On Sirc's Cornell Box...

I found Sirc's article interesting, but I don't think I entirely bought it. I understand that he is concerned that the world is being changed by modern technologies and that traditional writing techniques don't take that change into account. Also, I agree with him that students need to be engaged in authentic writing experiences that reflect the changes the world is going through, writing experience that will allow them to develop and communicate their ideas in new and exciting ways. However, I don't really entirely buy his logic box.

I do think that he has created an interesting way to approach information. I think the box approach is a creative way to organize ideas and see connections that you might have missed otherwise. However, I also noted that his article was really just a traditional essay in which he use some nontraditional formatting and broke a lot of grammatical rules (for little reason, as far as I could tell.) Perhaps he should of had some design training if he wants to effectively communicate his ideas through formatting? Certainly writing classes and graphical design classes are, I believe, more closely related than most people would think.

I agree with Sirc that analysis can be art in itself. Why waste your time talking about art when you can be creating it. But, there is good art and bad art. Good art breaks rules for a reason, bad art break rules just to break rules. I believe you should break a rule to communicate an idea.

We use the written word to communicate ideas. New technologies have given us new ways to communicate. We have a living language that changes and evolves. I know that. That is a beautiful thing. But students still need to know how to manipulate the language of power - standard academic English. Then, once they know a rule, they can break it. They can break it when they have good reason to. They can break it when it strengthens their argument.

Is he really helping the college students in his writing classes by not teaching them how to write. I am constantly shocked by how bad people are at writing in the real world. Certainly he doesn't have to teach them as if they are locked in the 19th century, but still they'll never get anyone to listen to their ideas if they can communicate them effectively.

Notice that there were only about one hundred copies of the Green Box published in 1934. Possibly so few copies were printed because it was self indulgent and inaccessible?

Sirc's ideas could be used for an interesting technique to explore ideas... but students need to learn how to write.


For my exploration of the Sirc's ideas I decided to collect artifacts related to masculinity in hip hop culture today. Particularly, I choose three male rappers who are very big right now and looked at how they choose to represent their own masculinity. I've been incorporating Hip Hop into my classroom as a way to engage students and as an authentic modern poetic form. However, I there are a lot of issues in Hip Hop culture that need to be addressed... as you can see below.




This is the cover to 50 Cent's album "Get Rich or Die Trying." 50 Cent's music is filled with images of violence. Moreover, the picture of masculinity he draws is clearly evident in this picture. In almost every studio released picture you will ever see of him, he is angry, partially naked, and armed. For 50 Cent, masculinity is about power and violence and sexual prowess. It it is about taking what you want and showing no fear. In fact, it is apparently about showing no emotions beside anger, as he recently attacked another rapper for crying in a video calling him a "bitch-ass nigga'." Bitch, of course, being one of the insults of choice for 50 Cent as it serves to feminise the object of his insult.

Interestingly, 50 Cent is also extremely homophobic, but likes to pose in sexualized half-clothed poses. The pictures all show off his threatening physic, of course, but are also undeniably homo-erotic. Of course, my definition of sexuality extends to gendered, sexualized behaviors. Certainly he enjoys showing off this body in a sexualized way and certainly women are not the only ones looking at these pictures.

Of course the diamond-laden crucifix, which your eye is drawn to in this picture, complicates the image further. Rather than making you think of 50 Cent as a particularly spiritual man, it rather draws your attention to his rather sizable fortune. Perhaps a form of proof that his version of masculinity is a successful one. Certainly the title connects monetary success and violence.

I have never brought a 50 Cent song into my classroom, by the way. But here are some 50 Cent lyrics:

*****

"Back Down"

It's easy to see when you look at me
If you look closely, 50 don't BACK DOWN
Everywhere I go both coasts wit toast
Eastside, Westside, I hold that MACK DOWN
Every little nigga you see around me
Hold a gun big enough to fuckin hold SHAQ DOWN
Next time you in the hood and see an ol G
You ask about me, the young boy don't BACK DOWN…

I ain't tellin anyone you pussy
I ain't tellin anyone you gettin extored
It ain't over.... (G-UNIT)
I've been patently waitin to BLOWW
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the "50 Cent Show"
This is my life, my pain, my night, my gun
Now that I'm back, you can't sleep
I'm a nightmare huuhhhh
You hired cops to hold you down cuz you fear for your life
You heard about them guns I done bought, right?
I ain't goin no where, I done told you nigga
I'ma G-Unit motherfuckin soldier nigga (They not gon like you)
I know, I know...ha, ha (G-UNIT)

*****

Many of 50 Cent's songs have similar themes: hyper masculine posturing, and depictions of violent scenes. I have had a few students admit that 50 Cent doesn't talk about anything but guns and murder.




This image of Lil' Wayne is not quite so grotesque, but is certainly similar in some ways. My students often tell me Lil Wayne sings about important things, not just all the Gangsta' stuff. To this I would like to laugh, but of course, I just smile and nod and have them listen to Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, or Aesop Rock.

Note that Lil' Wayne is, like 50 cent, expressing an aggressive attitude. No emotions are shared with the public beyond anger and pride. Also notice the partial nudity, and the dangerous looking tattoos -- often proving particular gang affiliations.

I recently looked into Lil' Wayne in particular because of both his rising popularity and because several of my students insisted that he was not like 50 Cent and wrote about "things that mattered." Here are two of Lil' Wayne songs:

*****

“My Alphabet Bitches”

Well the A is for Ashley
she always ask for me to take it out her pussy
put it right in her ass and the
B is for Brittany she right in the class
she be hatin on Ashley 'cause she tight in the ass
The C is for Christina want me to big screen her
the way she dick dish should be a misdameanor so if you seen her
I been searchin but cant find her
ever since i been wit Diamond wit Diamonds in her vagina
And the E is for ever elegant Ericka
sweet red bitch
we used to call her Miss America
I aint gon lie now Ericka is a dog
but to the that magnolia nigga she done fucked em all, (Slim!)
Speakin of slim, the f is for Fat,
a real skinny hoe so you know
why they call her that
And the G for gabriel , you can call her Gabby
but all my homeboys seem to call her nasty (man)

These are my bitches, my Alpha Bitches
These are my bitches, my Alphabet Bitches
These are my bitches, my Alpha Bitches
These are my bitches, my Alphabet Bitches

I get bitches (say what)
I get bitches (say who)
I get bitches (say huh)
I get bitches
You got (oh)
You got (oh)
You got (oh)
You got…

*****

"Beef"

You liable to catch me speedin' up the six, or beatin' up a chick
or standin' over a stove, sweatin', heatin' up a brick
And we keep the hustlin' slick, and got clips like bananas
We twist the bandanas, and spit at niggas with cannons
We ran in habitats with masks and plastic gats
Stormin' through the house, screamin', "Where's this bastard's crack?!!"
I flash the Mack in front of your gal and make her tell
Like, "Slut! Where's the yay, or I'ma pop one in your grill!"
It's Lil Wayne, nigga – blast and bang triggas
Pay with my change, then I'm gon' have to bang niggas
I bag the caine quicker, and sprinkle like rain, nigga
Flood the av quick with the quarters and halves, nigga
If you out, you can find me on the street with the work
If it's a drought, you can find me on the street with the work
Never slip – I empty half a clip deep in your shirt
And put your whole clique deep in the dirt
Smell me?

Who wan' beef with 'em?
Who wan' creep with 'em?
And when it comes down to guns, nigga, I sleep with 'em
See, we can sweep with 'em 'cause it get deep with 'em
And when it comes down to drugs, I'm on the streets with 'em…

*****

The moral of the story is that my students believe that misogyny, drug dealing, and murder is what "really matters." It would be hard to find any two other rap songs quite as offensive as these two... but of course, I did.



Notice in this picture of Kanye West the partial nudity, the diamond filled 'grill' and the frightening attitude. By the way, West is considered the 'sensitive guy' of hip hop.

Let's look at how this "sensitive guy" portrays his masculinity in his lyrics:

*****

"Drunk & Hot Girls"

We go through too much bullshit just to mess with these drunk and hot girls
We go through too much bullshit just to mess with these drunk and hot girls

Driving around town looking for the best spot for the
(Drunk and hot girls)
Up in the club look at here what we got some
(Drunk and hot girls)
Stop dancing with your girlfriend and come dance with me
Stop talking about your boyfriend since he is not me
Stop running up my tab cause these drinks is not free
You drunk and hot girl…

I don't wanna drop your friends off, I just want you
(You drunk and hot girl)
You wanna sit down but we hit the drive thru
(You drunk and hot girl)
Please don't fall asleep baby we almost back
Please don't go up in the car we almost crash
Oh now you so good, howd I know you'd say that
You drunk an hot girl…

I thought I'd be with you for only one night
Now I'm with this girl for the rest of my life
That drunk and hot girl

*****

It seems that Kanye's responsibilities as a man are very trying. He has to spend enormous amounts of money getting women drunk so that, in return, they will have sex with him. Unfortunately, sometimes they pass out before he gets to have sex with them. Even worse, after the sex sometimes they want something else from him. Sometimes they get pregnant and he is "stuck" with them for the rest of his life.

What is a man to do? All he wants is sexual gratification and women won't stop making him work for it...


I choose these three images among a plethora or choices available because these are all rappers who my students are particularly interested. They are all very popular and successful and young men are looking to these three gentlemen as examples of how a man is supposed to act.

What do young men in America today learn by looking at these three images and listening to these lyrics? What behaviors are normalized?

Now, don't get me wrong, I really like rap music. I think that some very cutting edge poetry is going on out their under the auspices of rap. But, my students don't even know the names of most of the rappers that I like.

You all should really check out a documentary on this topic: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.

It's really good.

Watch a piece of Beyond Beats and Rhymes.