Pleasure Videos:
Inoj, "Let me love you down", R&B, 1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykW4rtW2eu0&playnext=1&list=PL69DE5A7990FF76E8
Rihanna, "Please Don't Stop the Music", Hip Hop, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e6wE8UnJJs
The Veronicas, "Untouched", Rock, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykW4rtW2eu0&playnext=1&list=PL69DE5A7990FF76E8
Pitbull, "Hotel Room Service", Rap, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2up_Eq6r6Ko
Christina Milian, "Dip It Low", R&B, 2004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z5Mvyp1QHw
Community Service Videos
Shakira, "Waka Waka", 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0
Play N Skillz, "Latinos Stand Up", Latin, 2005
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7J6ijujUW0
NORE, "Oye Mi Canto", Latin, 2004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsji2gQTWF8
Vitamin C, "Graduation", Pop, 2000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDM3eYp4KQ
TLC, "Waterfalls", R&B, 1995
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WEtxJ4-sh4
This week we had to find videos on the aims of pleasure and community service. Even though it took longer than expected it was still an enjoyable, reminiscent assignment. When I started doing it, I wasn’t too excited, but soon found that I really enjoyed thinking about my favorite songs and what messages they really were sending. Pleasure was the easiest of the two to find videos of because music on pleasure, such as sex, drugs, etc., simply sell more. Community service on the other hand is more prevalent in religious music and not so much in main stream music. This aim, however, I found had more meaning and was more fulfilling when I found great videos. These I am actually excited to share with everyone.
Since my musical taste is all over the place, my songs are of many genres and time periods. I found this easier to do, than to pick just one genre or time frame. My pleasure songs mostly focus on sex and love, because that was the easiest to find. The only one that differed was Rihanna’s song, “Please Don’t Stop the Music”. This one was about the pleasures of music and not wanting it to end. My favorite of all the pleasure videos is “Dip It Low” ,by Christina Milian, because it’s very sensual and seductive, yet not dirty.
My community service videos are mostly about being positive, loving what you are, and what you’ve become. My favorite is “Waka Waka” ,by Shakira, because it brings together the whole world and sends a positive note about playing and working together.
The Hindu understanding of these two aims are very different from pop culture. Pleasure in the Hindu culture is based on getting what you want, but intelligently. Where as in pop culture the main focus is on getting what you want and not worrying about where it gets you. Also, where Hindus plan to outgrow their pleasure, we plan on keeping them our whole lives. Community service is not as prevalent in pop culture as it is in Hindu culture. That is because the Western cultures are more individualistic, and Eastern cultures are more collectivistic.
I think you made a really great point about the difference between pleasure as a Hindu aim and pleasure in pop culture. There is nothing about being smart about seeking pleasure in the vast majority of popular American music. In these songs, the ultimate goal is pleasure itself, and outgrowing it would be seen as a loss. In an unrelated note, I think it is interesting that the community service list has very few completely American songs. Sex sells...service doesn't.
ReplyDeleteYou made an excellent point about how most community service songs are gospel related. However, my community service songs were most about helping the world after a disaster which is unrelated to gospel.
ReplyDeleteI believe that our problem in America is not necessarily that we constantly seek out pleasure but that there is a high positive correlation in this country with pleasure and over indulgence. Its not a problem that we want to party every night, its just that we don't know when to stop at an intelligent point in those nights. Its more about our lack of self control once we begin seeking pleasure. Our responsibilities take a back seat role to our need for fun/pleasure.
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