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| Home Radio |
As of the advent of radio music civilizations have been supplementing
their ancestral heritage with that of musical pop-culture from far away
nations. This is a situation in which “what
a work is man” gets taken to the extreme, with one man taking center stage for
an entire culture. Since the mid 1920’s
radio broadcasting many singers to new audiences, by the 1930’s foreign pop-cultures
centered on specific singers began to grow in many nations.
"Ut externus alieno pene non sit hominis vice."
["As a foreigner cannot be said to supply us the place of a man."] And yet, without even gaining the citizenship
of the worshiped artist, populations trade a significant part of their dress,
time and music with that of foreign singers.
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| Justin Bieber in Norway |
Recently the Canadian singer Justin Bieber became a huge hit
in Norway. When he visited in 2012 about 50 fans were injured by each other in
the commotion before his performance trying to get closer to where he would be. How did the proud Norwegians, who fought wars
for over 50 years to gain independence as a nation from, the Danish, become so
focused on a single Canadian boy? Any
artist, through music, converting masses of fans from other nations seems
unbalanced.
But then, perhaps the pop-artist
whose music travels on the waves of the air, is no longer a man of one nation. "Quisquis
ubique habitat, Maxime, nusquam habitat." ["He who lives
everywhere, lives nowhere.]
Perhaps
their contribution to civilization enhances the music and art of the world in a
general fashion. Artists such as
Shakespeare influenced the world’s popular culture though mass publication. Was Shakespeare’s art a benefit to the
civilization of the world? It did help
standardize English linguistics for many nations today.
Where is the loyalty of the modern pop-artist? To the art?
Their nation? It seems today to belong
instead to wealth and fame. If the
communication of art from one nation to another homogenizes world cultures and
erases national tradition, then it is for money that ancestral identity is being
stolen.
Music most certainly has an effect upon people's behaviors and attitudes. This is a definite way that culture and communication can change and fluctuate: to and fro with what is popular in the eyes of the world. I am not so sure what you mean by your comment at the beginning of your post of how this relates to the Renaissance theme of humanism and rhetoric. Seemingly I don't see Justin Bieber as someone who would posses a great deal of rhetorical ability or value in humanistic thought (assuming that his lack of belief in God, and his ignorant pride don't qualify as "humanistic" although some might argue for that idea). Just wondering if you, or someone else might expand on what I am missing here, please?
ReplyDeleteThis post is my attempt at writing a Montague-Style essay that discusses an aspect of the themes of Civilization and Communication. I am presenting how a particular form of communication (cross cultural music) is and has had an effect on civilization (specifically popular culture) since the 1920's. Writer's and explorers and scientists in the renaissance and enlightenment era did also effect the popular culture of nations to which they did not pertinence, but I am speaking specifically on music. This is not a post on humanism.
DeleteTo make my statement of "what a work is man" brought to the extreme more explicitly clear, in case that seems confusing; instead of a nation celebrating the work's of humanity or the great things that men can do and create, they are focusing on the works and life of a single man to the exclusion of other people (as evidenced by fans harming each other) and their own cultural heritage.
DeleteI agree that many modern pop-artist do what they do for riches and fame but I know that what they do changes the lives of many for the better. I think it is interesting how not only the artist himself but the songs they sing can travel all around the world to influence others. The fact that fans in Norway can hear Justin's songs and then be so influenced by his rhetoric which consist of the lyrics and how he presents the song is interesting.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, the really effect of the influence of Mr. Bieber on Norway will be much easier to analyse forty years from now. But, their tendency to flock to this Canadian star was greatly influenced by his pop-star predecessors up to the time of WW2.
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