Lorde's “Royals”: There Is No We In Luxury

By Eric McCarter & Laura Hackfeld

For this cultural artifact discussion, We decided to focus on the significance of the song “Royals” - co-written and performed by 17 year old singer-songwriter Lorde. The song has become popular , crossing-over from New Zealand to America in the past few months. Upon first hearing the song, you can establish that it is a catchy song because of the simple beat that is heard throughout the entire song. You may not understand instantly what Lorde is saying within the verses, but after listening to it a few more times it becomes clear that the intent of this song is to bash the system that is brain- washing us. Lorde's voice is no different from any other pop voice the general public hears today, but the message behind this song is sure to offend our representatives in pop culture. It is clear through the lyrics that Lorde is representing those people who do not care about the care-free, luxurious lives of celebrities, including herself. She makes references to that of Beyonce and Miley Cyrus, stating in her lyrics “You can call me Queen Bee (Beyonce) and Baby Ill rule... Let me live that fantasy” (Chorus). Lorde references these artists to announce that we hold these celebrities on a pedestal because they enforce into our minds that we can all live these luxurious lives and act with a care-free attitude because there won't be any penalty. It has become so common for these celebrities to have these lifestyles that it almost seems mandatory in pop culture for them to live that way. What Lorde is saying in her song “Royals” is that there are people in this world who do not care to live that lifestyle, nor do they care about the celebrities that live that lifestyle. “And will never be royal (royal)” Everyone cannot live the luxurious life and that's what pop culture is leading the general public to believe. In effect people will try to live as similar to a celebrity as possible.

This artifact was chosen because this has taken a toll on pop culture. For Lorde she has been labeled as a feminist and many other social titles because of the meanings behind her songs and who she references within her music. Compared to most pop stars presented in the music industry right now, Lorde is possibly one of the most exceptional pop stars in terms of her songs. Lorde was able to lure the pop culture into a trap which allowed her to ridicule the fantasy lifestyles and publicize that there are people in this world who have cracked the code and realized we can not all live that life and it's okay if aren't. We will never be royals.

There is still this idea that artists in pop culture are enforcing into our minds that we should live the luxurious lives and by listening to performers like Miley Cyrus and Rihanna we can receive instruction from how they act in their videos and in their everyday lives. It is a system for these modern pop stars, they have to brag about their luxurious lives and represent their hometowns in their music... they have to dress in name brand clothing , and if they are in a relationship it is important to stay open to the public about the quality of the relationship. People who are absorbed by this are those very people who raise these celebrities up on a pedestal and empower them to believe that they are near invincible. Thankfully Lorde was able to send out this rebelling message. She used the components of a average, simple pop song” and altered it with her empowering lyrics, letting these pop stars know that everyone does not hold them above their heads.

The Evolution of the iPhone

By Jake Wagner & Jimmy Kruse

The iPhone has been a part of culture since 2007 and has quickly taken over the world of “smart phones” since its release. The iPhone has been at the forefront of technology since its release because of its ability to adapt to our ever-changing cultural needs. The people at Apple know exactly what they are doing and have created a device so convenient and smart, that hundreds of other companies have been able to make a name for themselves through the needs of applications and other aspects of the iPhone.

When the iPhone was first released it wasn’t the sleekest looking device. Its physical features were bulky, curvy, semi high-definition resolution, and mostly made from plastic. As the years have progressed however, the appearance of the iPhone is constantly becoming more futuristic and incredibly sleek. It now has sharper features, a bigger screen, higher resolution, and is made out of aluminum and glass. From the original “slide to unlock” to the new “touch I.D.”, which is a fingerprint scanner on the home button of the iPhone, Apple has been progressing their technology at a very fast rate. The iPhone 3Gs was the first hand held camera phone to able to take outstandingly HD photographs and that was released in 2009. In 2005 people would’ve never imagined being able to talk on a screen with somebody anywhere in the world, be able to record HD slow motion videos, have HD panoramic photos, see the inside your house at any time, or simply scan your fingerprint to unlock your phone. But now, having the FaceTime feature is just apart of our culture. You can have face-to-face conversations with a person that you would never be able to meet in person. I mean...WE CAN LOOK AT PICTURES OF SPACE IN OUR HANDS. iPhones have and will stay in the lead of the smart phone game for a long time.

How are these huge technological advancements affecting our culture though? Yes, many of the advancements greatly help the business world, gaming world, and photography world, just to name a few, but what exactly are the side effects? The generations growing up with this technology as the norm will never actually have to pick up a book again or actually speak to anybody in person. The technology in iPhones has completely eliminated ever waiting for a message, ever having to go to a library, or even going to a store to purchase something. Apple is creating a device that can run the world from the palm of a person’s hand. This creates a precarious situation for our youth. They have the ability to get everything they need on one device so why should they go out and still be social? Could the iPhone destroy actual social interactions with only online social interactions? The iPhone is forever changing and effecting everyday life as previously stated. It is just up to us as a society to decide when, where, and how is the appropriate time to use this technology given to us. There are also pros to having this technology in our society. For instance, though some may think it’s bad for kids to not have to look things up in a library anymore, now assignments can be given more often and require more detail. The amount of information that one can get in a matter of seconds now is insane. The processor in the newest iPhone has the same capabilities as a standard laptop. Many solutions to everyday needs now can be searched on an iPhone and answered immediately. So, should Apple slow down with their technological advancements? The only real answer is that it depends on what we as a society use to our advantage. We can either sit on our butts and take selfies for instagram all day, or we could send a person to the moon using our thumbs and an iPhone.

Blurring the Lines

By Hanna McClard & Taylor Nave

I’m sure everyone in society nowadays has listened to or watched the popular music video “Blurred Lines” by artist Robin Thicke. If you check the view count it has 212,970,985 views (increasingly adding over time). Why did we choose this video? Blurred Lines is the ideal example of how society and the music industry has gone downhill. The video for the Billboard 100 chart-topping track, which features T.I. and Pharrell Williams, shows three beautiful women dancing around half-naked, while the three guys are singing and prancing around in their suits saying provocative things. Lyrics like “I can give you something big enough to tear you’re a** in two” and “the way you grab me must wanna get nasty” show the gender stereotypes of pop culture and how women are seen as sexual objects to men. Women in music videos have started dressing more provocatively and dressing less to be seen as attractive for it’s viewers. In this music video, they are doing exactly that while the men in the music videos are exerting male dominance. This just shows how shallow our society has been towards women and that they aren’t seen as actual people. Although the song is catchy and has a good beat, the lyrics have no deep meaning and it is degrading towards women. Compare this to songs a little bit older and you will notice more profound lyrics.

In Christina Aguilera’s song “Beautiful”, released in 2004, she discusses the true definition of beauty for women and encourages female empowerment. The music video shows people who are outcasted in the society or look different and lets them know that even though our society isn’t very accepting of them, they are still beautiful inside out. She encourages everyone to be confident in themselves and has a real message that is positive and uplifting and treats all women like people that should be valued as beautiful individuals regardless of the standards of beauty. Lyrics with “we are beautiful nomatter what they say” implies that everyone is equal no matter what race, sexuality, gender, looks, etc. I believe that the society cares less about the meaning of music now and has become more superficial in lyrics and towards beauty.

Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video contrasted with Christina Aguilera’s older video “Beautiful” is the perfect example of how we as a society, have spiraled downhill. Christina’s video, although it has over 40 million views, still doesn’t measure up to Thicke’s 212 million. What does this say about our generation and what people want to see? Songs should have much more meaning than they do, and we should value women more for their appearance.

The Godfather

By Zack Ploen & David Rhodes

The Godfather is a 1972 film detailing the disasters and triumphs of the Corleone family, a family of Sicilian-Americans who make their living from organized crime. Michael is the youngest son of the Corleone family and the focus of the plot. The story begins shortly after Michael returns home after serving in the Second World War. The viewer first sees him content with his decorated uniform and sophisticated girlfriend (who is not Sicilian). Shortly after the brutal assassination of his father, the criminal boss of the Corleone family, Michael decides to take over the family business. The more involved he becomes, the more he discovers that he has a talent for criminal activity. By the end of the film, Michael successfully overcomes his family’s enemies and replaces his father as the criminal kingpin of the Corleone family.

A major theme throughout the film is the idea of loyalty. The veteran Michael, once loyal to country, becomes loyal to his family. To Michael, going against the law is a minor offense compared to going against the family. It seems only reasonable to the viewer to support Michael’s decision. The family enjoys a luxurious lifestyle consisting of beautiful homes, extravagant weddings, and plenty of children. The women of the Corleone family, who are not allowed participation in the family’s “business”, appear happy to enjoy a rich lifestyle they do not have to work for. Underneath this façade, however, lies an ugly reality. The majority of men in the Corleone family do not live into old age. In fact, most of them meet incredibly violent deaths. The pressure of death in one case causes a man to physically abuse his wife. This causes even more violence and tension within the family. Michael’s choice to take over the family business, therefore, seems like an unwise choice. He was a decorated soldier with a loving girlfriend. Why would he give up everything going for him to become a criminal? The answer is simple – family.

Michael’s actions prove that he is loyal to his family above all else. It does not matter if his family is full of ruthless criminals destined to die gruesome deaths. This prompts the viewer to question their dedication to family. What lengths I would I go to protect my family? Is loyalty to family a just cause? At what point does loyalty to the family become harmful? These questions have no simple answers; it is up to the viewer to determine. The concept of loyalty also applies to communities outside the family. Michael Corleone was once a soldier fighting for the United States military. In a sense, the military was once his family – the American family fighting the German family. The film often hints at the similarities between the New York mafia and the US government.

The Godfather challenges the viewer to question the legitimacy of their loyalties. These loyalties can be towards family, country, or something else. In the case of Michael Corleone, his loyalty to his family overrides his own personal ambitions. He transforms from a carefree soldier and boyfriend to a mob boss characterized by violence and deceit. In class, we have discussed the idea of an archetypal hero: a crusader who is loyal to king and country. Oftentimes this loyalty is disguised by the term “patriotism”. The fact that it shows the negative consequences of this loyalty is what makes The Godfather significant to our class and to modern culture. It is a warning to viewers that, should they follow Michael’s example, they too can become lost.

Examination of the Trend of Movies Based on Books

By Alex Cain & Christopher Gabbrants

The first movie based on a book was released in 1896 and was titled “Tilby and Little Billee.” Since then, book movies have been an increasing trend with “Ender’s Game” being one of the most recently released big name book movies. Both books and movies are huge contributors to our modern culture. There has always been the debate if the books are better than their movie counterparts and whether the movies do the books justice. This would be if the movies did more good than harm to the book or series. Movies based on books can either help the author’s book or do harm to it.

A key aspect to a successful book movie would obviously be sticking to the book. A more unsuccessful book movie that strayed from the book too far would be “Eragon.” The book series, known as the Inheritance Series were well received books in the early 2000s during our childhood. The movie version, released in 2006 failed to continue the reputation that the books had created; receiving only a two and a half stars on IMDB and only one start on Rotten Tomatoes. Aspects that contribute to the poor ratings would be that the writers of the movie left out important factors, such as key characters and situations that were required to continue the series successfully. While the movie was only 104 minutes, the book itself was 544 pages. When it comes to the debate of movies doing books justice, does the time length play an important factor of the quality of the movie?

The amount of content that can be packed into books does not have a page limit. So when it comes to book movies, time length is a large factor, because the writers want to get as much stuff from the books into their movies as possible without it being too long. Even then, the better book movies are usually very lengthy, such as “Lord of the Rings.” Each “Lord of the Rings” are roughly three hours. Even with the amount of content they already packed into the movies, they still left several things out because they can only do so much. With the topic of length and quality being out there in the community, we are now starting to see producers take extra care into making good quality book movies. A prime example would be the “Hobbit” since they are splitting a small book, in comparison to the “Lord of the Rings” books, into a three part movie series. Besides the length of the movie contributing or hurting the quality of the reputation of the name, the fact that the name is now being publicized in a medium more widely perceived. Thus reaching to a larger audience and bringing people back to the book.

Publicity can do a lot for a title. For example, I had first heard about “Ender’s Game” when I watched the trailer for the movie about a month ago. The fact that the name is a movie and a book benefits both the movie industry and the author. If I were to enjoy the movie, that would spark my interest to search for a deeper experience through reading the book. If the movie does well, it will benefit the book with a new audience but it can also go reverse. Fans of the book can be pushed away due to the inadequate display of the movie such as the book movie “Eragon.” While people who had never heard of the “Ender’s Game” books would be considered a new audience when the movie was publicized. The publicity of a movie can benefit or harm the reputation of the book.

When people talk about “does the movie do the book justice” there are few aspects that contribute to such a statement. Such aspects would be how well does it stick to the book and keeps it at a reasonable length while maintaining acceptable quality. Movie publicity is also a big factor that will either attract or detour a new audience that will bring them to the other cultural works that are books.

Sources:

• First Book Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204000/
• Eragon Ratings--
• IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449010/
• Rotten Tomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/eragon/

Battle of the Sexes

By Cherese Hamp & Kia Latting

The topic of whether men are better than women has been one of the most debatable topics. Whether it is professional business, education, music, or even the simplest things such as who’s stronger, no one can fully agree on one gender. Norms of a woman is define as being feminine, weak, air heads, trophy wives, dependent upon men for financial means, and submissive. However, men in society are considered as being a protector, provider, strong, and so forth. Though this is so, there are women who go against the norm of being defined by others opinions.

The topic of men versus women was chosen because the society has created what the ideal man and woman should be. In many cases, people try to live up to the being man the provider and the woman being the wife and stay at home mom. Sometimes even the man being more stronger than a woman from an emotional/mental content or even ranking higher throughout various categories. The debate has caused what we now know as “double-standard”. This development has made it hard for women to even become more independent. Two artist that show the emotional aspect of the male versus female are Beyonce and Ciara. In Beyonce’s song If I were a Boy, she talks about a man living the “single” life though he is in a relationship and how they switch roles. When she talks about switching when she says

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man.
I’d listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he’s taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

she is saying that she would provide the affection that the man does not show. It sort of makes the generalization and support the characteristics of the ideal man lacking emotion and being the one to hold things together.

Furthermore, Ciara talks about switching up the roles as well and pulling all of the stunts of being secretive and lacking affections as well to making the guy see what she’s feeling. In her second verse she states as exactly quoted:

Girl go head and be...
(Just Like Em')
Go run the streets
(Just Like Em')
come home late say sleep like em'
Creep like em'
Front with ya friends
Act hard when you're with em' like em'
(What)
Keep a straight face when ya tell a lie
Always keep an air-tight alibi
(Keep Him In The Dark)
What he don't know won't break his heart.

When she says “Just like ‘em”, she is referring to doing everything that males do. However, it raises the double-standard issue. It becomes the if he can do it why can I not do.

However, it is not only in music, but in sports. The WNBA ( Women’s National Basketball Association), have many great players like Lisa Leslie, Skylar Diggins, Candace Parker, and Candace Dupree. These women have matched the skill of many male athletes like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, any many more. But, no one talks about the woman as much as the men. The fact that they are women and are professional sports players show that they worked just as hard as the men did. For example, it is okay for men to do whatever because they are guys, but women cannot because of the controversy. As a result, it is okay for men to do things that women cannot physically, mentally, and emotionally because of the mindset of society.

Untitled

By Monica Falconer & Jessica Zamarrόn

Now a day, most rap music made by male rap artists use degrading lyrics towards women, and women are not only dancing to it, they are also singing along. It is becoming more and more popular to the point that now female rap artists are using their lyrics or appeal to degrade themselves in order to sell just as many records as male artists. In order for female artists in the music industry to sell more records, they feel like that they have to go above and beyond, whether it is done by dressing provocatively or not dressing at all. Even their lyrics become just as explicitly degrading as male rappers’. For example, the female artist Khia came out with a song called “My Neck, My Back” during the year 2002 and received over 500 thousand views on YouTube. Although she had clothes on during the video, she was still half dressed with tight clothing showing off her body. Also not only did her suggestive dancing and clothing make her look unappealing, but also her explicit lyrics. Remind you that the song is called “My neck, My back” and in the song, she only talks about oral sex, telling whomever how to perform such action. Not only is she making other female artists look bad, but she is also degrading herself for the purpose to only sell her music. As well as, showing that the opposite sex can be just as vulgar as men. Another example is Miley Cyrus being the most talked about in todays media. Her new song “Wreaking Ball” is one of the top songs listened to today. The time difference between Khia and Miley is a few years, and we see how things have not changed as much, just a little worse. Miley’s video has received over 200 million views on YouTube. Even though her lyrics are not as explicit, in the video, she is naked siting on a swinging metal ball and seductively licking sledge hammer. Compared to Khia’s video, she’s degrading herself by swinging on a ball naked to draw attention to sell her music. Neither of these artists has set a good example for the upcoming female generation. Not only are they making themselves look bad, but also they are setting the bar for the next upcoming female artist who may have to do something more outstandingly better than them.

The music industry is all about competition and today’s female rap artists have been constantly raising the bar doing ridiculous things to arouse the public who would then publicize insignificant topics. Of course the more mature a person is, the more likely he or she will find the insignificant news a waste of time, and the opposite is true. Young female adults are being suffocated with trashy ideas, images and music provided by many female rap artists on an everyday basis. It is everywhere in the media, and a good example of a current artist is once again Miley Cyrus. We all know her past when she was child star; and from that, she has gained many young female fans, and unfortunately, her horrid transformation brought a lot more followers. She has dove into other categories besides country and this has given her much attention. But the examples that she and other rap/ hip hop artists set in the media not only degrade women, they affect the attitudes and behaviors of people in real life. These people are the next generation of the world. Young females watch, listen, read, dance, and even sing along to these songs which reveal that women do not really care that they are constantly being degraded. Not only do they not care, but they are allowing men treat them like an object they have authority over only for sexual pleasure. Women are slaves to this ugly image given off by the media especially artists of rap/hip hop music, and it is only getting worse.

LeBron James

By Nick Buono & Craig Phillips

We chose to write on one of the most controversial icons in pop culture, LeBron James. The reason we chose to do our presentation on LeBron in particular is mainly because when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat everyone went crazy. No one thought that he would leave his home town where he grew up and had support from everyone his whole life. Players in the NBA and players from other sports leagues move from team to team all the time, but the reason that everyone gave LeBron so much trouble for it is because he went to another team where he would be playing with two other very dominant players in the NBA. The other two dominant players that are on the team are Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, and both of these guys are incredible athletes. Now it looks even worse because now the Miami Heat has another superstar Ray Allen, and he is also known as the top 3 point shooter in the league.

The company Fathead lowered the price of LeBron’s fathead sticker after he left the Cleveland Cavaliers and went to the Miami Heat from $99.99 to $17.41. Another thing that happened to him was that every time he played that year he would get booed by the fans every time he touched the ball, it was very brutal. As of August 2013 LeBron is the second most hated player in the NBA right behind Dwight Howard moving back from first after his decision.

Joining the Heat in 2010 they have been to 3 straight NBA finals. Losing the first and winning the next two, trying to go for a 3-peat this year. After this year though, LeBron is once again a free agent and he has yet to comment on anything about free agency. For LeBron the decision he made to go to the Miami Heat was clearly not bad because he went from having zero rings to having two rings. Other people may think that he is wrong for changing teams just so he had a better chance to get a championship ring, but for him that was the best thing to do.

Some more reasons that LeBron is hated are because is the best player in the game and people are jealous that they are not as good as him. Or maybe because he acted like a princess doing an interview about where he's going to play next year, even though his and peoples only arguments to him doing that is all the proceeds from it went to charity. Another reason he is highly hated is because he always complains about fouls on the court even though some of them don’t get called when they really should.

Our LeBron presentation adds to our course conversations because our class is all about pop culture, and sports are definitely a big part of our pop culture here in America. We also talk a lot about how people represent themselves and how people look at others and LeBron is a great example of that. Like when he switched teams all of his fans from Cleveland just turned on him even though he is a grown man and has the right to make his own decisions like everyone else. People are always making fun of him for his decision and a great example of that is the picture of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan all wearing Miami Heat jerseys. The picture says we were about to do this but then again we can win championships on our own.

Trends Today

By Jasmine Collins & Stephanie Barr

Materials in today’s society are a big deal; they themselves set trends around the world. Trends of today are name brands and designer clothing. What you wear says a lot about who you are in today's society. You are labeled by what you wear. If you have these nice things you are considered to have money and swag, while if you don't live up to these standards you are considered to be an outcast. Designer clothes such as: True Religion, Robin jeans, North face, Michael Kors, Ugg Boots, and Gucci belts are what's "hot" right now. People spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of jeans, shoes, or a belt. These hundreds of dollars could go towards a bill or their school tuition but to them that is not what is important. You have to be fly to fit in is what people tell you. Looking cute is what becomes important to try to fit in. This shows that people today value material things (necessities) more than important things. People value the phrase "You Only Live Once" (YOLO). People will buy things that make them look good just to impress people rather than spending money on things that are more useful.

We chose this topic because we felt as if it was what people make to be an important part of society today. People would rather be known for their appearance instead of their respect. They would buy all these name brands clothes just so people can notice them as a person with money and benefits. But, in reality it is just some clothes with a label on it. If we would put an image on the screen of some clothes that did not have a label or wasn't made by a famous designer my implications along with others would change from those are expensive clothes or those are cute to well those are just clothes. We also chose this topic because we know what it is like to be pressured by society and what fits in and what doesn't. People try many things to make you feel like an outcast and manipulate you into thinking that certain things are more important than others. It is just like you see in the movies that we talk about in class. This shows how people form cliques. People hang together because they have things in common so if you want to fit in you try to uphold these standards to become a part of something.

The values that Americans have about reputations are so high that they would spend lots of money just to fit in, in today's society. As talked about in class it is all a cycle to which designers are labeling and advertising their products through people to make more money. Designers use people as walking models to give that casual/normal look to everyone, that it is the trend that is in. Like most Americans they might see someone with a name brand on and judge what that person has on and go buy it, because it is the trend that is "in". It is all a cycle to which designer design it, Americans buy it and wear it, and the next person see it and also goes and buy it. And that is outrageous because, while these things are just objects to the designer they use people as non-profit models just to get a couple hundred dollars out of other people. So the more we give into this cycle the more money designers get and the less money people will have because they used it to try and buy their way into the “in” crowd.