Song: Independent women
Artist: Destiny’s child
Concepts/Theory: Feminism/ Material culture
Discussion:
Feminists are some of the most feared individuals in the world due to their power, intelligence and determination. Beyoncé is one of those individuals who has had the power during the long years of her career to introduce feminism in popular North American culture. A personal favorite, “Independent Women” by Destiny’s child possesses the most powerful feminist lyrics. This songs brings up a few questions about the role of independent women. Mostly importantly, why should women have to depend on men to get what they want? Why should women feel a need to wait for men? Why can’t women do what they want and believe in themselves to get where
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In this song, “Stan”, Eminem is able to highlight the main issues through the eyes of others. Why is it that Eminem is being judged through the eyes of others when he has spent his life defending himself through lyrics? Why is it that Eminem is looking at a mirror that is actually reflecting back images of other people’s perspectives? He is rapping a letter about the problems people have had with him that he already knows along with this own personal experiences. This song, however, ties into the Looking Glass Self aspect of sociology because he is writing to himself about his struggles and the assumptions people have about him. The Looking Glass Self aspect of sociology looks at how we see ourselves from how we believe others see us. Eminem proves this especially when he said: “C’mon, how f***** up is you? You got some issues Stan; I think you need some counseling. I really think you and your girlfriend need each other. Or maybe you just need to treat her better.” This depicts the “Looking Glass Self” concept perfectly. One person is telling how mentally unstable he is and that he needs help, another person is telling him that he needs to be with his girlfriend, and another person is telling him that he needs to treat his girlfriend better. This is an exact illustration if he were to be standing in front of mirrors and each mirror would be displaying a different image of him through …show more content…
However, by examining through the sociological lens in this course, one can learn that this song is specifically discussing about displaying deviant behaviour, social norm conformation as well as violation, marriage, divorce, and so on. Bruno Mars’ expanded on the choice of marriage because our society we tend to idolize marriage or wedding as something perfect. Something a girl plans ever since she first sees a wedding dress. It is a rite of passage to some cultures, but this song devalues almost artificial meanings of marriage. Also, Bruno Mars illustrates deviant behaviour in the song by portraying two people getting married for “fun,” and ignoring to ask permission to marry from parents or talking about it seriously between them. This type of deviant behaviour can lead to future problems as well as lack of happiness, which can cause an affect on an individuals life. Secondly, though drinking is not viewed as violation of our social norm, being drunk to the point that they’re “trashed” and marrying someone is. In our society, marrying someone is a big commitment and is not something that they should be if they’re “trashed” or under the influence of alcohol, “dancing juice,” that they can’t make sound judgment. Marrying someone just because they’re “looking for something dumb to do,” is not only violating the social norm, it shows the minimal courtship in the relationship. It’s likely that the marriage was
On the night of December 13, 2013 Beyoncé, released her fifth self-titled album on ITunes. The album caught many people by surprise because Beyoncé did not set a date for the album, nor did she use any promotion; she did release a video on her Instagram asking her followers if they “were ready”. The buzz spread through social media like a wild fire. With no promotion or no warning, Beyoncé album took the world by storm and made it for her audience and critics to take in the album and it contents. Many people loved the album for not only its catchy songs, but also the growth and “looser” conservative Beyoncé. On the other hand many people did not feel that her album was growth, but a way to catch up to the overly sexual generation. Beyoncé has always been aware of her sexual side, pop side, and feminist side; this has been documented through her four previous albums. Yet, a lot of people have questioned if Beyoncé a feminist because of the content of her newest album. In order to answer that a person must ask him or her self; what is a feminist, why some people believe she is feminist, why others do not believe she feminist, and whether or not Beyoncé think she is a feminist.
In the stories presented by both of these writers, viewers and readers witness a dystopian world where the government controls the people, and people are conditioned to like the social class set for them, whether it be lower, middle, or upper class. Although, despite the fact that these stories have less violence because people are conditioned, this type of society is inhuman. Seeing that people should have the right to free will, and they should have the right to work themselves up despite how low they started. However, socially stabilized is not what humans are meant to be, we are meant to socialize with one another and learn from one another. In this type of society, socializing with people from different classes is not common, and different class marriage is not allowed, or marriage isn’t allowed at all.
Women and all of mankind need to live a life together, not of solitude, working towards the greater good for all. Sadly, this key concept is often discovered aftermath of mass destructions, devastations, ill treatment, in-equality, and so forth. Feminism and women’s movements were not created for women to be “bigger and better” than men, but for women to work their way up to what men have. Many misunderstood this then, and continue to do so
In her song, Caillat comments on the expectations put to women, the effects that trying to achieve them can have, and the importance of breaking free from these expectations. Feminist criticism of Caillat’s song shows that it offers empowerment to women being themselves and learning to be happy with who they are. Although the obvious central message is aimed at women, the underlying message of accepting one’s self and acknowledging that one doesn’t have to strive to meet the media’s standards can also be applied to society as a whole. Men and women alike of all ages can take this underlying message in the song and use it in their own lives in order to learn that it is okay to step outside societal norms and to not worry what others think of them.
...d independence is another great dilemma that I think many women go through, especially those in professional arenas and takes many of them a long time to resolve the two. Growing up in a matriarchal family, my mother has always instilled through actions the need for a woman to be independent. She raised my sister and I alone and I have seen her struggle with this dilemma, when she remarried. As Kolbenschlag said, often dependency is equated to domination, which is not what most women want. I think that sometimes everyone wishes that they had someone that they could lean on, especially through trying times, but that doesn't mean they want that person to take over the situation. I also do not believe that for a woman to be considered "independent" she must give up her femininity and individuality. In my opinion a male-dominated society has no authority to dictate the characteristics of femininity to a woman.
In a news about the 32 years old pop star Beyonce “Gender Equality is a Myth” (CNN Wire 13 Jan. 2014). She wrote an essay about this on Maria’s website, The Shriver Report. She wrote that we need to...
Mary Wollstonecraft, a women’s rights advocate in the year 1792 summed it up perfectly when she said, “I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.” She is describing the fight within every woman in the Feminist Movement that began in the 1700’s and extended throughout the late 20th century. This powerful motion was a drive to address the debated issues of reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women’s suffrage, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. As time has passed, feminists have pushed extremely hard to gain equal rights and respect from their male counterparts. Unfortunately in today’s world, society still puts an emphasis on a women’s exterior beauty. They emphasize it in magazines, television commercials, and even the infamous beauty pageant. The industry of beauty pageants is growing rapidly, jeopardizing the continuous work of many women’s rights advocates, throwing away the continuing efforts for equal rights (Miss America, 2011).
Minutes after her performance, celebrities started declaring themselves as feminist and what it meant. Beyoncé doing this led the conversation to a social movement that needed to occur. This leads girls of all ages to get involved in the discussion that is happening over women’s rights as a whole. Women of all ages listen to Beyoncé and for this she reaches an audience that most do not. Third -wave feminism focuses on reaching all groups of people that may other-wise be culturally divided. Lorber (2012: 305) says, “It emerged (third-wave feminism) in the 1990’s and it built on multiracial/multiethnic feminism, standpoint feminism, and postmodern feminism.” Beyoncé being a women of color she reaches a community that is otherwise ostracized for not only their sex, but also because of their color. Third -wave feminism focuses on these women. Lorber (2012:306) states, “…African American third-wave feminist want to be like them—strong, active, political, and confrontational.” After reading this section I knew that third-wave feminism was something that I was a part of because it teaches anyone to be resilient not just
The lyrics of the song- Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves by Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin, talks about women being liberated and are no longer inferior. They said in their song that “Now there was a time when they used to say That behind every great man there had to be a great woman Now in these times of change, ...
The relevance of the song was portraying that using drugs and alcohol will help you escape life situations. Regardless of how hard or tough it is. All you need to do is to get drunk or get high, than your problems will flush away. But the video don’t explain the reality of the outcome of how drugs and alcohol will or could affect your lifestyle and how it could lead you to lose your job, family and life. All it shows is the fun side of being intoxicated. Which, it raises a big flag on kids or teens that do have access to the media like the
This song implies that individual’s are violating the norms and values of society. They start the song with a verse that expresses this concern. “What’s wrong with the world, mama/ People livin’ like they ain’t got no mamas…” (lines 1-2). This makes one aware of the disobedience of values that are held in the family. Values are “standard[s] of judgment by which people decide on desirable goals and outcomes.” (Newman, 32) Another verse in this song that illustrates how society is defying norms and values is when they sing: “People killin', people dyin'/ Children hurt and you hear them cryin/ Can you practice what you preach/ And would you turn the other cheek…” (lines 50-53). These lines utter that society has failed to act in a sane and coherent way that society once viewed as correct. The actions affirm that individuals are not living up to society’s norms. Norms are similar to “rules of conduct” and suggest how an individual “should” act. (Newman, 34) In the song they question the acts that would be taken that violate certain norms. Another example of the infringement of society’s norms and values is expressed when the s...
Right away Macklemore establishes his credibility and knowledge, ethos, by stating, "When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay, 'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight" (Haggerty, Lewis, Lambert, 2102). With such a forceful statement, he shows that he can relate to this issue, which gives him the credibility that people look for in such an important topic. By speaking of personal experience, this gives the audience a closer look into his life and may feel a connection that many people might need to relate and understand the lyrics or topic of the song. With the song beginning with an anecdote about Macklemore as a third grader fearing he was gay brings a great sense of the ethos appeal. This directly illustrates society’s corruption of an innocent child’s mind with the fear of being gay and believing that being gay would be a fault. This opening anecdot...
In just a few decades The Women’s Liberation Movement has changed typical gender roles that once were never challenged or questioned. As women, those of us who identified as feminist have rebelled against the status quo and redefined what it means to be a strong and powerful woman. But at...
It has been played in many other countries and is listed in many major hit charts in those countries. It became one of her best-selling singles. Beyoncé has been singing about women’s independence since she was in the hit group “Destiny’s Child”. Many of her songs support women’s lifestyle and keep cheering up girls with her powerful and expressive vocals (Armstrong). In addition to her songs and lyrics, her beautiful appearance fascinates many female audiences and influences from teenagers to grown-ups as if she was a role model. A negative side of the video is that the video gives the impression that men are always to be blamed and women are always “victims” of the relationships, which is not
Adichie was born in Nigeria and is most known for giving a TEDxTalk in 2013 about modern feminism. After the overwhelming success of the talk, such as having millions of views on YouTube and being featured in the song “Flawless” by Beyoncé, she decided to publish the speech into an expanded essay named “We Should All Be Feminists.” In this essay, Adichie talks about her life and encounters of sexism from a young age, especially her introduction to the word “feminist” occurring at fourteen. She is having a normal day, playing and arguing with her friend Okoloma, until he “harmlessly” quips, “`You know, you’re a feminist’” (8), which in Nigeria, is not a compliment. She also spends a third of the essay addressing the fact all negativity towards gender inequality has the same root: unwavering tradition. She questions, “What if, in raising our children, we (the parents) focus on ability instead of gender… interest instead of gender” (36)? Simply, if negativity towards the opposite sex is eradicated in a new generation, there will be no more inequality to worry about. She also parallels Wollstonecraft in commenting on the fascinating diversity of males and females. She claims that if men are undeniably strong physically, women should be held in the same