As for this week's blog post, I think the idea that publics create a worldview is fantastic. The reason I like this idea is because it goes farther than just the argument or purpose of a piece; this section of Warner's essay says that the terms we use, who we reference, the audience we address, how we circulate ideas, our style, and many more factors all come together to influence how we view our world and how we understand our place in it. Of course, I am using the word "we" here not just to refer to us as authors, but to us members of (a) public(s). For example, let's take the song "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore on his 2012 album The Heist.
Of course there is a lot to say about this video, but I am just going to hit some of the highlights. First off the style sets Macklemore in the public of youth culture immediately. The dance beat and the standard hip-hop rhythms make this song seem really accessible via its style. Further, use of words like "pop some tags" and "come up" show him as part of this particular public. The references in this song are interesting because they are mostly set in the past, but for his audience this is a shared past. The idea is that his audience is familiar with what John Wayne looks like, remembers R. Kelly's sex scandal, and remembers a time when Velcro sneakers were popular. What's interesting here is that Macklemore uses his language very skillfully to set himself into a particular public and genre, but he then critiques that same culture in his song.
This song exemplifies how, even if the argument of a text is counter to the general consensus of a public, it can still demonstrate that it shares the worldview of that public. The idea that style is a self-created, unique expression of the individual that cannot be mimicked by buying expensive, brand named items flies in the face of artists like Gucci Mane (whose named after a brand), Nelly (who wrote entire songs about a type of shoe), and Kanye West (who doesn't rap "to push a fucking Rav-4"). Compared to these other artists, Macklemore almost seems like a Marxist when he says that buying a fifty dollar shirt is "getting tricked by a business." Despite this difference in his argument, Macklemore still shares the fun, care-free, confident worldview that says that young people can improve their station in the world (if not the world in general). In short, though Macklemore's argument might not seem to fit into the public, his worldview (as seen by his vernacular, medium, genre, and audience) does fit into that public.
In Publics and Counterpublics, Warner goes on to show that utterances in a dominant public can take this "lifeworld" or worldview for granted, "misrecognizing the indefinite scope of their expansive address as universality or normalcy" (122). This is different from counterpublic utterances "in which it is hoped that the poesis of scene making will be transformative, not replicative merely" (122). In short, dominant publics can keep producing the same style because they want to keep the same general worldview; counterpublics use different styles because they want to see the worldview altered. To test this idea, let's look at a song from the number one selling record in the country: "When I was Your Man" by Bruno Mars off of his 2013 album Unorthodox Jukebox:
Let's compare this song to the Le Butcherettes' song "Henry Don't Got Love" off their 2011 album Sin Sin Sin:
The issue of worldview gets a bit complicated when discussing these two songs because Mars' lyrics are focused on sense and Le Butcherrettes' lyrics are less so. What I mean is, as Warner would phrase it, Bruno Mars' lyrics can be "summarizable" (115), while Le Butcherettes are more focused on "the poetic-expressive dimensions of language" (116).
My questions to you are these:
1.) While it is obvious that the arguments of these songs are different, how are their worldviews different (or are they)?
2.) Which worldview can you relate to more?
You don't need to be a music critique to see that these two songs come from completely different backgrounds and the artists probably have different outlooks and world views on society and their artistic reflections of it. Bruno Mars' view seemed to be content with his worldview, not with his situation. Although he is singing about missing a girl, he wants things to back to the way they were, he isn't trying to shift the ideals of his audience or promote social change. He belongs to the "dominant public." He is at the top of the pop charts and he doesn't really want things to change. While Le Butcherettes come from a public with a worldview that isn't as content of the public that Bruno Mars came from. Their art is trying to alter peoples thoughts and create discourse. I really love the Warner quote in the blog about members of sub and counter publics being more concerned with "the poetic-expressive dimensions of language." Because when you compare counter public art with dominant public art, anyone can see what kind of discourse they are creating and why they are trying to create it. I personal relate more to the counter public genres more, that is probably why this response has been slightly bias towards Le Butcherettes. This is probably because, the public that I belong to and the ideas that I have come to through discourse have led me to a want for change rather than a feeling of content with society. Art that reflects that or artists who feel the same way get my respect easier and I enjoy their creations more.
ReplyDeleteThese three posts were definatly more complex when looking at them from Warner's perspective. The music video "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore shows a world view from the perspective and audience of a counter public. For example, I really can see another generation being brought into the mass public, while still trying to stay in current culture and ideals. The world view of this public is by Warner "summerizable".It is easy to understand in our culture and society. The artist Macklemore recreated the ideals and norms for one generation to our current one. I agree with Ky Trujillo about the Bruno Mars video. I don't see that Bruno is trying to change or influence the worldview. He seems to be ok with everything else but the situation that he got caught up in individually,not in a group, but privatly. He wants his "old" life back to the way it was which means if he could change what did happen, not what society has done to him personally. I relate most to Bruno Mars because his "world view" is more from the dominant public domain that really catches my attention. His words,feelings,and point come across extremely well and relates to "my public". The situation that he is discussing is something that the majority of the mass public has experienced, observed, or heard. Honestly, La Butcherrettes video was not very influential but weird. I saw Warner's mentioning of "poetic-expressive dimensions of language" because the artist is firmly expressing her feelings through vial and graphic pictures and langauge in the music video. It caught my attention and made my mind wander,but I can relate more to Bruno Mars and Macklemore because of our current society, culture, and ideals.
ReplyDeleteThe public that Le Butcherettes belongs to is very much different from the public that Bruno Mars is a part of. The Le Butcherettes counter public is one that pushes the limits of what is considered acceptable by dominant public opinion, they believe disturbing or shocking presentation of their ideals will help to change the main world view in society into one that is more accepting of controversial and uncomfortable art. Bruno Mars on the other hand isn’t a part of a counter public, he is trying to please his audience that mostly belongs to the mass/more popular public. Because of this he chooses to use a style of music and presentation that doesn’t push any boundaries and is generally more “acceptable”. They are both singing about love and not having it in their lives anymore, but the subtext or underlying messages of the songs are both very different because of the world views the artists believe in.
ReplyDeleteI’m not really sure which worldview I relate to more. I appreciate and believe in art that creates controversy, but I also like songs that don’t have as strong of a message but are purely meant for enjoyment. I’m not saying that Bruno Mars doesn’t have a message either, I’m just saying his message is one that the majority of the mass public agrees with. As an acting major, so somewhat of an artist, I guess I identify more with Le Butcherette’s public only because I find that art is more important to the world when it tries to change something. Art is more memorable if it has a strong purpose and forces people to think about something that isn’t easy.
The world views of these three artists are very different; however, I feel some of their publics relate. I feel that Macklemore and Bruno Mars relate in some ways because although Macklemore is promoting a movement (or worldview) with "Thrift Shop," he is doing very well and is accepted by a large public. Bruno is also extremely successful in today's public. Therefore, each artist doesn't necessarily need to create a different world view to cause discourse and sell their work. This position of contentment makes it easier for them to sing about what they want; it allows them to be able to sit down at a piano and sing without a large production going on, or to do something different and crazy like performing in a thrift shop, which almost has a sense of underproduction to it - it's more casual. Le Butcherettes, however, has to propel and constantly think outside of the box. This not only pleases her current public, but it's also an effort to expand it. Her worldview is very different from Bruno Mars' because she is part of a counter public and I feel that she wants to add to the discourse of her public, rather than just expressing an already existing idea like Bruno did. I think that all of these artists relate in some ways, but the concepts of worldview and public are so complex that it's sometimes hard to explain how they all intertwine, yet separate at the same time. I feel that personally, I relate most to Macklemore's public. I believe that it's growing as a dominant public, but he's still creating work that has never been created before which sort of puts him into a counter public because different texts, ideas, and opinions are being created. I'm also very drawn to that music style, but I appreciate music that makes someone reflect upon what is being said and generates discourse (much like Macklemore's album, The Heist) rather than just making someone feel, like Bruno Mars' song, "When I Was You Man," for example.
ReplyDeleteThe world views each of these songs portray can be noted by the lyrics, the beat of the music, and also by what is going on with the music videos. Macklemore's song "Thrift Shop" shows a worldview that is carefree and tells people they can be or do whatever they want. It also shows an American way of thinking when he talks about being cheap and getting the most out of your dollar. Bruno Mars' song "When I Was Your Man" shows a more upsetting and sad outlook on life. However, his theme is still relatable as he talks about his own personal guilt and regret. La Bucherettes' song, "Henry Don't Got Love" shows a world view that is confusing and almost random. Like Mr. Harley stated, the plot isn't as easy to understand throughout the song. Also, what happens throughout the video could be seen as random or confusing. A lot of these styles however are a reflection of the artists. Macklemore's songs are often times similar to each other. His style is upbeat and carefree. Bruno Mars has a style that is filled with a lot of emotion and sounds like he is speaking from the heart. La Bucherettes' style, from what I have seen of them is random and crazy and can also be a bit confusing. To answer the second question, I can relate more to Macklemore. I feel like I have the same carefree values that he portrays in each of his songs. Another point I wanted to add was when Mr. Harley talked about how even though the style of the song might not fit into a public, the world view can. My mom for example dislikes rap but likes the song "Thrift Shop" because she loves to go thrift shopping. On the other side, my dad loves Bruno Mars because some of his songs reminds him of songs The Police preformed but what Bruno Mars discusses might not relate to my dad. With me and Macklemore I can both relate to his views and enjoy the style of his music and that is why I strongly relate to his worldview through his music.
ReplyDeleteBruno Mars and La Bucherettes obviously have radically different styles, but what I think makes the two different is the amount of discourse they are attempting to make in their subpublic. As some people have already said, Bruno Mars does not necessarily push the "poetic-expressive" boundary, nor does he try to. La Bucherette's on the other hand go out of their way to express themselves in a certain way. I imagine they want a conversation started about their songs, and not because they are so easy to follow, but because they want people to really think about what the hell they just listened to. You could say that Bruno Mars has reached a larger sub public for the opposite reason, because his songs are to the point, while La Bucherette contributes to a sort of counterculture of music. Not to go with the cheap answer, but it kind of depends on my mood as to which style I prefer. I would say my personal taste is closer to the counter cultural sub genre of music, but I, like many people, enjoy listening to Bruno Mars for probably the same reason I noted above, because he is easy to listen to. I would say that's why Macklemore is becoming so popular right now, because he blends this counter public idea in his music, but you can also still listen to his material at a surface level and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI would say the the worldviews of these songs are very different in many aspects. The first aspect in which they are different is the publics that they fit into. Le Butcherettes fits into a completely different public than Bruno Mars in the structure of the lyrics, beats of their songs, and content in the music video. While Macklemore and Bruno Mars appeal to a more mainstream public they do not fit into the exact same genre. Le Butcherettes do to not qualify for the more mainstream public. I feel that the lyrics are the biggest indicator of this difference because Mars' lyrics are very straight forward and Le Butcherettes are more poetic and take some deeper thought to understand what the song is talking about. The worldview of Le Butcherettes is more angry, whereas Mars' is more of a tone of regret. Macklemore is more whimsical yet he discusses topics that are slightly taboo in society such as wearing clothes from thrift shops. I would say that I relate to Macklemore because he takes topics that aren't usually talked about and presents them in a way that makes it fun and I can relate to it better. "Thrift Shop" has started a whole movement of more people buying clothes from thrift shops. I like that he has worked his way into the public by his own means and has become very successful.
ReplyDeleteBruno Mars and Le Butcherettes belong to different publics. Therefore, they take different approaches to their music to satisfy the publics they are in. Bruno Mars is a part of the general public. His music is straight-forward and to the point to give his audience immediate satisfaction. His style fits in with what's popular right now. What's interesting with this sing is that Bruno is going back o what was popular in the 70s. You can see this in the vintage look of his music video and the sound of his music. Both are very reminiscent of a different time in music, but he is able to warp it to be applicable to today's music culture.
ReplyDeleteLe Butcherettes are a part of a sub-public. Their lyrics are poetic and not as straight-forward as Bruno Mars' lyrics. They want their audience to make an effort to understand what their music is about. Their world-view is about going against the mainstream and expressing themselves in their own unique way.
I relate more to Bruno Mars' worldview. I like things that are straight-forward and to the point. I also understand the cultural past that he references in his song and really appreciate it.
The world views of these three songs are very different in most ways.Macklemores song titled "Thrift Shop" shows a more relaxed world view. He is is stating that in today's world you can do what ever you want. He shows how cheap Americans can be when it comes to money and getting the most for the cheapest.Macklemore shows that you can have fun just messing around and he portrays such a relaxed attitude.Bruno Mars' song titled "When I Was Your Man" relates more to a sad outlook on life. It is somewhat depressing and makes you ponder life yourself. The theme of the song discusses his personal life choices that seem to be filled with guilt. By him talking about relationships to the public it makes the song very relatable too. The song "Henry Dont Got Love" By the La Bucherettes' has a more complicated world view that is confusing to depict because it was so random and it seemed like the thoughts were scattered. All of these artist have their own interest and style and all their songs have similarity. Like Macklemores care free attitude and Bruno Mars is very sensitive and adds a lot of emotion into all his music. What these artist do helps them sell music and reach the mass public.
ReplyDeleteI relate more to Bruno Mars' world view. I listen to music sometimes to cope with certain aspects of my life like relationships and I like to use his emotional style to help me.
I think it's pretty obvious that, as others have said, the worldview of each song differs greatly, but that the Macklemore and Bruno Mars songs can find common ground by appealing to larger, mainstream publics that overlap even though Macklemore is more political in his music than Bruno Mars. In Macklemore's case especially this is fascinating because he has used generic conventions to his advantage so that his career is still on the rise, but he can make music that is socially aware and challenge the beliefs of people who may have started to listen to him because they dug on the beat of one of his songs. In the case of La Butcherrettes, she's doing the same thing that Macklemore is doing but is not willing to use generic conventions like he has to reach a wider audience, which makes their worldviews sort of similar. That may be because she wants to generate a more thoughtful, deep discourse on the music she is creating instead of hoping that people will pay attention to words that they sing along to. As a person that deeply believes in social justice and changing the social and political landscape of our society, I would probably say that I relate more to Macklemore's worldview, even though I appreciate easy feeling and entertainment that Bruno Mars provides and believe that art like La Butcherrettes can create spaces for profound change to happen.
ReplyDeleteThe world view in Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" is vert laid back and carefree. The beat expresses a very laid back sound as well. The lyrics hit towards a thought of "I can do what I want" sort of feeling. His song isn't trying to get a point across or scream an idea at you. Bruno Mars' song "When I Was Your Man" presents a sorrow filled emotion and expressive thoughts. In contrast, Macklemore's song isn't saying much and he is singing/raping in at a very fast rate. Bruno Mars takes his time to express emotions so the listener can relate and apply it to their life. I think this song is very relatable to a lot of people and publics, and "Thrift Shop" isn't very thought provoking, but it is catchy which a lot of people enjoy. The La Bucherettes' song "Henry Don't Got Love" is a different type of world view than the other songs. It is not as strait forward as the rest and isn't considered a main stream song. I do think all of these have different world views that eat express a different idea through different styles of music.
ReplyDeleteThe song i most relate to is Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man" because I like that type of music. I like music that is thought provoking and slow so you can actually understand the idea behind what is being said. I also like that his song is very straight forward. There is no need to try to understand what he is saying; it is very clear and easy to listen to.
Overall I believe that the worldview of each song is obviously very different. I would say that Macklemore appeals most to the mass public. The biggest relation between thrift shop and the Bruno Mars song is that Bruno Mars is also appealing most to the mass public. However, in much different ways. Bruno Mar's song is a little more personal and yet still can appeal to the majority of people. However, Macklemore's song is slightly more political and while it has a large crowd of fans for that song, has a whole different claim and purpose to it. I believe their world views are different just in the aspect of the genre and public they are speaking to. Even though, they might not even really fit in the worldview they are singing/rapping about. They may just be appealing to the crowd they are trying to reach out to. So maybe that is why Macklemore's song is more popular than the Le Butcheress song. Then again, maybe it seems more popular because of the public that I am in. Personally however, I would relate more towards Macklemore's world view in the political sense and emotionally in Bruno Mars. And most likely not much in the Le Butcheress song.
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