Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The Politics of Genre

Gospel tells people that they are not enough but they're not so bad that they should do anything to change their position.  Translation:  Black people, you'll be okay someday, but for now don't do your best and don't try too hard.  Skate.  You'll get your reward in the end.  Power resides in a detached future.

Country tells people that they're just as good as the people who live in cities.  It protests so much that the message is actually- it's okay to be stupid because you know education isn't worthwhile.  Cities are powerful but don't go join one.  Stay rural and get drunk because you don't want power.

Rock tells people to dislike their parents and that they're generation is the only one that's ever dealt with growing up.  Power is in serving oneself. 

Hip Hip tells some people they are victims and can't work through the system to make anything better.  Power resides in men.

Romantic Comedies tell people their love isn't enough.  Real love is a selection of touching emotions.

Movies tell people that good stories end in marriage and bad ones end in death.  (All stories end in death so the implication is that life isn't as good as a movie.)

Facebook tells us that what we think is important, but only to us.

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