First, I went and looked up a little on his books and viewed a couple of videos of Dyson. I'd almost forgotten how intense and opinionated he is. I thought I'd put up some YouTube videos from some of his TV appearances so those less familiar can get an idea of what he's like.
But I want to warn you. He speaks in very frank and potentially offensive terms - and by that I don't mean to say that he uses profanity. What I mean is that he makes little effort to shield the harshest of criticisms from those who disagree with him. As I read his words or listen to him speak, I often think "Whoa, calm down just a little bit. Maybe you should do a little more showing and a little less telling." But I'm (trying to be) a journalist and he's not, so maybe it's OK for him.
I want to stress that I don't agree with everything he says here, but it seems like a good starting point for discussion.
On a related note, I thought of a couple of other points about the question from his website, "Is Hip Hop good or bad for the culture at large?"
Michael Eric Dyson's website
* Is it possible for it to be bad for the culture but good for the people of that culture? Put another way, maybe Hip Hop, despite its relative commercial acceptance, still carries enough of a novel edge to shake people out of complacency and represent those that are unheard otherwise. The best of Hip Hop might be thought of as a threat to the status quo, and thereby "bad" for "the culture," but because lending voices to the voiceless is itself a threat to the culture as it is. Maybe being "bad for the culture" is something to be applauded.
* This may seem random, but something about the other responses I saw on his site reminded me of a piece of theology I studied in Sunday School and college religion classes.
Some theologians argue that evil is "noncreative." The idea is that creation is a positive activity that evil is incapable of. All evil can do is corrupt or pervert something that is "originally" or fundamentally good. Good creates man; all evil can do is corrupt that man. Good creates beauty, all evil can do is corrupt it into ugliness. Darkness is merely the negation of light, not a material or energy of it's own, etc. etc. In many Western and Middle Eastern traditions, bad requires good to survive, while good doesn't necessarily require bad (Eastern thought often places them on more equal footing).
What the heck does this have to do with Hip Hop? Maybe it's negative trends (criminality, misogyny, violence, etc.) only have potency because they are drawn from a positive source. For instance, maybe the only reason people identify with gangsters in Hip Hop is because they are a perversion of a culture that, on a more fundamental level, imbues a sense of self agency and identity to those that have trouble finding their human identity affirmed by the culture around them in other ways. Maybe the violence is only compelling because it draws on the sense of justified anger and/or righteous indignation that helped form the core of Hip Hop's expression.
Or maybe I'm just full of it. The rest of you out there are probably a better judge than me.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Know What I Mean.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to relay something that was passed on to me. Michael Eric Dyson is visiting XU on Nov 14. I would really be interested in attending that event - it sounds pretty interesting.
I have to admit that I haven't sat down and read the entirety of any of Dyson's books (I've seen them and thumbed through them a little). But I'm confident it will be interesting based on various articles and TV appearances I've seen him in. He's known for approaching Hip Hop culture with a very thoughtful and academic approach that I know I've rarely seen among other intellectuals.
Ok Geoff... try to say something deep...
On Dyson's website there's an opportunity to post your response to a question someone, I presume Dyson, is asking visitors. The question: "Is Hip Hop good or bad for the culture at large?"
I'm trying to come up with an appropriate way to respond. My first thought is that the question itself trivializes the scope and variety of Hip Hop. How often do we hear people asking if radio is "good or bad for the culture" or if television is "good or bad for the culture." People would obviously say "Some of it is and some of it isn't." Perhaps we're being overly simplistic in trying to reduce Hip Hop into narrow terms like this. It's far more useful to discuss what trends in Hip Hop are positive and what trends are negative. The way it reveals the dark, underexposed corners of the most prosperous nation to ever exist on the planet - America - seems to me to be a good thing. While not all of Hip Hop expresses it, there is definitely a trend toward misogyny and homophobia in a lot of Hip Hop culture. That's definitely a bad thing.
It's kind of like when people try to ask questions about "the media" as if it's a single entity, as if The Wall Street Jorunal and The Devil Wears Prada and Ken Burns documentaries and Maxim Magazine and Heroes could all be painted with the same brush. The question itself implies a lack of depth. But of course it's easy to poke holes in what other people say rather than say something yourself.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
I have to admit that I haven't sat down and read the entirety of any of Dyson's books (I've seen them and thumbed through them a little). But I'm confident it will be interesting based on various articles and TV appearances I've seen him in. He's known for approaching Hip Hop culture with a very thoughtful and academic approach that I know I've rarely seen among other intellectuals.
Ok Geoff... try to say something deep...
On Dyson's website there's an opportunity to post your response to a question someone, I presume Dyson, is asking visitors. The question: "Is Hip Hop good or bad for the culture at large?"
I'm trying to come up with an appropriate way to respond. My first thought is that the question itself trivializes the scope and variety of Hip Hop. How often do we hear people asking if radio is "good or bad for the culture" or if television is "good or bad for the culture." People would obviously say "Some of it is and some of it isn't." Perhaps we're being overly simplistic in trying to reduce Hip Hop into narrow terms like this. It's far more useful to discuss what trends in Hip Hop are positive and what trends are negative. The way it reveals the dark, underexposed corners of the most prosperous nation to ever exist on the planet - America - seems to me to be a good thing. While not all of Hip Hop expresses it, there is definitely a trend toward misogyny and homophobia in a lot of Hip Hop culture. That's definitely a bad thing.
It's kind of like when people try to ask questions about "the media" as if it's a single entity, as if The Wall Street Jorunal and The Devil Wears Prada and Ken Burns documentaries and Maxim Magazine and Heroes could all be painted with the same brush. The question itself implies a lack of depth. But of course it's easy to poke holes in what other people say rather than say something yourself.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
Monday, October 29, 2007
From Russia With Love
Something is definitely rotten in the state of Russia. I've heard bits and pieces in various news stories about how some where saying President Vladimir Putin is subverting the Russian constitution and making moves to stay in power despite the fact that his term as president is soon coming to an end.
This is obviously important because it might mean the decay of democracy in a major world power that still possesses nuclear weapons. But what really grabbed my attention on an emotional level was the murder of Anna Politikovskaya. She and a number of other journalists that dared to report on things that cast the Kremlin or Putin in a negative light have "mysteriously" been murdered or come up missing. A lot of people (including me) think the Kremlin is behind most of these "unsolved" deaths and disappearances.
The whole thing has made me think about what I would be willing to sacrifice to be the sort of journalist that really serves the democratic purpose journalists are supposed to serve.
I'm thinking about this right now because of what I heard on NPR's "Fresh Air" earlier today (yes, I do know that makes me a huge nerd). Garry Kasparov, former Chess Champion and leader of an opposition coalition called "Other Russia," was the guest. I realize that he is running for president against Putin, so much of what he said couldn't exactly be seen as coming from a neutral source, but I really started to feel a sense of urgency about the situation in Russia after hearing his comments. Protests are being broken up by enormous police deployments, it's becoming increasingly difficult for opposition parties to get candidates on ballots, and the coverage of opposition parties by journalists in newspapers and television is severely limited. Free speech is essential for democracy to work, and it seems to be breaking down in Russia. Kasparov perseveres despite all of this, and I admit I was impressed with his resolve.
It all reminded me of a brief conversation I had a few months ago with an acquaintance from Russia. She had told me that she studied journalism in Russia before coming to the U.S., so I asked her about the accusations being leveled at Putin. She gave me a very odd, stiff response before hastily changing the subject. I think she said something like "I actually think the problem in Russia right now is that there is too much freedom." I'm unsure to this day whether her response represented her genuine opinion, something that was lost in translation, or her continuing fear of reprisals, even here in America.
I guess I'm just rambling now, so I better wrap this up. Don't take your responsibility as journalists for granted, and appreciate your ability to speak truth to power through the press. We've all met up with people that are hostile to what we're trying to do as journalists, but I'd wager none of us have had to worry too much about being gunned down by former KGB or detained while covering a civil street protest. When you hear about this stuff, remember that these are real people they're talking about - maybe even our friends and coworkers. I, for one, hope we remain committed to making sure it never gets that way for us.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
This is obviously important because it might mean the decay of democracy in a major world power that still possesses nuclear weapons. But what really grabbed my attention on an emotional level was the murder of Anna Politikovskaya. She and a number of other journalists that dared to report on things that cast the Kremlin or Putin in a negative light have "mysteriously" been murdered or come up missing. A lot of people (including me) think the Kremlin is behind most of these "unsolved" deaths and disappearances.
The whole thing has made me think about what I would be willing to sacrifice to be the sort of journalist that really serves the democratic purpose journalists are supposed to serve.
I'm thinking about this right now because of what I heard on NPR's "Fresh Air" earlier today (yes, I do know that makes me a huge nerd). Garry Kasparov, former Chess Champion and leader of an opposition coalition called "Other Russia," was the guest. I realize that he is running for president against Putin, so much of what he said couldn't exactly be seen as coming from a neutral source, but I really started to feel a sense of urgency about the situation in Russia after hearing his comments. Protests are being broken up by enormous police deployments, it's becoming increasingly difficult for opposition parties to get candidates on ballots, and the coverage of opposition parties by journalists in newspapers and television is severely limited. Free speech is essential for democracy to work, and it seems to be breaking down in Russia. Kasparov perseveres despite all of this, and I admit I was impressed with his resolve.
It all reminded me of a brief conversation I had a few months ago with an acquaintance from Russia. She had told me that she studied journalism in Russia before coming to the U.S., so I asked her about the accusations being leveled at Putin. She gave me a very odd, stiff response before hastily changing the subject. I think she said something like "I actually think the problem in Russia right now is that there is too much freedom." I'm unsure to this day whether her response represented her genuine opinion, something that was lost in translation, or her continuing fear of reprisals, even here in America.
I guess I'm just rambling now, so I better wrap this up. Don't take your responsibility as journalists for granted, and appreciate your ability to speak truth to power through the press. We've all met up with people that are hostile to what we're trying to do as journalists, but I'd wager none of us have had to worry too much about being gunned down by former KGB or detained while covering a civil street protest. When you hear about this stuff, remember that these are real people they're talking about - maybe even our friends and coworkers. I, for one, hope we remain committed to making sure it never gets that way for us.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The Wisdom of Jay Stowe, part 1
As a Cincinnati Magazine intern, I occasionally have the pleasure of having lunch or coffee with one of the more experienced journalists there. I try to take notes and learn as much as I can during these brief advisory sessions, and I usually emerge with some interesting things to think about. My most recent meeting was with Jay Stowe, the editor of the magazine.
We talked for a while about whole lot of things, but there was one particular insight he shared with me that I thought might be of interest to the rest of you.
After having talked about his many past experiences in journalism, which include working at Spin, Esquire, and The New York Observer, I asked him something that had long been on my mind. If I remember correctly, I said something like:
"Do you ever get to the point where you generally feel like 'Yeah, I'm pretty good at this?' I mean, most of the time when I finish writing something, I find myself thinking 'Does this suck? Do I suck?' Do you ever get to the point where you know for sure that you're consistently good at writing?"
Stowe responded by saying that the sense of self doubt I was talking about was actually a good thing. He said the anxiety pushes writers to get better and continue to challenge themselves. Having worked at big New York periodicals with journalists that thought of themselves as "great writers," Stowe had seen what happens when writers get so full of themselves they assume they can just phone it in without pouring the hard work into it that a less confident writer would. The result would often be really crappy writing from people with huge reputations and even bigger egos.
Feeling that anxiety, he explained, meant that the writer still cares about his work. When you think your Superman and don't care, it comes through in your writing - readers can sense the apathy radiating off of the page.
Maybe in some ways, suspecting you're a failure can actually be a good thing. Something to think about.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
We talked for a while about whole lot of things, but there was one particular insight he shared with me that I thought might be of interest to the rest of you.
After having talked about his many past experiences in journalism, which include working at Spin, Esquire, and The New York Observer, I asked him something that had long been on my mind. If I remember correctly, I said something like:
"Do you ever get to the point where you generally feel like 'Yeah, I'm pretty good at this?' I mean, most of the time when I finish writing something, I find myself thinking 'Does this suck? Do I suck?' Do you ever get to the point where you know for sure that you're consistently good at writing?"
Stowe responded by saying that the sense of self doubt I was talking about was actually a good thing. He said the anxiety pushes writers to get better and continue to challenge themselves. Having worked at big New York periodicals with journalists that thought of themselves as "great writers," Stowe had seen what happens when writers get so full of themselves they assume they can just phone it in without pouring the hard work into it that a less confident writer would. The result would often be really crappy writing from people with huge reputations and even bigger egos.
Feeling that anxiety, he explained, meant that the writer still cares about his work. When you think your Superman and don't care, it comes through in your writing - readers can sense the apathy radiating off of the page.
Maybe in some ways, suspecting you're a failure can actually be a good thing. Something to think about.
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Life Is Always a Matter of Choice
“You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins”
-Bob Dyaln, “Masters of War”
The anti-abortion display The Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) presented the other day on the green in front of McMicken was pretty disturbing. The worst part wasn’t the blood and guts of dismembered fetuses. I recently read something about the current situation in
No, this time what really made my heart sink was how willing both sides of the abortion debate are to believe the worst about each other. As a churchgoer with left-wing political leanings, I’ve gotten to know plenty of Pro-Choice people. None of them are anti-life. I also know a lot of Pro-Life people. None of them are anti-choice.
Despite our vast resources, we live in a society in which large numbers of pregnant women feel so alone and uncared for that they feel abortion is the lesser of two evils. In my mind, that reveals a very deep and widespread injustice. And it isn’t like the people screaming at each other over photos of fetuses would have you believe. This is something the vast majority of Americans have a huge problem with. All of us, on both sides, are more than capable of compassion.
American politicians are playing some scandalous political games with the issue of abortion, and a lot of us are taking the bait. Sure, if you ask a random sampling of people “Are you ‘pro-life,’ ‘pro-choice’ or something in between,” you might (seemingly) get a pretty divided group. But what if you ask that same random sampling “Would you favor constructing a coherent social safety net that bolsters programs that help vulnerable pregnant women and have been proven to reduce abortion rates?"
This safety net would include helping young and/or poor pregnant women and mothers get good child care and good jobs, eliminating violence against pregnant women, reliably providing every vulnerable mother and child with health care, empowering every woman to make healthy sexual choices for themselves, and lessening the stigma of being a single mother. I think you’d get almost universal support for an effort like that. When you ask those that are in the trenches with pregnant women, from Planned Parenthood to pregnancy ministries, this is where the real work gets done.
I know there are private organizations all over the country, some faith-based and some secular, attempting to do things like this on a woman by woman basis. But these well-meaning groups simply don’t have the resources to deal with the millions of people these issues effect.
Interesting fact. The abortion rate has been falling for years. But the abortion rate actually fell more quickly under Clinton (the “pro-choice” president”) than it did under Bush (the “pro-life” president). Effectively reducing abortion is about creating an atmosphere in which women and children in vulnerable positions know that they are surrounded by people who will catch them when they fall. I’m not saying
The supposed tug of war over Roe v. Wade has made relatively little serious progress in either direction for decades. But it does provide the political theater Democrats and Republicans thrive on. Addressing real problems is scary for those that prefer empty posturing. You see, facing facts might require demanding something from the rich and making social security as much of a priority as national security.
If we really mobilized our resources to care for the weak and marginalized in our society (even if that means forcing the hand of the rich and powerful), the specific legalities of what doctors do in individual women’s wombs would seem like relatively minor details. This is particularly true when one considers the fact that making abortion illegal is a far cry from eliminating abortion (some have credibly argued it could even increase the number of abortions). These issues would be dwarfed by a whole social movement that fights against the sexual exploitation of women, tries to provide adequate health care for all, and strives to truly become a society where it’s safe to be a child.
Caring for the weak is a way for all of us to collectively choose life. Do we have the moral and spiritual strength to do it?
~Geoffrey Dobbins
Vice President, UCABJ
Friday, October 26, 2007
THANK YOU!
HAPPY FRIDAY!
UCABJ would like to send a very special thank you to each and every student, staff member and professional journalist that came out to support and participate in the UCABJ Career Panel Discussion on last night. For all of the journalism students that were present, we hope you've learned something and can take the advice and knowledge you gained yesterday evening with you wherever you go. Keep shining! To each professional journalist, thank you for reaching out to us and helping us continue to be successful. We need you! Thank you and we look forward to working with you in the future. To all journalism and English department staff members, thank you so much! We need you, too, and we hope we're making you all proud of us!
Now for everyone that missed it, shame on you! Just kidding...(no, truthfully, you should have been there!) Stay tuned for the official Career Panel Discussion recap complete with pictures and responses from some of our special guests from last night! Post your comments and responses. And keep listening out for THE SIREN.
UCABJ Executive Board
Make your voice heard!
UCABJ would like to send a very special thank you to each and every student, staff member and professional journalist that came out to support and participate in the UCABJ Career Panel Discussion on last night. For all of the journalism students that were present, we hope you've learned something and can take the advice and knowledge you gained yesterday evening with you wherever you go. Keep shining! To each professional journalist, thank you for reaching out to us and helping us continue to be successful. We need you! Thank you and we look forward to working with you in the future. To all journalism and English department staff members, thank you so much! We need you, too, and we hope we're making you all proud of us!
Now for everyone that missed it, shame on you! Just kidding...(no, truthfully, you should have been there!) Stay tuned for the official Career Panel Discussion recap complete with pictures and responses from some of our special guests from last night! Post your comments and responses. And keep listening out for THE SIREN.
UCABJ Executive Board
Make your voice heard!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
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