1
Upon finding out that this course would be structured around politics I was slightly intimidated. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not the most politically driven or opinionated person. The majority of my knowledge on political affairs comes from the media and internet rather then personal interest and research. Regardless of my political knowledge entering this class, I am excited to be taking a course which can further my perspective on political culture and expand my historical and current knowledge.
Learning about Americas current political state interests me. I was pleasantly surprised to have started the first lecture of class with such a politically charged subject. To hear that less then 5% of Americans approve of Congress was shocking yet completely believable. Americans personal opinions and disappointment of Congress and government is nothing that can be avoided. It is laced within all television and internet media whether you like it or not. Media is the easiest and most convenient tactic to feed the public with political information and opinion.
Furthermore, hearing that film would be a primary medium of information for the course was no surprise. The combination of entertainment and information is brilliant. I personally believe that film and visual resource is one of the best structures for understanding and relates perfect with the topic of the course, Democracy and its discontents: Mediacracy and the romance of revolution.
2
The film Network features a man by the name of Howard Beale whom gets kicked off the air for being reckless and rebellious. Howard Beale is on CBS network and takes a stand to voice his personal opinion regarding television programing. Following his termination from CBS a smaller television UBS network wants to put him back on to raise their ratings. Spontaneously letting out anger and denouncing hypocrisies of our time. Howard Beale’s conflict between the two networks is demonstrating corporate maneuvering in this film, seeking network confrontation.
The film Network takes place during an economic recession. Beale broadcasts that there is no end to it, everyone is scared to loose their jobs so will not voice their opinions. “I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation but I want you to get mad, and say Im a human being Im mad as hell and Im not going to take this anymore”. “Stick your head out of the window and yell Im mad as hell and Im not going to take this anymore”. Beale’s request of television viewers worked, Beale started a movement through the UBS network. Beale was speaking on behalf of the ongoing struggle of the oppressed masses.
Following this television network movement and it’s success, UBS created a talk show “The Howard Beale Show”. Beale and UBS had sixty-two million Americans watching. Beale broadcasts “the only truth you know is what you get over this tube, this tube is the gospel, the ultimate revelation”. UBS and the television network had turned into a propaganda force. Beale stated “TV is not the truth its a god damn amusement park”. “So if you want the truth go to God, go to your guru’s, go to yourself”. Beale was proclaiming on American television that television will tell you anything you want to hear. “Ya’ll are beginning to believe whatever the tube tells you, you people are the real thing TV is the illusion”. UBS network was quickly becoming one of the most profitable centers in the empire. Not only did Howard Beale have the ability to keep the viewers attention week after week, Beale had the power to lead the network viewers and their actions.
3
The film Bolivar So Yo represented the boundaries between what is real and what is fictional. The main character is forced with merging reality with fantasy in this film and showing the public that the two oppositions are more alike then they may think. The film highlights the many romances in Bolivars life, representing his losing touch with reality and therefore mis-recognizing things in the world. Bolivars mind is full of ideals and illusions which complicates the reality versus fantasy in this film.
4
“A riot is the language of the unheard” - Martin Luther King Jr.
The movie clip, Berkley in the 60’s demonstrates Berkley college students involvement in the protests for both political and personal reasons. These young people aspire a revolutionary transmutation of society, which begins not with the public but with themselves. Berkley students are shown supporting the civil rights movement and racial equality. This creates a confrontation with the students and society which leads the viewer to respond in some way or another.
The tension between the student body and administration is very relatable to our time and shows the sense of community amongst the students. The main theme in this movie clip is rebellion and civil disobedience. The students felt they could not support a government that supported slavery and believed that it was never too early for citizens to rebel. The students of Berkley were protesting the biggest problem in all of american history and ‘putting their bodies on the gears’ through non-violent acts.
5
“Behind every great woman theres a kept man”. The book My Revolutions by Hari Kunzru shows the influence women have on mens lives. One of the main characters, Chris Carver who laters calls himself Michael Frame under new identity is entering his teens in the 60’s. Chris discovers politics and and learns about the processes of protest on Vietnam in the American embassy. The story of Chris going through his fugitive days uses sexuality and women as a liberation and highlights how important sexual freedom was at this time.
My Revolutions is a mixture of both political and erotic confrontations and people oppressing them. The young people aspire a revolutionary transmutation of society and use sex and liberation to achieve it. This theory is still very present today. Sex as a manipulation and form of control was and will always be a weapon for achieving a desired result. In My Revolutions, more specifically to control a whole group of people for a cause.
6
My Revolutions shows the main character Anna Addision and her ‘experiments’ designed to manipulate society. Anna comes from a strict Quacker religious background. Her father raised her to recite Quacker catechism which later shows up in her dedication and his support of her beliefs. Sex for anna is always an assault and she belief in the ideology that free love is a battling rim set out to destroy monogamy. Her desire for sexual power and abuse demonstrates her self rejection issues and childhood guilt.
In the time of Anna's’ revolt sexuality was much more repressed and hidden in society. She uses this as a tool for her experiments which relates back to her dads upbringing in a sacrificial religion background. Anna Addision fetishizes sexual freedom as an object of desire for others to create a revolution and control her group of followers. Anna portrays revolution as a faith and demonstrates her religious teachings that if society is doing an unjust thing you have to put your body on the line, literally.
7
The film King Corn demonstrates the farm industry and the fall of small farmers due to big farmers growth. Through the progression of tractors from the ‘Old Reliable’ which was the first machine to be called a tractor, to the technology of new age tractors and growth chemicals, Corn Farming production becomes extremely industrialized.
The film shows two young college graduates that set out to Iowa which is the largest corn crop in American History. These young men follow corn production and realize that in this day and age there is only one goal in mind which is the yield, to grow more and grow faster. America wants and demands cheap food which leads to degrading the food supply of its nutritional value in order to expand the produce and production.
This film showed me an inside view of something that we intake on a daily basis and take for granted. The irony of the film is how the corn growers have digressed from from producing hand farmed nutritional crop to mass quantities of machine farmed un-nutritional waste. The Iowa farmer can no longer feed himself as a result of our greedy demands.
8
Cesar Chavaz and the farmworkers shows a regional Phenomenon of where food comes from and who produces it. Chavaz was of Christian faith and dedicated his life to acting out against Mexican American agriculture conditions. Chavaz demonstrates that rebellion can be disciplined by love and non-violent acts can stand against injustice. Chavaz said “Only by giving ourselves do we find life” This relates back to his political Christian faith, to treat others the way you would want to be treated.
This movie clip shows California's valley which was the largest agriculture grape industry. Behind the scenes of this grape industry, migrant workers fought for decent wages and working conditions. This constant battle for fair conditions leads to a strike union created by and for farm workers with one interest in mind, to change things. Non-violence was the guiding factor of this movement with their leader, Ceasr Chavaz setting an example thru fasting and personal sacrifice as a form of rebellion.
