According to the Academy, Kalen and Drew

Without music life would be a mistake.- Friedrich Nietzsche 

The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences is best known for the GRAMMY Awards. Each year the Recording Academy’s voting membership decides what artists and producers will be considered for and/or awarded a GRAMMY.

Each voting member can vote in up to 15 categories, but the voting results are not known until the day of the GRAMMY Awards when winners are announced on stage.

Due to difference in opinion, preference and sometimes talent, there is always public response to who receives a GRAMMY.

Due to its prestige, Album of the Year is one of the mostly scrutinized categories.

We then discussed how cultural impact should be decided.In a conversation a few weeks ago, my friend Drew stated that he believed cultural impact should be a criteria in choosing album of the year.

1. By how many times people of one culture are impacted by an album?
2. By how many people of different cultures are impacted by an album?

In communications those questions are defined as:

• frequency: how many times an individual is exposed to an message
• reach: how many individuals are exposed to a message at least once

Drew and I both agreed that reach was more important. Influencing people of different cultures and backgrounds has a greater social effect than only being able to influence individuals of the same culture.

Reaching various groups inspires creativity and demonstrates reliability, elements characteristic of the most influential and remembered art.

microaggressions – BIG SCREEN

LATimes.com

Get Out was the number one in America last weekend. Written by comedian Jordan Peele, Get Out uses satire to discuss racism and its subsequent prejudices and microagressions.

This film combines fiction and reality to make the topic of race more palatable/ comfortable. Microaggressions are a common phenomenon. They plague the media, relationships and conversations.

Microaggressions: 

the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.

They are typically are conveyed through back-handed compliments or comments that just feel off. Intentional or unintentional,  micoaggressions leave the receiver of a message feeling confused and degraded.

Most microaggressions are created through making an assumption about someone based on a component of their identity.

For example:

• Telling an international student that they “speak English really good.”- Why wouldn’t they?
• Telling a young lady that the is “pretty for a black girl.”- Is prettiness reserved for certain races?
• Asking if they “drive cars in your country?”- Why assume the development of a country is lesser than America just because you haven’t heard of it?

Sometimes those who utilize microaggressions do so unintentionally and mean no harm. But regardless of the intent, microagressions are hurtful and indicative that prejudices are still a prevalent part of society.

I liken the satire of Get Out to that of a modern The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Though humorous and entertaining, the audience is cognizant of a deeper underlying issue.

Mark Twain and  Jordan Peele have both used their platforms to bring awareness to racial inequality.

Microaggressions stem from assumptions and you know what they say about assuming…

So don’t assume. Be intentional. Be inclusive. Be thoughtful. If you make a mistake (as I often do) apologize, and try not to make the same mistake twice.

Advantage of Viewpoint

Within the political paradigm, the cultural concept, the religious routine, emphasis is placed on distinction. In an effort to maintain their identities, members of certain groups keep to themselves, lest they be tempted to a new way of thought.

"Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance etc."- Saul McLeod

Avoiding cognitive dissonance is the basis of cultural isolation. It is more comfortable to associate with those who share your ideals. It is more comfortable to only consume media that reflects one's disposition. This comfort becomes so normal that it is easy to forget that differences exist and that persons who harbor differences are just as human, valuable and eager to find understanding as ourselves.

Aware of the danger of cognitive dissonance, I try to open myself to new ideas spirituality, educationally, culturally and sometimes politically.

I understand how my culture and experiences have shaped my perception of reality. I seek to understand the origins of others' beliefs and validate their right and will to pursue their own choice.

Political discrepancies can off-putting . I don't define myself by my affiliation, but my inclinations reflect many of my values. Values I have believe are right (left) and nearly absolute.

I have an acquaintance whose political preference and cultural identity contrast mine completely. We have a friendship, and I vowed to never discuss politics. But the topic emerged, and I walked away with a greater understanding and appreciation for my conservative friend and individuals.

As we explored our differences I found that our different perspectives stemmed from similar values.

Our intrinsic beliefs were the same we had just chosen different ways of conveying them, and different opinions on how others should be empowered.

My views were not changed, but my understanding and respect for that person did grow, as did my cultural competence.

Navigating an uncomfortable conversation, accepting differences, striving to understand and validate the experiences, demonstrate cultural competency.

Identity Diversity Development Theory by Alicia Chávez, et. al details the steps of cultural competency.

According to this framework individuals are categorized as:

• Unaware of those who are different
• Dualistically Aware and consider those who are different as inferior
• Questioning/ Self- Exploratory in challenging their personal biases and prejudices
• Risk Taking/ Other Exploration interacting with others to gain understanding
• Integrating/ Validating Others consciously applying their understanding of others, and intentionally validating and respecting differences

Junior Year participating in the MLK Oratory Competition

Who said risk-taking was dangerous? It may be the only way to create a safer society. 

Sophomore Year with my friend 

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. -Dr. Martin Luther King

The more that I learn, the more I realize that I don't know very much. I'm still working towards cultural competency, and I will get there one conversation at a time!


http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html