Whats going on followers I am coming through with a fresh topic straight from my dome.
So two days ago I was conversing with a friend about an activity we share which is break dancing. I expressed my view about movies such as You Got Served and Step Up and how the commercialization of break dancing through movies has had an overall positive effect on breaking because it has exposed others to the art. On the contrary, my friend retaliated by saying that commercialization has a detrimental effect on breaking. He elaborated by illustrating different ways that break dancing's rawness is dissipating as a result of commercialization. Primarily he said that due to the portrayal of breaking in these films everybody thinks that breaking is consists of just spinning on your head. In addition he mentioned that the art is not preserved in its original nature when it is commercialized. He also articulated that through commercialization people forget about the history and the foundation of breaking.
Upon further discussion, I came to the realization that it is a double edged sword. Commercialization has its pros and cons indeed. Although commercialization can introduce the world to a genre or form of art (like breaking) that is scarcely known, it can have significant disadvantages. The main disadvantages emanate from the market values such as egotism, glamorization, sex, violence, pleasure, dishonesty, and/or exaggeration. While break dancing is being exploited by the media the purity and essence of the art form is being tainted! Non market values such as love, sacrifice, authenticity, camaraderie, compassion, and most importantly integrity are being replaced by market values. Well what does this all mean in terms of breaking being commercialized. This means that commercialization can play a positive role in the evolution of break dancing because it will expose the world to the brilliant art of break dancing and other cultures will cause it to expand by infusing their own elements into breaking. If it wasn't for "Beat Street" or "Wild Style' breaking would not have reached the next level.
However, here is a caveat: if "breaking" does not limit commercialization it will become difficult to stay true to the art and preserve its genuineness. Shows like So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew have brought breaking to the forefront so the world can see the beautiful form of expression that began in the urban areas of New York City and then disseminated around the globe. But they have also distorted the authenticity of the art form by omitting the original elements such as toprocking, six step, and beat rocking. These elements are superseded by the "flashy" moves like airflares and flips. Whenever the media takes control of an art like visual art, dance, music, or poetry it tends to distort it and make it all about 'shock value" and focus on the "ooohhs and aaahhs" rather than staying true to the art. Media does allow the art of breaking to grow and evolve; we all know that if something doesn't grow then it will die. Moreover commercialization gives bboys an opportunity to earn a sustainable income which would otherwise not be possible. On one hand its a positive thing for breaking but it also has the potential to destroy the art's true nature. Ultimately, love, sacrifice, camaraderie, and authenticity are forces that must trump egotism, glamorization, dishonesty, pleasure and sex if the art is to be preserved.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Beyond Race
Hey there guys Im back again with my little thoughts hehe! Read below to get into the mind of Alex
This past weekend I visited my cousin at her college in Connecticut where she is doing summer research. There I met my cousin's roomate's boyfriend. When my cousin first introduced me to him, he appeared to be genuinely interested in who I was; he seemed outgoing and open minded. My intuition led me right, as I got to know him I discovered that is his ethnicity was a mixture of European countries. During our conversation he told me that his mom had just earned her PHD in architecture from Brown University.
We exchanged thoughts, ideas, and interests; I eventually found out we had a lot in common. He liked basketball, rap, and urban culture. We even shared favorite books. Despite our difference in racial background and possibly social class we were able to reach common ground!
I want to illustrate this point with hopes of demonstrating that we can connect with people with whom we never imagined ourselves connecting. I say this because while I am an open minded individual for the longest time I thought the deepest connections I could make were only within my race.
Meeting different people in various circles has allowed me to broaden my social horizons. Although I have love for my ethnicity I have been enlightened by the relationships I have built with people of varying racial and socio-economic backgrounds. These experiences have been insightful and have made me a better individual! I am grateful to the creator for these experiences.
This past weekend I visited my cousin at her college in Connecticut where she is doing summer research. There I met my cousin's roomate's boyfriend. When my cousin first introduced me to him, he appeared to be genuinely interested in who I was; he seemed outgoing and open minded. My intuition led me right, as I got to know him I discovered that is his ethnicity was a mixture of European countries. During our conversation he told me that his mom had just earned her PHD in architecture from Brown University.
We exchanged thoughts, ideas, and interests; I eventually found out we had a lot in common. He liked basketball, rap, and urban culture. We even shared favorite books. Despite our difference in racial background and possibly social class we were able to reach common ground!
I want to illustrate this point with hopes of demonstrating that we can connect with people with whom we never imagined ourselves connecting. I say this because while I am an open minded individual for the longest time I thought the deepest connections I could make were only within my race.
Meeting different people in various circles has allowed me to broaden my social horizons. Although I have love for my ethnicity I have been enlightened by the relationships I have built with people of varying racial and socio-economic backgrounds. These experiences have been insightful and have made me a better individual! I am grateful to the creator for these experiences.
Dont Judge a book by its cover 2
In some scenarios we tend to judge people by the school they attend or their particular profession. For example you may see a prostitute offering you her service who may seem like she enjoys selling her body. Well the true matter of the fact is that her first sexual encounter was when she was abused as a young girl and she perpetuates the vicious cycle through frivolous sexual contact. As a result of her previous sexual abuse her self esteem is low and she continues to allow herself to be abused because it is the only way she knows how to deal with this traumatic experience. In another very different but less devastating scenario there may be somebody who attends Harvard and appears to be very intelligent. The real story is that he is a "C" student in high school with mediocre SATS who's father and grandfather went to the same school. Since he was a legacy, the admissions committed gave him a conditional acceptance.
As you can see, looks can be quite deceiving whether its at a superficial level like what somebody's profession is or at a profound level like why a woman chooses to sell her body. Life is very ironic like that I guess. Sometimes we as humans classify and generalize way beyond what is ordained, we never know who somebody really is nor what they have been through, so let us read a couple of pages before we judge a book by its cover.
As you can see, looks can be quite deceiving whether its at a superficial level like what somebody's profession is or at a profound level like why a woman chooses to sell her body. Life is very ironic like that I guess. Sometimes we as humans classify and generalize way beyond what is ordained, we never know who somebody really is nor what they have been through, so let us read a couple of pages before we judge a book by its cover.
Dont judge a book by its cover 1
In life there is one fatal mistake that most of us make and that is judging a book by its cover. Assumptions and preconceived notions can consume our thoughts when we first meet new people. However, those thoughts can be challenged. I must admit abstaining from preconceived notions is extremely difficult especially within a society that puts labels on everybody. These social classifications can inhibit our interpersonal relationships. What you will find is that preconceived notions are usually false perceptions of individuals.
A real life scenario of falsely judging a book by its cover is somebody who has tattoos, wears his pants below his waist, and works at a local Bodega but is perceived to be a criminal. This young man actually turns out to be a lawyer. Then there is a scenario of a woman who dresses appropriately (in a blouse an dress pants) and whose daytime profession is actually drug dealing. Here we see that one's apparel can be quite misleading in regards to judging one's character. Another common example regarding clothing is a girl who dresses provocatively and is perceived to be promiscuous but is actually a virgin.
Another feature of an individual that can be misleading is somebody's place of residence. For instance let's say you meet an older white male who is part of a country club, wears brand name clothing, and speaks with a refined suburban accent. At first glance it may seem like he may be a Westchester County resident or reside in Greenwich Connecticut but he is actually a resident from inner city Philadelphia. On the contrary there may be a young black male who speaks in slang rather than proper English, wears plain clothing, hangs out in a Bronx park where he plays basketball during his leisurely time. This guy may appear to be from the Bronx but actually lives in Bronxville, New York.
A real life scenario of falsely judging a book by its cover is somebody who has tattoos, wears his pants below his waist, and works at a local Bodega but is perceived to be a criminal. This young man actually turns out to be a lawyer. Then there is a scenario of a woman who dresses appropriately (in a blouse an dress pants) and whose daytime profession is actually drug dealing. Here we see that one's apparel can be quite misleading in regards to judging one's character. Another common example regarding clothing is a girl who dresses provocatively and is perceived to be promiscuous but is actually a virgin.
Another feature of an individual that can be misleading is somebody's place of residence. For instance let's say you meet an older white male who is part of a country club, wears brand name clothing, and speaks with a refined suburban accent. At first glance it may seem like he may be a Westchester County resident or reside in Greenwich Connecticut but he is actually a resident from inner city Philadelphia. On the contrary there may be a young black male who speaks in slang rather than proper English, wears plain clothing, hangs out in a Bronx park where he plays basketball during his leisurely time. This guy may appear to be from the Bronx but actually lives in Bronxville, New York.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Distinct Realities
Hi fellow bloggers and followers I have been rather MIA in the past few weeks. I have been busy with finishing up at my job and training a fellow worker but I just stepped down from work and I should have more free time to blog when the ideas come to me, however I am back on the digital horse.
Have you ever strolled down 170 Street and Grand Concourse in the Bronx or have you ever taken a trip to the Riverdale section of the Bronx and spent a day there? Ok well let me pose another scenario have you ever taken the 6 train and got off at 86 and Lexington or taken it to 103 and Lexington. The irony of these two separate situations is that in each situation the two areas are close in vicinity but worlds apart. Walking by the East side of Manhattan below 96th street and above 96th Street is like night and day, there is an ostensible difference.
I dont get it, its mind boggling! The missing piece to the puzzle is found in the clear distinction that represents an economic disparity. The areas where 170 Grand Concourse and 103rd and Lexington are located are under resourced, underserved, and disadvantaged. On the other hand, 86th and Lexington and Riverdale are located in areas that are well kempt, privileged, and excessively resourced. I think I have reached an epiphany!!!!! The Upper East side along with Riverdale are overwhelmingly more affluent than the the areas in the South Bronx and Spanish Harlem. This means that there is a significantly lower crime rate, better quality of education, and more funding for the community in general. Higher property tax in richer areas allows you to keep your neighborhood safe and clean, as well as provide funding for better schools. Now if you examine the demographics in each area they are also very different. In Riverdale and the Upp. East Side there seems to be a majority of whites in the upper-echelon and in the South Bronx and Spanish Harlem the population is predominantly Black and Latino from a lower socio-economic status.
The class distinction is astonishing when you juxtapose the South Bronx/Riverdale or Spanish Harlem/Upper East side. During the Jim Crow Era, segregation was more apparent because it was driven by race. The dynamic has changed and a new age of segregation has emerged, and its called classism! I define classism as a distinction of different neighborhoods based on socio economic status. While the dictionary defines it as "a biased or discriminatory attitude based on distinctions made between social or economic classes." Next time you are in a "nicer" neighborhood take a closer look and scrutinize the population; you will be surprised at what you discover!!!!!!!
Until next Blog, see ya :)
Have you ever strolled down 170 Street and Grand Concourse in the Bronx or have you ever taken a trip to the Riverdale section of the Bronx and spent a day there? Ok well let me pose another scenario have you ever taken the 6 train and got off at 86 and Lexington or taken it to 103 and Lexington. The irony of these two separate situations is that in each situation the two areas are close in vicinity but worlds apart. Walking by the East side of Manhattan below 96th street and above 96th Street is like night and day, there is an ostensible difference.
I dont get it, its mind boggling! The missing piece to the puzzle is found in the clear distinction that represents an economic disparity. The areas where 170 Grand Concourse and 103rd and Lexington are located are under resourced, underserved, and disadvantaged. On the other hand, 86th and Lexington and Riverdale are located in areas that are well kempt, privileged, and excessively resourced. I think I have reached an epiphany!!!!! The Upper East side along with Riverdale are overwhelmingly more affluent than the the areas in the South Bronx and Spanish Harlem. This means that there is a significantly lower crime rate, better quality of education, and more funding for the community in general. Higher property tax in richer areas allows you to keep your neighborhood safe and clean, as well as provide funding for better schools. Now if you examine the demographics in each area they are also very different. In Riverdale and the Upp. East Side there seems to be a majority of whites in the upper-echelon and in the South Bronx and Spanish Harlem the population is predominantly Black and Latino from a lower socio-economic status.
The class distinction is astonishing when you juxtapose the South Bronx/Riverdale or Spanish Harlem/Upper East side. During the Jim Crow Era, segregation was more apparent because it was driven by race. The dynamic has changed and a new age of segregation has emerged, and its called classism! I define classism as a distinction of different neighborhoods based on socio economic status. While the dictionary defines it as "a biased or discriminatory attitude based on distinctions made between social or economic classes." Next time you are in a "nicer" neighborhood take a closer look and scrutinize the population; you will be surprised at what you discover!!!!!!!
Until next Blog, see ya :)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Media
Hello followers I apologize for not writing in a while but I've just been busy and haven't had a chance to update like I would've liked to. But here I am with some refreshing concepts. I thank you for being so patient and allowing me to share my ideas with you.
So I was thinking the other day why does this young generation act the way they do in this day and age, by young I mean the age range 10-21. I thought of one main reason MEDIA. Media dictates our lives. It plays a fundamental role on how we view the world. This statement may be overly dramatic but I believe it to be true. If we aren't glued to the tv, radio, or blackberry then we are trying to figure out how to obtain access to a communication device. Humans (particularly teens) are stuck in a matrix that becomes increasingly difficult to escape from. This cycle is hard to disrupt. It is comical how entranced we are by the media, so much, that we can hardly distinguish fantasy from reality. Society has become dependent on media instead of media being dependent upon society.
Generation Y (Net Generation) has brought about a lot of positive changes to the world such as the facilitation of daily activities from making toast to more efficient forms of communication. However it has become challenging for the youth to distinguish between the real and fake. They (by they I mean my age group too) are mesmerized by youtube, myspace, facebook, mtv, and bet. As I said earlier the media has become like the matrix that has kept the generation of young Americans insulated from reality and incarcerated by this fictitious world. The media is a tour de force and plays a crucial role in shaping the characters of our youth. Young Americans constantly emulate what they see in music videos and attempt to model their favorite stars. Hollywood is not all it seems, it is basically smoke and mirrors at the end of the day. Teens will get tattoes, adopt slang, wear clothes and ingest drugs just to be like their favorite rapper, singer, athlete, or actor. As a result they become trapped by these images portrayed by the media in hopes of fitting in and/or becoming popular while sacrificing their own persona. Instead of striving to be like Lil Wayne or Rhianna why not strive to be like Cornell West or Sotomayor. We should focus on the positive figures in society that can be good role models for the youth.
We should teach our youth to become critical thinkers. They should become their own person and be comfortable with themselves. More than anything we need to embrace learning how to be a unique individual without emulating what you see on tv. We should restrict how much the media influences our youth if we want them to have a brighter future.
So I was thinking the other day why does this young generation act the way they do in this day and age, by young I mean the age range 10-21. I thought of one main reason MEDIA. Media dictates our lives. It plays a fundamental role on how we view the world. This statement may be overly dramatic but I believe it to be true. If we aren't glued to the tv, radio, or blackberry then we are trying to figure out how to obtain access to a communication device. Humans (particularly teens) are stuck in a matrix that becomes increasingly difficult to escape from. This cycle is hard to disrupt. It is comical how entranced we are by the media, so much, that we can hardly distinguish fantasy from reality. Society has become dependent on media instead of media being dependent upon society.
Generation Y (Net Generation) has brought about a lot of positive changes to the world such as the facilitation of daily activities from making toast to more efficient forms of communication. However it has become challenging for the youth to distinguish between the real and fake. They (by they I mean my age group too) are mesmerized by youtube, myspace, facebook, mtv, and bet. As I said earlier the media has become like the matrix that has kept the generation of young Americans insulated from reality and incarcerated by this fictitious world. The media is a tour de force and plays a crucial role in shaping the characters of our youth. Young Americans constantly emulate what they see in music videos and attempt to model their favorite stars. Hollywood is not all it seems, it is basically smoke and mirrors at the end of the day. Teens will get tattoes, adopt slang, wear clothes and ingest drugs just to be like their favorite rapper, singer, athlete, or actor. As a result they become trapped by these images portrayed by the media in hopes of fitting in and/or becoming popular while sacrificing their own persona. Instead of striving to be like Lil Wayne or Rhianna why not strive to be like Cornell West or Sotomayor. We should focus on the positive figures in society that can be good role models for the youth.
We should teach our youth to become critical thinkers. They should become their own person and be comfortable with themselves. More than anything we need to embrace learning how to be a unique individual without emulating what you see on tv. We should restrict how much the media influences our youth if we want them to have a brighter future.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Underdog
Hello members I am sorry for the for hiatus but I am back with some thoughts and I strongly urge you to reply so we can get an official dialogue going,
Imagine being born a crack baby with HIV, an orphan, and blind. I cannot fathom how anybody in this physiological and mental state would be able to function in society nevertheless survive. When the odds are stacked against you like this, life becomes an incessant challenge. Heinous acts such as child abuse, sexual abuse, and verbal abuse are ubiquitous and the victims who endure these hardships have demonstrated their resilience, dedication, and faith. It takes a lifetime to recuperate from having your soul battered and your inner being lacerated. These brave souls deserve a nobel prize for overcoming these obstacles.
In addition to the myriad of problems that minority communities are plagued with just being a minority can be daunting at times. The financial, social, academic, and psychological issues we encounter can be overbearing. Whether you just lost a loved one in a shootout or have to work in order to help your mom with the rent you need to make the necessary adjustments to achieve the grades you desire. Furthermore when there are no academic resources available or you just aren't aware of the opportunities available for minorities it makes it difficult to succeed. People who come from a single mom household in a lower income neighborhood and have graduated college have already defeated enormous odds. Dedication and willpower become critical to attaining a higher degree such as an MA, MS, MD, JD or even a BA(graduate school, medical school, law school, college four year university).
We must learn from every failure and develop the determination to dust ourselves off and get back up. I view failures as learning experiences and not defeats. We must defy the status quo and challenge the societal norm of being inferior. Failures are God teaching us what we did wrong and testing our faith. Anything that is worth having in life should not come easy because if the journey to get to the finish line is difficult then we cherish the victory much more. When we fall we must dig deep into the depths of our soul and excavate the courage to keep going! SUCCESS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
Imagine being born a crack baby with HIV, an orphan, and blind. I cannot fathom how anybody in this physiological and mental state would be able to function in society nevertheless survive. When the odds are stacked against you like this, life becomes an incessant challenge. Heinous acts such as child abuse, sexual abuse, and verbal abuse are ubiquitous and the victims who endure these hardships have demonstrated their resilience, dedication, and faith. It takes a lifetime to recuperate from having your soul battered and your inner being lacerated. These brave souls deserve a nobel prize for overcoming these obstacles.
In addition to the myriad of problems that minority communities are plagued with just being a minority can be daunting at times. The financial, social, academic, and psychological issues we encounter can be overbearing. Whether you just lost a loved one in a shootout or have to work in order to help your mom with the rent you need to make the necessary adjustments to achieve the grades you desire. Furthermore when there are no academic resources available or you just aren't aware of the opportunities available for minorities it makes it difficult to succeed. People who come from a single mom household in a lower income neighborhood and have graduated college have already defeated enormous odds. Dedication and willpower become critical to attaining a higher degree such as an MA, MS, MD, JD or even a BA(graduate school, medical school, law school, college four year university).
We must learn from every failure and develop the determination to dust ourselves off and get back up. I view failures as learning experiences and not defeats. We must defy the status quo and challenge the societal norm of being inferior. Failures are God teaching us what we did wrong and testing our faith. Anything that is worth having in life should not come easy because if the journey to get to the finish line is difficult then we cherish the victory much more. When we fall we must dig deep into the depths of our soul and excavate the courage to keep going! SUCCESS IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!
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