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Provide a 250 word response to the videos below. Include an analysis of three major themes of each and include a comparison to some of the readings you've covered in Wise & Crass or the Reader. Enjoy their creative methods of communication. :)
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31 Comments
Vanessa Fernandez
11/21/2014 10:48:26 am
One of the themes I picked up in the video are stereo types. Both videos state how their appearance does not define what they are, that just because they have slanted eyes does not mean they are Chinese. This is a judgement that happens on a daily basis by people who do not understand the difference between ethnicities. I am hispanic which does not automatically make me mexican. My mother is from Mexico which is part of North America and my father is from Nicaragua which is Central America. It may not sound like a big deal but it offends me when someone says they both are the same thing. Both countries have different cultures and both speak spanish but have different lingo. People are constantly being put in a box and being forced to conform to one thing which defines who they are.This brings me to the second theme diversity. Like the woman in the video said "I am not one thing or the other". Tim Wise explains in his book that whites hold ninety percent of all management level jobs in this country. If we live in a country as diverse as ours why is it that minorities are being represented so poorly in areas of importance like jobs and universities? Another theme brought up was language. In the yellow rage video the girl says "I am not your personal translator", she also asks if you want to know so bad what I'm saying why dont you learn the language yourself?, this brings up a good point that our country is browning and in order to stay relevant you must educate yourself about other cultures.
Arnulfo Gembe
11/22/2014 11:35:06 am
As unfortunate as it is that is the stereotype of most Hispanic people in the Bay Area and especially in San Jose, if you are even slightly brown or you know how to speak Spanish you are immediately labeled Mexican. As I got older I did start to realize that not every Latino or Latina in San Jose is Mexican. You also bring up how it is offensive when people categorize Mexico and Nicaragua and for that matter other Latin American countries to be the same thing. Every country is rich in culture in its own unique manner.
Tiffany Le
11/23/2014 12:28:54 pm
Hey Vanessa. I like the fact you quoted from Tim Wise's book. Not only are people of color underrepresented in certain jobs or in schools but also Asians in particular face the bamboo ceiling for management jobs. The reason for this may vary from what is valued in Asian culture to stereotypes that typecast Asians as submissive workers or to racism. Education will eliminate misinformation and can help heal our society.
Alexander Salah
11/25/2014 11:39:17 am
Vanessa, I can agree with your post, partially because we have the same opinions on themes from the video. I think stereotyping is somewhat of a false judgment we make on a daily basis towards people who we might not completely even understand. We have to stop the stereotyping because it can have a large impact on peoples emotional state without us even realizing it. I’ve been trying to think of ways for us to combat this issue but so far I have not come up with any feasible options. Either way, emotions are fragile things and we should be mindful of how people feel when they are falsely read.
Hakwoo Kim
11/27/2014 04:10:51 pm
Hi Venessa! Your point about stereotype was very relatable as you brought up your personal experiences as well. Same thing here, I get comments like "are you Chinese?" by the way I look I guess. Stereotype really ignores the complexity of individual and defines them in one category. I think respectful way to address difference in this diverse society would be simply asking and having genuine inquiry about the person, rather than assuming what they are and putting them into the box we already have of them.
Dylan SanFilippo
11/28/2014 12:25:41 pm
I like how you put in that the sisters from yellow rage say that they are not peoples’ personal translators. If someone is communicating with someone else in a different language, then it is not their responsibility to translate everything that is said in different languages, it is only their responsibility to speak English if they are speaking to someone who speaks English.
Jason Do
12/2/2014 06:25:54 pm
It was definitely enlightening to have the point brought up that people of color aren't obliged to translate their conversations for white people. I had passed it off as being normal until attention was brought to it, but now, it just seems so obvious. It makes me wonder just how much of this racist culture has been ingrained into my subconscious and if there is anything I can do about it.
Karla O'Connor
11/21/2014 11:29:33 am
“Yellow Rage” encompasses the stereotypes of Asian women, colonization, and the sexualization of Asians, or in other words, how society perceives them to be due to popular culture. I enjoyed watching this because their anger is portrayed through their words and gestures. In their entire performance, they talk about misconceptions of race, in being Asian means understanding the culture, language, and “colonization around the Asian world.” They throw out words such as: Saigon, Hiroshima, demilitarized zones, no chinese or dogs allowed in reference to the historical context behind being “Asian,” but even behind these social and political factors, society has portrayed Asian women as “sexual” or “submissive.” The media, especially in music videos, has socialized society to only see these characteristics in Asian women. This contributes to the misinformation and misconceptions of race, all due to what popular culture has influenced us to think about. The two women talk about how men think by speaking in their language, they can get at them. They use words that are probably seen in television, therefore mocking the language and basically insulting these women. Their performance is really powerful and has given me insight into the perspectives of an Asian woman.
Arnulfo Gembe
11/22/2014 11:49:39 am
I like how you brought up the theme of society putting you into this box where you may not even identify yourself with anything inside of the box. Take for instance names, John Smith and John Jackson, I am sure most people will identify Smith with a Caucasian and Jackson with an African American. Just by purely looking at an individuals last name you feel like you already know that person without actually meeting them.
Karla O'Connor
11/22/2014 03:55:35 pm
Thank you so much for pointing that out because as you might have noticed my last name is O'Connor and without meeting me you might think I am white, but when you actually see me you might be confused. Due to my Irish ancestral line, I pretty much am though. There are so much factors to look at in race and ethnicity, this class has helped me break these barriers of perception and instead understanding people for who they really are.
Vanessa Fernandez
11/23/2014 05:48:44 am
I can really relate to what you wrote. Being mixed can have its perks and it can also come with some setbacks. You mentioned the media only covers some sides to a certain race and I believe that is what causes most stereotypes that we hear. The lack of knowledge about these different cultures creates biased opinions and misinterpretations.
Tiffany Le
11/23/2014 12:34:26 pm
The issue of rape culture enrages me, and the number of sexual assaults that happens on college campuses is unacceptable. Chin's video reminded me of the woman who was raped at USC but when she reported the incident, the police claimed that it wasn't rape because he didn't climax even though he had penetrated her. Luckily, we have a great activist community on campus and we had the chance to stand in solidarity with Emma Sulkowicz (the Columbia student) to carry that weight!
Arnulfo Gembe
11/22/2014 11:27:04 am
In the Def Jam Poetry video, Yellow Rage, the two poets brought up the theme of being scared of a culture that isn’t yours. The poets examined the feeling of annoyance that overcomes them when they are interrupted from talking in their native tongue by someone who doesn’t understand their language. The poets state that it’s the same question every time of “what did you just say? What are you talking about?” Their response is priceless of course and they have every right to not disclose the topic of conversation. It is human nature to be afraid of a new concept that you do not understand but to be hostile towards a new concept, in this case a new culture, is unacceptable if we want society to advance. While Stayceyann Chin brings up how some individuals at their 9am – 5pm jobs are forced to fit into a mold that society deems acceptable and nonthreatening. Take for instance people who work in an office environment, most men wear a suit while women wear dresses or suits. However after 5pm all of those individuals are free to dress and be their true selves because most jobs restrict individuals from freely expressing who they are. Lastly, Chin brings up how that “blonde hair blue eyed Jesus in the Vatican aint right,” (Chin) this can be compared to Wise’s concept of white privilege. Why is it that most pamphlets or paintings of Jesus portray him as a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes? Because we as a society have come to accept that any association with the color white must mean good while any association with anything else but white must mean bad.
Alexander Salah
11/25/2014 11:43:55 am
Arnie, I like how you state that the two performers brought up how people can get scared of a culture that seems so different from your own. Language played a large role in people perceiving me as different. I was not completely sure what people were thinking when I spoke my native language, but I was not filled with optimism when looking at their faces. People can get nervous or afraid when they do not understand something and that makes us human. But people should not come to conclusions so fast about something they might not understand.
Hakwoo Kim
11/27/2014 04:19:51 pm
Hi Arnulfo! I am not sure if I understood your correctly. Are you saying it is too hostile to accuse people to be curious about what other talk about in their native tongue? I was just not sure of that part. But I was wondering what's so wrong with asking that question. Like you said, it seems to be our genuine nature of curiosity.
So Chun Kiu Ryan
11/29/2014 06:58:48 am
Your response helped me to understand the video clip more, especially for how you interpreted the first video! I totally agree with you that it is a human nature to be afraid of new concepts and cultures, but in our modern diverse society, I believe that people should be working on understanding and respecting different cultures. In most occasion when people encounter new cultures and concepts, they would only view it from their perspectives and don't attempt to learn. The reluctance to break the cultural barriers barred us from living as one. I think people have to understand the importance of making effort to unite the whole society. It benefits everyone and makes our world a better place to live.
Nicole Cheng
11/30/2014 01:58:33 am
I feel like the unknown procures a lot of responses, like curiosity, intrigue, and (most commonly) fear. Which is why I particularly enjoyed the mention of the 9-5 job, and it's pulls for conformity, because the same pull appears everywhere. Perhaps it is when we "decide" that a particular way is better do our actions change. (referencing depiction of asian women as oriental vs. the depiction of blacks as history has-- in comparison to the default person you mentioned); both are "foreign", but both procure different responses.
Jason Do
12/2/2014 06:22:27 pm
I never really thought about the whole Jesus wasn't a white guy thing, but now that it;s been brought up, it's so blatantly obvious. Jesus came from the Middle East, so why is a white guy? Definitely it reminds me of the concept of the default person.
Vanessa Fernadez
11/23/2014 05:57:43 am
I like that you bring up when the poets talk about being questioned when they speak in their language. Unfortunately for me I have experienced this personally and have been asked not to speak anything other than english because the people around me who do not speak spanish feel ''insecure''. Its interesting how you related the video to white priviledge I never really thought about how that tied into these poems.
Tiffany Le
11/23/2014 06:30:30 am
In “Yellow Rage”, three themes present in the video are stereotyping and misinformation, colonization, and exoticism. These two women address the stereotypes about Asians that leads to people being misinformed about Asian culture. For example, Asian women are sexualized and are seen as submissive. A band called Day Above Ground made a music video “honoring” Asian women; however, the music video contains stereotypes about Asian women like Asians owning nail salons, eating sticky rice, and having “ninja pussies” (contains explicit language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KgnlTdmmkE). Asians in the media are usually presented as nerds, martial arts masters, or crazy people. In this case, Asian women are fetishized. Media has a major influence on people and how they think; poor representation in the media will negatively impact the group as a whole. Also, the two women in “Yellow Rage” discuss the issue of colonization across Asia. America seems to act as the police of the world trying to “save” other countries/cultures, which appears in films such as Pocahontas and Avatar. This “savior complex” may stem from white supremacy. Like Chris Crass has said, “it colonizes your mind” like how America attempts to colonize the world. Both of these women spoke about many issues in this short 3 minute clip.
Karla O'Connor
11/23/2014 10:19:13 am
I appreciate that you referenced Day Above Ground in "Yellow Rage." I actually viewed that music video in my ICS 22: Contemporary Issues in the Asian American Communities class, and it really gave me a different perspective in how the media contributes to portray Asian people as only this. This video really disgusted me because the band is basically objectifying Asian women, therefore furthering this cycle of oppression.
Alexander Salah
11/25/2014 11:34:04 am
In Yellow Rage-Deaf dam poetry, the two performers convey their message of how the world views them as people and as Asians through stereotypical lenses. It is important to accept people for who they are even if they sound different or speak a language other then English. I can relate to this video because at 1:45 one performer starts speaking of language and how people view her when speaking in her native tongue. She seems angered that people wonder what she is saying whenever she speaks her language and the response she had was to go learn it yourself if you care that much. When I speak Arabic around people or just say small phrases people look at me differently. I am not sure if they are nervous that I am speaking Arabic, or if they think I am talking shit about them and they cannot understand. Either way, people should mind their own business when it comes to people speaking their native tongue because it is a cultural thing and something I never want to lose. If people get uncomfortable because they cannot understand what I’m talking about then maybe they should go learn the language I speak. I understand that we live in America and English is usually what people try to speak, but there are many different cultures and that is what makes America so special. There are many concepts from Crass and Wise that relate to this video, but one of the more obvious themes is racial stereotyping. Racial stereotyping occurs on a daily basis all over the world in all systems of society. When you break down the barrier of people’s cultural or societal identity, it really makes a difference in how they take criticism. We should be mindful as well as aware that stereotypes can cause major problems in peoples lives. Over all, I love how enthusiastic these performers are and how they express so much anger in a Humorous way for people. It makes people realize the differences many people share in this world whether through language, culture, or food. These poetry performers show so much emotion and do not shy away from real issues and that is what I like most about this video.
So Chun Kiu Ryan
11/29/2014 06:44:49 am
As an asian, I can definitely feel the same when I speak my mother tongue in America. A lot of americans seem can't be bothered to try to learn our languages. They would keep asking you the same questions about our mother tongue again and again as if you have the responsibility to answer them, but they have never had the intention to understand it at all. Anyway, I am pretty open to translating our language to them if they have good intentions. It helps them to know about our cultures and understand each other more.
Nicole Cheng
11/27/2014 09:54:57 am
The poem Yellow Rage identified the themes of yellow fever, identity, and social perception-- things which are influenced by the media-- a tool Wise and Crass comment upon as misleading. The two speakers touch on how Asian culture is misrepresented. How the culture is boiled down to a few dishes, actors, and words. That by knowing dimsum and "ni hao" qualifies a person to tell another who they are and should be. How women are hyper sexualized-- seen as oriental and exotic-- as if foreign women can only be sexual objects. (though it seems to extend to all ethnicities that deviate from the "standard person" (white), it occurs excessively for the non-inclusive description of "Asia"-- Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino). Misconceptions which are so singular in form, and forget about history. Like the Japanese internment, the Vietnam war, Saigon, colonization, etc. The speakers are angry because common perception is a box of misconceptions which allow people to think they understand, without truly trying/appreciating.
Hakwoo Kim
11/27/2014 04:00:33 pm
These two rebellious videos to this limiting world really got me to think about how we should deal with each other’s difference. As watching these three women expressing their concerns and repressed anger through creativity, I became more certain about the intuitive thought that the cause of many problems in our society is our inability to open to and embrace difference.
Dylan SanFilippo
11/28/2014 12:20:08 pm
In the video titled “yellow rage” the content is exactly what the title implies. It is a few girls ranting on about the mistreatment that they have experienced in the states that they rightfully object to. The mistreatment leads the sisters to such a point of rage that one says, “My tongue is split. It will puncture and bleed you.” This assault can only come from one who has been hurt and mistreated by the sad society that surrounds them. The sisters in the video have such a deep hatred for the treatment they have received that they take every opportunity to cuss out anyone who takes an interest in their culture. It is sad that there is such an amount of disapproval in this country to lead people to such a point of distain and hate. Many people such as Tim Wise work to end racism so this never occurs. The pain continues with Syayceyann Chin’s poetry. In her stand-up poetry she says, “At night I am everything I fear: tears and sorrows, black windows and muffled screams.” If does not make it clear that there is trauma and mistreatment in her life, then I don’t know what would make it clear. Wise and Crass say that those of color are assumed to be up to no good simply because they are regularly seen as and portrayed as ne’er-do-wells. This cycle of institutionalized racism must come to a halt if we wish minorities to enjoy their lives in this country.
Nicole Cheng
11/30/2014 02:10:29 am
I completely missed the significance of the portion "at night I am everything I fear..."; I took it to mean that a person is not so simple, and is everything and nothing... that they do embody the things the fear, and it is suffocating. (eg. if a person wanted to be "good", but inevitably has a portion of themselves that is "bad"...)
So Chun Kiu Ryan
11/28/2014 03:06:44 pm
In the video “Yellow Rage”, 2 Asian performers expressed their anger towards the racial mistreatments and preconceptions. In United States, oppressions against Asian are extremely common. Firstly, most of them have never attempted to understand our cultural difference. Instead, they would try to only value Asian culture and language from their perspective and make fun of it. For instance, like what the performers said, many Americans would never try to learn different languages. They would only keep asking Asian what do they talk about or try to mimic our language by making ridiculous noises. In addition to lack of effort to understand Asian culture, they create various kinds of stereotypes about Asian. Such as Asians are naturally good at math, Asians are bad at sports, Asians women are timid…etc. Some negative stereotypes like all Chinese eat dog meat can be really disrespectful to us since they only assume people of yellow skin color must be Chinese, Japanese or Korean. These behavior can be so annoying and disrespectful. Unfortunately, most of them today still fail to realize how harmful it can be due to lack of understanding.
Jason Do
12/2/2014 06:11:00 pm
Cultural appropriation, stereotypes, and exoticism.
Bojana Cvijic
12/2/2014 08:30:07 pm
Yellow rage was an amazing spoken word. The women performing it really touched upon everything people (women) of asian descent face; cultural appropriation, exoticism, stereotypes, racism, discrimination, etc. It talks about the imperialism of this nation and the wars it has created in Asian countries such as Vietnam. Mentioning the colonizing ways of not only the states but the west.
Laura Pino-Flores
12/7/2014 02:09:18 pm
The first video spoke about an outsider trying to invade the privacy of asians and perceive them a certain way just because they know some history and society’s views on them. The second one talked about rape culture and society’s views on how you should look like depending on your race and gender. It also talked about diversity and how asia is not one big race. One of the questions I have received multiple times is “what are you?” which is a pretty broad question to ask, but I simply respond with my ethnicity, Mexican, because that is usually what they mean. However, what does it matter what I am whether it is my ethnicity, biological sex, or gender, none of that should change the way you perceive me. In this society to some it does matter because they feel the need to place you in that box and if you do not fit you become an outcast. It should not matter what you are and you should not try to invade the privacy of others you do not know because who are you to ask such things as to translate or ask about history when you can do so on your own as the first video mentioned. Leave a Reply. |
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