![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Cultural Authority > Cultural Education
Apr. 22nd, 2011 02:53 pmThis morning got to thinking about hiphop, as someone online asked for links to hiphop songs dealing with philosophy or outlooks on life. The thing is, hiphop is ALL ABOUT putting out your outlook on life, even when you're talking about mindless shit.
This got me towards thinking more about the ways in which the term "coded" is used for shit we're saying straight, but either: a) is not their preferred slang or b) they really ain't trying to hear what we're really saying.
Anyway, more than that, I'm thinking about how people are asking for education, and a lot of people go out of their way to give it, and how some questions are signs of someone who can't learn, already. That is, if someone walked up to you covered in their own feces and asked you about hair care, you'd probably pass on trying to educate them, since they've got some more basic stuff to learn first.
In the case of a lot of cultural stuff, it's simply that if you are this alienated from people who live in your town or city... well, what good is a bunch of books and music going to do you? You aren't talking to people as people, and that's the root problem, not the slang, not the "culture" (as if it could be separated from people and community!), nothing else.
Coming back to hiphop as an example- hiphop IS mainstream now. EXCEPT the hiphop culture didn't get to control how it's presented- white people did. You can buy books and watch documentaries and Wikipedia the history of hiphop... but that doesn't change how mass media pushes it into the mainstream.
We got it easy for education, just no one had power over cultural authority.
And this is really the problem when it comes to cries to be educated. Most of the time, these people take what you explain, and instead of using that to interact with people, use it as a thing to show off, an idea worn like a fake Indian headdress to impress other folks, and never actually tie in to the culture.
What can you say to someone who is, covered in their own shit?
You can say what you mean all day, but is anyone listening?
This got me towards thinking more about the ways in which the term "coded" is used for shit we're saying straight, but either: a) is not their preferred slang or b) they really ain't trying to hear what we're really saying.
Anyway, more than that, I'm thinking about how people are asking for education, and a lot of people go out of their way to give it, and how some questions are signs of someone who can't learn, already. That is, if someone walked up to you covered in their own feces and asked you about hair care, you'd probably pass on trying to educate them, since they've got some more basic stuff to learn first.
In the case of a lot of cultural stuff, it's simply that if you are this alienated from people who live in your town or city... well, what good is a bunch of books and music going to do you? You aren't talking to people as people, and that's the root problem, not the slang, not the "culture" (as if it could be separated from people and community!), nothing else.
Coming back to hiphop as an example- hiphop IS mainstream now. EXCEPT the hiphop culture didn't get to control how it's presented- white people did. You can buy books and watch documentaries and Wikipedia the history of hiphop... but that doesn't change how mass media pushes it into the mainstream.
We got it easy for education, just no one had power over cultural authority.
And this is really the problem when it comes to cries to be educated. Most of the time, these people take what you explain, and instead of using that to interact with people, use it as a thing to show off, an idea worn like a fake Indian headdress to impress other folks, and never actually tie in to the culture.
What can you say to someone who is, covered in their own shit?
You can say what you mean all day, but is anyone listening?
