the South Vietnamese fight the North Vietnamese and the spread of communism along with the Soviet Union.  Tensions were high in the United States with many anti-war protests started mostly by young college students.  British musician and Beatles icon John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, wrote a song in late 1971 to protest the war.  The song that later became a huge hit was released in the United States on December 1, 1971.  It was called Happy Xmas (War Is Over).  The song uses the christian holiday, Christmas, as a symbol of peace in a time of war.  The song uses this sign of peace to call for an end of the war and all fighting.