In this video, you can see the documentary done by Byron Hurt and his view on the shifting paradigmn in the definition of "black masculinity" after Obama's winning bid for the U.S. president. Write down anything that's interesting or inspiring. For example, why does Hurt think Bush affects the same macho posturing as the rapper 50 cent?
web resources:Black Public Media
17 comments:
The people in the film seperate black men into two parts. One is people like Barack Obama. The other is people like 50 cent.
What stirs my interest their analysis about these two kinds of people.
Obama comes from a different class and different upbringing than 50 cent does. He would continue to maintain who he is, to love his family, to represent his community, to cling to his ideals. He would use his power and resource to take care of the world.
As for 50 cent, they represent a part of people who have to fight to kill in order to get what they want or to maintain the status in their community. Their images is some people's imagination of how African-American are supposed to be. But don't forget they are also human beings. They can be weak, vulnerable but at the same time can also be dangerous and strong. They love their families, and they want to be successful. I think it is interesting that the man in the film said that 50 cent can only be rich and be successful as long as they play the part of what black men are.
When we mention about black men, the first impression come into our mind will be gangster, and rappers. This kind of dominant impression is affected by media. You can see them all over magazines and movies. So, many young black men don’t know that they can become another kind of people. In fact, there are many black men having a decent job, having a happy family, and also being successful. Just like the new president of USA, Obama. However, he and 50 cent come from different background, having different education. While Obama become a new successful icon of black people, 50 cent uses those dominant impressions of black people to become rich and famous. But ironically, it is the only way that 50 cent to become rich.
After watching this video, I learn lots of information about the black people. From my point of view, I think it’s not proper to divide the black people into two
groups due to the fact that they come from different background. Obama is a confidence and eloquent leader. He uses his wit and humbleness to become American president while the other 50 cent attains the rapping career. They are both successful people; nevertheless, their ways to achieve success is different. In today’s society, it still exists the discrimination for the black men.The most people’s impression of the black people is dirty and lazy. However, based on this video, no matter Obama or 50 cent, they indeed make efforts to their lives.
Redefine the black masculinity, challenge White patriarchy. It is the sentence that becomes in the final scene; I think it is also the most important concept in this clip. The black sometimes will be define that they are the dirty, impolite, fierce gangs; that is, they are defined they just do something wrong. However, they aren’t. The clip also mentions that Obama is the black president in America; he has the different background. Obama has the concept of the peace of the multiracial generation; he promotes the equality of everyone. However, I think the film reveals the very interesting and ironic theme is that only 50 percent can be rich if they be people who are black. How ironic thing it is.
Both Barack Obama and 50 cents can be represented as successful African American in the U.S.A’s society although they are really two different kind of African American. 50 cent is the stereotype of American while Obama is very different from people’s impression of African American. I think Obama is much more like a super star than a politician. He is gentle and tidy, which is very different from the stereotype of African American while 50 cent plays a good role at being and expressing the so called ‘black masculinity’. Just as the video had mentioned, I think Barack Obama is unique because of his identity and his life experiences. He lives in a muti-racial family and he spent his childhood in Indonesia and Hawaii.
Honestly, I don’t understand 50 cents and Obama. However, what they represent to America seems very important. I believe Obama will bring something different to American society because of his special background. It’s time to do something change for America. It’s a strong country but also has a lot of problem. Nowadays, we have so many difficulties in the world such as economy, war and racial problem; therefore, we need to find someone who has good strategies to deal with. American president is a stander, and if he does right decision, it would make a big change to the world. I have watched 50 cents in one episode of American Next Top Model, and there were a lot of pretty girls around him. I don’t know what he wants to show, and I am not interesting in rap music at all. That’s why I didn’t pay too much attention on him; however, I feel I can find something valuable from him after watching this video. I will search on internet for some information and try to understand what he present in America’s society.
Barack Obama and 50 cents represent two different types of African American in the United States. 50 cent represents what they refer ‘black masculinity’. However, Barack Obama is a formal politician who chooses his identity as an African American. They come from different background but still get success in their own area. Both of them are icons who inspire many African American. As long as we stick to our dream and goal, racial bias is no longer a stumbling stone.
I don't agree that separate black men into two parts. Because their backgrounds and experiences are different, we can judge peopel like that. two parts of people both work hard in their lifes; however, it just the way are different. Like war. Is it war bring the peace of the world? We are actually confused. That is, many things have two sides. We can't just look one. We have to take in their shoes.
Obama and Fifty：two kinds of success ,two perfect presentations of black people .How can you distinguish from each other？In the video the educator said that “Fifty can only be rich and be successful as long as he represents that part of a man what is .” I am angry but not that angry .
I agree with the truth that everyone has their advantages and their flaws .We aren’t perfect indeed .But I also support that many of us have the potential to make better in our unfamiliar sides as well .Maybe we can’t be the second Obama or the second Fifty ,somehow we can choose to create a whole new way .There is no doubt with their success ,while it is also not the only result of succeeding .
To define black masculinity, we always think of the negative things such as how many women and kids a black man has, or how many times he has been into the prison. Just as 50 cents represents on magazine and TV, it seems that being successful for a black man needs to maintain these certain qualities. However, Obama shifts the notion and redefine black masculinity. I totally agree that Obama is a new icon for black people. He becomes successful by expressing his intelligence, tolerance, and understanding to people. He is loyal to his family and supports them with his heart. Obama definitely challenges the white patriarchy and creates a new era.
I think Obama really establish a different image from our stereotypical view of African American. When it comes to the two words "black man", it is always the image of rappers and gangsters that comes to my mind. I've seen many black singers' MV on TV and the Internet, and all I can see in their MV just makes me think about rappers and gangsters. It is true that not every black man is like that, but the media really influence our perspctive deeply.
Black gangster masculin figure employs the exact same logic as
the people who started the slave trade(capitalism). Also, there are parellels between black third masculinity and what successful white masculinity is. White usually do his behavior in office rather in all of the places. For people who knows blackman for real, blackman is to be weak and vulnerable, but at the same time to be dangerous and strong. It is just the different upbring make Obama and 50 almost the opposite image of being a blackman. 50 is somebody's imagination of what african American man are supposed to be, and he can only be successful as long as he represent to that part of what a man is. In fact, what is prevalent is not actually everything of one particular thing.
Obama and 50 cent represent two different kind African-American people. Of course, they both are successful, but the ways they use to gain success are different. Obama uses his well-education background and intelligence to become the new American president. His way to become successful is different from the way that people think of the African-American people’s success. However, 50 cent’s way conforms to the dominant impression of many people. 50 cent uses the way that people think black “should behave”. 50 cent follows this rule to become famous and rich. Sound irony, most people think this is the only way black to gain the success. And more irony, many black people follow this “tradition rule” and don’t conscious that they can have another way to become success.
It’s interesting that the man in the video relate the history when black people was force to be slave with the tough image 50 cent represent. 50 cent is well known that he had been in prison for shooting someone. His song are always about sex or violence; for example, we can see a lot of black women who are very hot in the video tape of “candy shop”. That’s the way to show their black masculinity.
Not only men can be tough, Michelle Obama support her husband successfully. And that is her black masculinity.
When it comes to black men, the image of big muscle, singing hip-hop, and hippy looking comes to my mind. Black men give me a kind of image that full of magic power that is different from other races’ men. The video divide black men into two groups. However, no matter which kind of the image they give, they all represent an arrogant of black people. They fight as hard as they can to maintain their status and hold their family. I think it is the best image of black men.
It is no doubt that Obama is the new icon for black people. He is intelligent; moreover, he understand waht people want. He is an totally different from the image of black people in our mind; that is, Obama changes people's images. 50 cent, he is a good rapper, and he always represents a strong and brave images for people. Gradually, people regard 50 cent as a black people masculinity. In fact, I appreciate Obama more, and I think he uses his intelligence on his masculinity. He makes people trust him; he makes people believe in future. I think this can really cange the world, and this is the real masculinity.
I think the winning of Obama will bring some help to black men. I always think they shouldn't be discriminate just like us chinese people had be treated before. It's not fair to just judge you by your skin color. I believe the wrong conception of skin color will all disappear someday in the future.
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