Comments on: Holiday Dissonance http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html Philosophy, public affairs and pop culture. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:35:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Earl Green http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html#comment-34 Earl Green Thu, 01 Dec 2005 01:43:26 +0000 http://www.notnews.org/?p=28#comment-34 (There was supposed to be a link in there. Hmmmm.) (There was supposed to be a link in there. Hmmmm.)

]]> By: Earl Green http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html#comment-33 Earl Green Thu, 01 Dec 2005 01:41:40 +0000 http://www.notnews.org/?p=28#comment-33 So long as it's handled more sensitively than this, I think we're within driving distance of good shape. So long as it’s handled more sensitively than this, I think we’re within driving distance of good shape.

]]> By: Dave Thomer http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html#comment-29 Dave Thomer Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:33:42 +0000 http://www.notnews.org/?p=28#comment-29 Well, I own a copy of Paul Simon's Graceland, so I'm never going to knock cross-cultural music. But to me there's something different about one group of musicians incorporating the work or styles of other musicians. That's a matter of collaboration between artists. Survivor doesn't feel like it's collaborating. It feels like it's appropriating. It's not even someone from Guatemala telling this Mayan folk story, it's Jeff Probst. And I have nothing against Jeff Probst, but in this particular context, it gives me pause. I can see how the good outweighs the bad given the realities of the world. But I guess that just makes me think the realities should be different. Well, I own a copy of Paul Simon’s Graceland, so I’m never going to knock cross-cultural music. But to me there’s something different about one group of musicians incorporating the work or styles of other musicians. That’s a matter of collaboration between artists. Survivor doesn’t feel like it’s collaborating. It feels like it’s appropriating. It’s not even someone from Guatemala telling this Mayan folk story, it’s Jeff Probst. And I have nothing against Jeff Probst, but in this particular context, it gives me pause.

I can see how the good outweighs the bad given the realities of the world. But I guess that just makes me think the realities should be different.

]]> By: Earl Green http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html#comment-27 Earl Green Wed, 30 Nov 2005 10:28:43 +0000 http://www.notnews.org/?p=28#comment-27 Y'know, I've always felt a bit silly that several years of fascination with, and study of, Maori culture basically sprang from hearing snippets of the language spoken in a few songs by a couple of admittedly very white guys from New Zealand. But at the same time, that fascination has led me to assimilate a lot more information about that culture, its history and its decline than I would have otherwise, and I consider that knowledge priceless, if esoteric and not necessarily something applicable to my everyday life. (Hey, wait, that covers most of my knowledge...) But by carrying that knowledge and spreading it to a few other people, I feel I've done something to preserve the culture. I'd like to think that negates the triviality of the thing that got me interested in it in the first place. Y’know, I’ve always felt a bit silly that several years of fascination with, and study of, Maori culture basically sprang from hearing snippets of the language spoken in a few songs by a couple of admittedly very white guys from New Zealand. But at the same time, that fascination has led me to assimilate a lot more information about that culture, its history and its decline than I would have otherwise, and I consider that knowledge priceless, if esoteric and not necessarily something applicable to my everyday life. (Hey, wait, that covers most of my knowledge…) But by carrying that knowledge and spreading it to a few other people, I feel I’ve done something to preserve the culture. I’d like to think that negates the triviality of the thing that got me interested in it in the first place.

]]> By: Pattie Gillett http://www.notnews.org/s-o-s/holiday-dissonance.html#comment-18 Pattie Gillett Sun, 27 Nov 2005 01:22:03 +0000 http://www.notnews.org/?p=28#comment-18 I do like to think that by featuring Mayan cutlure so prominently on <em>Survivor</em>, more people are being exposed to the contributions that the civilization made than would have been otherwise. Yes, it's chintzy and yes, it's centuries late but some people are learning something... It's really no different than when the show feature aborinal culture in the Austrailan Outback season or any of the other 10 seasons, for that matter. It's difficult not to be bitter, however. The problem of mistreatment of native peoples seems almost universal. One need look no further than the opening ceremonies of the last few Olympics in which the host countries trotted out their native peoples for spectacle while glossing overthings like genocide. Ooops. Still, being part Mayna myself, it's does give me some degree of pride to see the show discuss different aspects of Mayna culture week. There has been a great deal of "See! We built pyramids too!!!" going on in my head. I do like to think that by featuring Mayan cutlure so prominently on Survivor, more people are being exposed to the contributions that the civilization made than would have been otherwise. Yes, it’s chintzy and yes, it’s centuries late but some people are learning something… It’s really no different than when the show feature aborinal culture in the Austrailan Outback season or any of the other 10 seasons, for that matter. It’s difficult not to be bitter, however.

The problem of mistreatment of native peoples seems almost universal. One need look no further than the opening ceremonies of the last few Olympics in which the host countries trotted out their native peoples for spectacle while glossing overthings like genocide. Ooops.

Still, being part Mayna myself, it’s does give me some degree of pride to see the show discuss different aspects of Mayna culture week. There has been a great deal of “See! We built pyramids too!!!” going on in my head.

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