Comments for Introduction to Cultural Studies

Comment on Response Assignment #3 by larry bowen

larry bowen — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:56:42 +0000

the trth about these two speeches is we can`t dismiss the fact of personal feelings with both speeches,when a personality governs a speech or sermon, to me the subject matter takes a back seat to ones personal ideology and remember,mlk did mostly sermons with religious ideologies not public speeches , there is a difference .

Comment on Response Assignment #5 by larry bowen

larry bowen — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:39:12 +0000

we are the consumers who make our own destiny through how much a product is sold .our country is the prime example of how money rules hegemony.i think our fearless leaders and consumers are afraid to admit that consumerism controls sports , musicand religion

Comment on Response Assignment #5 by larry bowen

larry bowen — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:32:23 +0000

we are the consumers who make our own destiny through how much a product is sold .our country is the prime example of how money rules hegemony.i think our fearless leaders and consumers are afraid to admiit ,it`s not democracy we bring to the table any table ,it`spower+ money=hegimony

Comment on Response Assignment # 8 by larry bowen

larry bowen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:43:56 +0000

the internet is a model of the worse panopticons. ofcourse we have no privacy because of the net,this technology takes away our freedom of speech and privacy through spam,and the marketing of various net and services we( i)don`t need( cell phones,dating,
finance etc..) .so i`m asking my self if these companies got my info with out my permission,who can say the criminals can`t do the same? every day we moniter each other,i pass, grocerystore,malls
concerts ,and of course phonelines, the irony is when it`s time to use these methods of surveillace to find criminals ,it`s not used more frequently.most of us are put in the panopticon situations by no choice ,your job, your educational institutions even our cablesevice (tv).it`s the undercover brother and we have tojust deal with it.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by larry bowen

larry bowen — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:04:06 +0000

i belieive in womens rights, ofcourse there is a difference when we are talking about the different culture`s. american cultures if a woman had an affair she wuold not be doused with gasoline and burned in public( at least i hope not),there are cultures in the middle east that does this tragic act and other aubusive atrocities to women. THESE ACTS HAVE BEEN APART OF THE LEAGAL SYSTEM IN THESE COUNTRIES AND TAUGHT THROUGH THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS FOR YEARS.THE JUDGE`S descision should have
been reversrd without confrontation.it`s shameful that we`re finally paying attention to these brutal acts of murder and abuse to women in other countries( after911).the problem of multiculturalism going bad in europe or u.s. is having a male dominant society who are fearful of others,and refuse to teach the diversity of men ,women,andgays.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by Carinna Franco

Carinna Franco — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:37:47 +0000

Maconachy suggests that Europe needs an “inclusive European identity.” I do not believe this is a possible solution for the problems caused by multiculturalism in America. National unity is difficult for any country to achieve and even moreso for a country like the united states in which nobody really “belongs.” Embracing everyone’s differences is easier said than done. What we really need to work on is tolerance, respect and even appreciation for our neighbors. I never liked the whole melting pot idea if it means that everyone loses their identity. Multiculturalism is the flip side which has caused equally bad results, like segregation in Europe (and Chicago). It is a problem too big for anyone to address, and yet it lies in the hands of politicians. No wonder we’re so screwed.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by sean

sean — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 08:10:50 +0000

My immediate reaction is, I believe this is ridiculous. I definitely believe in womens rights and multiculturalism, but the fact that I have to….the fact that both of these ideas have to exsist is very sad. If women were excepted and respected to begin with, they would have never had to fight for any rights. If racism didn’t exsist, we wouldn’t have to LEARN how to except other people and their lifestyle with multiculturalism. I understand no one living now was around during the “beginning of time” so we really have no idea what is true. So with that in mind, religion and culture gives us guidance and hope instead of living for nothing. We have to respect the Karan as well as other religions need to respect the Bible, because no one’s ideas or beliefs are king to the others, in my opinion. We’re just taught to believe so. But when it gets to the point where some one’s life is in danger or they are banned from their home or town because they want to challenge some of the norms expected in their holy book, then the holy book should be reinterpreted. Even if the Karan says the man can “discipline” his wife, if he accidently takes her life, thats murder and should not be taken lightly. The fact that the act of giving freedom to a women is a problem that can result in death, truely saddens me.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by ben p

ben p — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:11:26 +0000

Though Hari comes on a bit too strong at times, I think both hers and the other article’s key points are accurate ones. As societies become more and more integrated there is a tendency to want to point out the differences as much as possible.“It assumes that immigrants have one homogenous culture which they should all follow – and it allows the most reactionary and revolting men in their midst to define what that culture is” (How Multiculturalism is Betraying Women). The point is people from any ethnic backround do not always follow the exact same rituals as their dominant culture, especially not among Americans. And nowadays there is an archaetypal representation for every race and culture so it’s almost impossible not to make objective judgements without being criticized for discriminating in some way.“As the Iranian author Azar Nafisi puts it: ‘I very much resent it when people – maybe with good intentions or from a progressive point of view – keep telling me, ‘It’s their culture’ … It’s like saying the culture of Massachusetts is burning witches”’ (How Multiculturalism is Betraying Women). We have to find come ground for laws that apply to everyone regardless of the circumstances. The wife-beating one seems like it should be easier to agree on but there are plenty of better hidden injustices seeded from the backlashes of multiculturalism.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by Valentin Flores

Valentin Flores — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:31:57 +0000

The question that Johann Hari asks at the beginning of the article is mind grabing. My focus defenetly was attracted to the article. The reason i believe that she asks the question is because it seems that the argument she is writting about revolves around the rights of women effected by multiculturism. If the question was to stand alone without context one might be able to understand it differently. A person might come to the conclusion that multiculturism effects the rights of females, but wouldn’t have information to back it up. It would be more of a pondering question leaving us to assume without sources of expierences. The relevence that the arguement has to american culture is that people in america are always attacking each other racially. For example today at work a coworker thought he would offend me by calling me pakistanian when truely i don’t even care that i’m some what mexican. I believe there is one race which is superior to all. That is the human race. Their was a time when i actually wrote that done in one of the boxes us humans have to fill out prior to testing.

Comment on Response Assignment # 9 by lisa coleman

lisa coleman — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:30:00 +0000

i think this country is very diverse and very accepting of other people’s backgrounds, but when it comes to granting citizenship to those people the government isn’t so nice. we all pro-choice and free speech and stuff but do we really have that? their are so many people in this country that use and abuse what this country offers and then their are those that aren’t treated with the respect that this country is suppose to offer. when reading hari’s article i was completely in shock at what was going on in these countries, how is that someone could get away with killing their wife or abusing them in anyway and pay such a small fine for it or just be given probation. it was very mind bogling i knew that these countries didn’t have the same law as we do but for these men to pay so little for it and the women to have to suffer like that was like wow. i believe in the rights of women bacause know women should have to suffer like that and have it not go unnoticed as it usally does, all women should be granted the same thing all be equal not put down for their status in society. the question alone suggest whether you’re for sweeping everything under the rug and not addressing the problem straight forward or getting out and fighting for what is right. we as a socitey don’t handle the problems such as racism, and all that we use muticulturalism to get around the problem and we don’t actually face it.