Ethnic ghettos and "pop culture"
By way of revealing a little about myself. I live in a New York City neighborhood that is some 99% Negro and/or mulatto. It is interesting that the unwashed cretins who populate this place look like they jumped off the screen of a "Fifty-Cent" rap video, tilted baseball caps maladjusted just right, same barking slang "Yo! Yo! Yo!", reminds one of a yelping chihuahua.
Anyway, I am not here to complain of what I see, only to take note of how the sheep consume all that is given to them. One must analyze music , since it is often the catalyst cultureless empty people cling to , in order to find something to call their own.
How do I deal with it? By being non-conformist. By listening either to the Western classics or to traditional Greek music. Speaking of which there is a blog that ruminates on the issue of music and who creates it. Follow the money and you will find its master, or so goes the old adage.
Anyway, I am not here to complain of what I see, only to take note of how the sheep consume all that is given to them. One must analyze music , since it is often the catalyst cultureless empty people cling to , in order to find something to call their own.
How do I deal with it? By being non-conformist. By listening either to the Western classics or to traditional Greek music. Speaking of which there is a blog that ruminates on the issue of music and who creates it. Follow the money and you will find its master, or so goes the old adage.
4 Comments:
Hey athelfe. I know how you feel. I live in New Jersey and I cannot stand rap music and the brainwashing effects of pop music too.
The problem with American music is that it is too overcommercialized. Rap music used to be meaningful and poetic before music companies saturated it with useless garbage and market values (i.e. mansions, women, fancy cars, and money). If rappers wake up and go back to their poetic roots, then that would be a good thing. Freedom of expression does not entail talking with a brainwashed mind.
Well, rap, was meaningful to those who created and it, and soon was co-opted by those who control what we see and buy worldwide- who for sake of curtness we can name "the system" and soon was re-packaged made to sell wisdom on what brand of soap one should buy--figuratively speaking.
America , by and large, has two kinds of marketed cultures "black" and "white" It is utterly meaningless for one who does not belong to either culture , in America, or in anywhere else in the world to bother.
I notice in your blogger profile that you enjoy Cretan traditional music....
Your statements are very true. It is sad really to see the U.S. not harken back to the days when music was made for the enjoyment of the populace rather than to make money.
Yes, I love Cretan music. It makes me feel as if I am fighting in the mountains alongside Daskalogiannis and the Sphakiots.
My family is Greek-Cypriot, Cretan, and Smyrniot. However, I see myself as 100% Greek and find the island of Crete to be the best place in Greece only because I have many childhood memories there.
Do you listen to Cretan music athelfe? Or do you prefer to listen to Greek traditional music from a different area?
I like windpipes , so I like clarino,my favorite region is Epiros for music.
I also listen to Rembetika although its not technically traditional.
There was a famous Cretan lyra player who came to NYC and played in "City Center" a few months ago. Did you see him?
I wish there was a place where we could get updates on where Greek traditional music is played and when in NYC. Checking the diaspora press regularly is the only way I know to find out. If there are any venues coming to NYC soon, then please let me know.
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