An idea that has been lying at the forefront of my brain for the last few years is how can we separate genuinely good art, whether it be literature or film, from a problematic artist. Continue reading “Separating Good Art From Problematic Artists”
Retrofuture of Dirty Computer
Monáe’s Dirty Computer is a vision of the future from a point in time that is clearly not the present, but more like the late eighties or early nineties. Honestly the setting in certain scenes reminds me of the 1980’s scenes from the San Junipero episode of Black Mirror. Monáe fuses the future with movements from the past, from fashion and music, to feminism and free love. Continue reading “Retrofuture of Dirty Computer”
Janelle Monáe Learned from the 60s: Lorde’s Legacy in Dirty Computer
While speaking on Malcom X at Harvard in 1982, Audre Lorde foregrounded the imperative of intersectionality in social movements. Whereas most people maintain several complex, interacting identities, popular discourse often fails to account for more than one at a time. Lorde, however, distinguished herself as a fierce advocate for acknowledging, validating, and incorporating the variation of identity and experience within the black community, particularly as it pertains to gender and sexuality. In defining her politics, Lorde invoked her own identity, making it a corroborating point in the case for intersectionality: “As a Black lesbian mother in an interracial marriage, there was usually some part of me guaranteed to offend everybody’s comfortable prejudices of who I should be,” (4). With this statement, Lorde speaks to the importance of recognizing how various social identities can reach a nexus point in one individual.
In Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe employs an Afrofuturist narrative arc to epitomize Lorde’s doctrine of intersectionality. Continue reading “Janelle Monáe Learned from the 60s: Lorde’s Legacy in Dirty Computer”
Oh Lorde, Us Men Gotta Be More Pynk
In my youth, I grew up with women. My mother, grandmother, and the majority of my teachers were women. In particular, a number of them were poor, some openly and others not LGBTQ and/or people of color. Yet I, for a long time, took no part in wanting to think about it. For me, I had internalized a sense of want in masculinity because for so long, being blue was pushed upon me. However, I would argue that I have improved from that stage of hypermasculinity and Audre Lorde’s “Learning from the 60s” and Janelle Monae’s album Dirty Monae remind me why us boys have a lot to learn from as Monae puts it the “pussy riot”. Continue reading “Oh Lorde, Us Men Gotta Be More Pynk”
Petrovorology
During our small group discussion around N.K. Jemisin’s characters, Andrew pointed out how intriguing the stone eaters’ range of mobility is. Although the stone eaters struggle to go down a couple steps, they are also able to move through the earth in mere instances. As Jemisin’s writing does not leave any room for simple coincidence to act as rationale, the constantly overlooked mysteries behind the origin and functions of the stone eaters leave too many puzzles for me to not make my own theories. In order to better understand the stone eaters, I’ve started to speculate a little in the biology of the stone eaters or, as I’ve coined it, petrovorology. Continue reading “Petrovorology”
Marvel and Jemisin: The 10 Rings
A couple classes ago when Professor McCoy made mention of Jemisin’s interest in Marvel Comics and the influence that this interest might have had in the creation of the Ring system within the Fulcrum—as a Marvel fan—I couldn’t help but do my research. My discoveries about Marvel’s installment of the ten-ring system only fueled my growing need to better understand the world that Jemisin has created, considering the intentional decisions she makes. So to get things going let’s start with some Marvel History! Continue reading “Marvel and Jemisin: The 10 Rings”
Afrofuturism and the Future of the U.S.
I have long struggled with the concept of Afrofuturism although I have had it defined for me several times. I think that the issue for me is understanding the real world application* of the Afrofuturist philosophy. I warn that I will present no answers here, indeed I possess none, yet I will ask quite a few questions. Additionally, I hope I do not offend any Afrofuturists or anyone for that matter, with my questions–they come from a place of ignorance not malice.
It is Better to Be Loved than Feared: A Not So Tale on Machavalliean’s Concept of Community and Belief
It can be understand that human beings by all means are social creatures. In fact isolation, particularly extreme cases, it has shown to cause debilitating affects. As such, it makes sense we form communities to face precarious situations and the excerpt of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and short story “Non-Zero Possibilities” connect back to this concept of: community and belief. Furthermore its connection to community and belief are important aspects to afrofuturism.
From Four Rings to Six
In class on Monday, Dr. McCoy mentioned that Jemisin uses elements from other works in her story building. Something that came to my attention was how she worked the element of Mandarin’s rings in Marvel Comics into The Fifth Season as the rings that the Fulcrum uses to dictate a hierarchy. At the end of The Fifth Season, Syenite has six rings. Four of them, earned in the Fulcrum, are made of carnelian, white opal, gold, and onyx (Jemisin 61). Then Alabaster gave her two more made of jade and mother of pearl (Jemisin 414). As far as we’ve read there is no meaning behind each ring, so why does Jemisin specify what mineral/rock each ring is made of? Continue reading “From Four Rings to Six”
Freedom in Resistance: Ykka
Upon finishing The Fifth Season, I was confused about a lot of plot points. A lot of the characters jumbled together in my head and I felt like I was missing things. I felt as if there was just too much in Jemisin’s fictional world for me to take in in one reading, and wondered if I should reread the book. Pressed for time just like any college student, I debated whether or not I should do so. However, I went home for fall break resigned to reread, and I’m so glad I did, because I feel as if I gained a completely new, fuller understanding of the book. This inspired me to circle back to my previous blog posts, to my peers’ blog posts, and to Professor McCoy’s comments. I wanted to see if there was anything I had been unable to make strong connections to, that I now feel I have something new to say about. I’d like to tie in points from all three of these: Professor McCoy pointed me to similarities in Michee’s post about philosophical differences between Essun and Ykka to my post about those between Essun and Alabaster, and asked what points Jemisin is making about freedom and resistance through the differences in their attitudes towards their place in life (as orogenes in a highly oppressive society). In addition, in my first blog post, I had written about the self-hatred orogenes displayed as they called themselves “roggas.” Professor McCoy asked about the possibility not only of this slur reflecting self-hatred, but revealing an opportunity for “reclamation” of the word. I think that by discussing Ykka’s character, I can address both of these points. Continue reading “Freedom in Resistance: Ykka”