What systems do you interact with in your day-to-day life that would benefit from a critical reading, and what would that reading look like?
I believe that the most important system to me that I interact with in my day-to-day life is music. I find myself listening to music throughout the day constantly because I value it so much. Music helps me with every emotion that I feel, because with every emotion you are feeling, there is a song or a genre that will help you and fit your mood for that day or even for just that second. The lyrics can be analyzed and fit a person’s needs, or wants. Lyrics are so important and greatly overlooked, so that is definitely something that would be interesting for a critical reading. There are so many genre’s- all with their own rules and narratives. Rap is generally explicit, and provocative. It’s usually what you would listen to at a party or to get pumped up. Country can be calming, or can also pump you up depending on your mood and what song you pick. It is usually associated with summer time, beer, concerts, and good times with good friends. There’s also Rock and Roll, which is usually loud, associated with drugs, sex, and more. There are many more genres with many more themes of course, these are just a few examples. Going back to the Rap genre, I believe that this has the most rules and narratives. People who listen to rap are often construed as bad kids/people, thugs, drug users, alcohol abusers, and more. I’ve heard and seen so many adults disgusted with young children for listening to rap music. I know that a lot of Rap music is about drugs, alcohol, money, and mistreating women- but that does not mean that all Rap is like that. It also doesn’t mean that all people who listen to Rap music participate, or believe in the things the artist is saying. I listen to Rap, and I have no problem admitting that I enjoy it. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m going out on the weekends and “popping bottles” or doing drugs off of a stripper. I believe that all music but specifically the Rap genre and culture would benefit from a critical reading involving lyrics of Rap songs, Rap artists, people who listen to Rap versus people who do not, the benefits of Rap versus the negatives, the list is endless. Music is a very important daily system to me as I’m sure it is to many others, but some people completely disregard some genres, and before they do that they should look into it and learn about it.
Megan Bender