Same Old Song and Dance

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

Below are the end expression of 2 differing socio-political worldviews.

At times, its beneficial to take a step back from the hustle and bustle and afford oneself a clearer vantage point to consider ones surroundings. Being too close to something, being too familiar, can be blinding. The phrase "I can't see the forest for the -bleep-in' trees" does after all, have meaning.

To put things in perspective demands a point of reference to draw comparison. That said!

Question:

1. Which of these 2 clips represents a healthier and more advanced culture?
2. Which of these clips represents the less primitive civilization?
3. If you had the choice, would you rather be re-incarnated as those portrayed in the first clip or the second?

Answers

X. The first clip represents 'old school' traditional values. Its a song and dance that promotes social harmony and mutual co-operation. It promotes unity and 'one-ness' of community as well as the importance of such.
Y. The second clip represents 'new school' western values. Its typical of a corporatized, cynical, worldview where people have been brainwashed and pressured into the idea that things like sex are of paramount importance. Likewise self-ceteredness, anti-intellectualism, etc.

3rd option:

Z. Out of context comparison. Zulus have their crazy mating booty dances, too. They're just much better at hiding them. Western culture has its community building and social harmony music, too. I was unfair to pretend otherwise.

I hesitate to ask this, but, WDYT?

Comments

[rogerdr.livejournal.com]

You are making the same kind of mistake that people make when asking whether you believe that humans came from chimps. These two cultures have changed concurrently. Just as the bottom one hasn't "left off" where the Zulu Nation stopped being independent, the top one isn't from a culture that has been frozen since then. Both are examples of a Zulu culture of great complexity and continuous change.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you're making weak excuses to avoid a comparison. Nothing you mentioned implies the two can't be legitimately compared.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

So much for thoughtful investigations into societies and their values.

It might be interesting, however, to use this post to investigate contemporary American society and its view of the world.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

There hasn't been a thoughtful investigation in this community since 1960. Besides, who wants to bother writing a long post considering its somewhat obvious you probably didn't bother to read this short version? d:

[rogerdr.livejournal.com]

I would say that asking a question like, "Which of these clips represents the less primitive civilization?" shows a lot about privileged thinking and cultural bias.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

I think all you can investigate from this post is one person's malformed views of reality.

Yet another option. I give thee Snooki

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Below are the end expression of 2 differing socio-political worldviews.



Snooki. The end result of ?

Re: Yet another option. I give thee Snooki

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

Don't be hatin'.

[spaz-own-joo.livejournal.com]

I'm going with Z. Your mostly Western audience's familiarity with the corporatized, cynical Western attitude, and conversely the apparent 'exoticness' of the Zulu culture makes it very hard for us to judge whether you're giving representative samples of the culture or merely cherrypicking.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

A sensible person! Finally!

[op-tech-glitch.livejournal.com]

Dude in my old pagan group wanted to get a Warrior's Guild up and running once.

His idea for the initiation was to have prospective members acid trip while screening Zulu and Zulu Dawn. (Back in his navy days he also used to blast Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song over the loudspeakers with the full consent of his CO.)

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Oh mai, now that's a fun idea!!!!

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Tripping and watching movies isn't entirely unreasonable.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

Eh, I dono about acid, but it sounds like watching the movie Jaws before going to the beach or a horror movie involving campers, before going camping. Sounds like fun. I like the 'song of the warriors' from one of those zulu movies, and at least one of the tracks from the shaka zulu mini-series, so eh, I guess I have cracked taste in muzak. :\

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

One clip can not represent a whole culture. There is great Nigerian song and probably pretty explicit Zulu dancing. The only thing you can make anyone commit to is to say which clip they like best. (unless they really have extensive knowledge of the South African Zulu culture and the West African Nigerian culture (if such a thing even exists, since the republic is composed of many states).

I like the Zulu clip best, because I like singing better than dancing. I am however not convinced at all at your interpretation of what X and Y represent.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

American culture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ZbuIRPwFg)

What do you have to say about American culture, hmmmmm?

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

Thanks for being open-minded.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

the less primitive civilization?

The root of primitive is prime. It means first.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

And pro is the opposite of con, therefore Congress must be the opposite of progress. Did you have a point, or was your only intent to waste my time with something dumb?

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

You've obviously never heard of Bonginkosi "Zola" Dlamini and Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Google them.

[root-fu.livejournal.com]

I obviously never heard of people whose name I can't pronounce? Relax. I never said nor implied that all african music was acapella. Of course, if your only intent is to strain yourself trying to find something to criticize, that is the likely response.

[pastorlenny.livejournal.com]

You know there is a musical on Broadway right now about Fela?

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks for dropping those names. Fela is interesting.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget mama Busi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUaNBIE1H0I).

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

So, performing without instruments = pious.
Performing with instruments = decadent.
It also means the Zulu society is more advanced than the Nigerian (which tribe?) society.
Kthx.