Category: Uncategorized
This Article is Satirical
Satire is a dead art form. Though calling this astounding failure of writing an art form is laughable. Nonetheless, satire is dead, and it rightfully should be.
To give the audience more credence to this claim, we must explain this universally flawed type of writing. Satire is comedic writing in its simplest and ugliest form. To describe satire is to describe comedy as seen through the eyes of a dog. Dogs don’t understand comedy and they would inevitably turn it into the disreputable satire. Is satire funny? It’s funny if you like a person screaming jokes, then explaining it afterwards. There is not a single salvageable thing that can be gained from reading satire. To put it simply (since satirists couldn’t understand it any other way), satire is constant, grating sarcasm thrown at the viewer in hopes that the viewer is gullible enough to take it seriously. Satire is a writer trying to laugh at and make fun of his or her audience through writing.
The problems with satire can be easily distinguished. Though how to narrow those problems down to fit into anything less than a bible sized text is the real difficulty. First, we can easily state that one of the absolute major problems with satire is the author. The problem is not that the author is bad at English (though that is true), the problem is that the authors of satire are so absolutely in love with themselves that they cannot seem to write anything that does not immediately please themselves. They do not care about social justice or bettering people, they solely want to get a rise out of people. They want their sarcasm to be so heavily caked on that people start to believe them. Their only purpose is to laugh at these poor souls who think that what they are saying is true. Satirists are the slugs of the Earth and our only choice is to stamp them out.
The second problem with the “art” of satire is the subject and the writer’s incessant prattling on. That is one of the worst downfalls of any piece: over-explanation. These foolish writers don’t seem to understand that people only want simple, easy to digest works. The only people who could possibly want a long, detailed essay are the simpletons. Those are the only people who would need these bloated works to understand what the author is discussing. Most intelligent people prefer simpler works, because we already understand the nuances of whatever topic the satirist is trying to discuss. And the subjects themselves are nothing of interest either. Satire seems to attract writers that can only focus on the most heavily covered topics (Yes, I know about racism, but your nonstop blithering is not going to affect me, Mark Twain.). There is a plague of satire on any topic that gains moderate coverage in the news. It would be of great pleasure to everyone if these writers would cease their abhorrent attacks on the very act of writing itself. Heaps of sarcasm do not change opinions, but only work to shine a poor light on the author (though the title of “Satirist” is in itself bad lighting), and glorify whatever side they are trying to fight against.
It is best to move on to the third problem with satire, as the second problem only succeeds to leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. The third, and last, brobdingnagian problem with satire is the constricting limits of the genre. No other “art” in the world has such a tight box with which to work inside of. Satirists must, as a whole, be either entirely uncreative or entirely lazy, as no one ever dares to push a boundary. How could such a large group of “creative writers” be so absolutely uncreative? It is astounding as to how little there is to work with in satire. The criterion is sarcasm, and the only thing that can be done with that is to be sarcastic. This rule is such a dictator in its control that no one can seem to step out from under its boot to write satire of a new type. Has anyone tried to write a satire without the self-serving sarcasm? That would be a breath of fresh air and an actual piece of art, especially when compared to the works that currently find themselves under the category of satire.
Now knowing the three primary problems with satire, let’s look at a work of satire to see where it fails so utterly. The best choice of satire to rip apart is probably the mind-blowingly doldrum work of Jonathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal”. This hilariously inept article was written in 1729 and it is about the fascinating idea of the Irish selling their children as food for money. The topic sounds interesting enough, but once a person starts the essay, it’s easy to understand why most, if not all, fall asleep after the first sentence. But, in order to critique the genre, we must critique the work, so we must move forward. The problem with the author is an easy one to crack. Of course Swift is self-serving “comedy” writer, like all other Satirists. A Modest Proposal is an easy gateway to this view. The topic of cannibalizing Irish children is a harsh one, and he clearly meant for it to shock and disgust people. Unfortunately, some people were not able to see through his ruse and they fell to him, believing each and every word, as if he actually meant what he wrote. This can only be meant as a very strong indicator of Swift’s soulless “humor”. The problem with the subject is an evident one also. While subject is grotesque, if it were to fall into a much better writer’s hands, it would have become quite an interesting read. In Swift’s hands, this topic just stretches on and on until it becomes babbling rather than any real attempt to make a point. In addition to this, the topic, while interesting, is so laden with political commentary that it becomes a nuisance. But, finally, we shall make our way to the last issue, the confines of “A Modest Proposal”. This topic is so airtight, that one can clearly see Swift trying to stretch out his legs. It’s unfortunate that when Swift tried to stretch, the box only seemed to become smaller. Coarse sarcasm and a constricting topic only serve an unending rant about poverty. He seems to be intent on the eating of children, with no other comments, which is not only boring, but unnerving as well. A Modest Proposal is a failure of an article by a failure of a writer.
Jessye Norman
In the past couple weeks I have been writing many of my blogs about various performers and artists that have been or are associated with the University of Michigan. Today I will continue this trend as I introduce you all to the fabulous Jessye Norman.
Jessye Norman was the first opera singer I had ever heard live. It was the beginning of my freshmen year and she gave some special Gershwin concert at Hill Auditorium. I remember being in awe of how smooth and rich her voice was. Here we were in Hill Auditorium – which is a HUGE space – and every inch of the hall was filled with her sound, a sound that was never forced or pushed but poured out of her with such ease. After googling her name following the concert, I was not surprised to discover that not only has she received numerous honorary doctorates, but has been honored with the National Medal of Arts and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jessye Norman graduated from the University of Michigan in 1968 after studying with Elizabeth Mannion for her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance. Following her graduation Norman moved to Europe to establish herself where she landed a three-year contract with the Deutsche Opera Berlin via the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. During this three year contract, Norman spent quite a bit of time behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin. With her American passport it was easy to go through Checkpoint Charlie and here she was captivated by how much the arts and music met to the people behind the Iron Curtain. “They would arrive hours before the performances were to begin just to stand in line, knowing that they had tickets already, just to know that they were anticipating the music as much as the people who were going to present the music. Even though they lived under the oppressive regimes, that their spirits were not squelched — that they lived anyway, that they allowed their spirits to be free in any case. And that made a great impression and still makes a great impression on me”.
Four short years after graduating from the University of Michigan and moving to Europe, Jessye Norman made her debut at La Scala as well as the Royal Opera at Covent Garden performing the title role in Verdi’s Aida and Cassandra in Berlioz’s Les Troyens respectively. Jessye Norman spent much of her time performing in concerts and recitals primarily focusing on the European markets, only expanding to North America once she was an established artist in Europe. According to Encyclopedia Britannica “By the mid-1980s she was one of the most popular and highly regarded dramatic soprano singers in the world” during which she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1983 for their 100th anniversary season, singing at the inauguration of Ronald Reagan and Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday celebration.
Now, as Jessye Norman is later in her career, she continues to perform although she has transitioned to performing numerous roles from the mezzo-soprano repertoire. Additionally she has partnered with the Rachel Longstreet Foundation to open the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, a tuition-free after-school program for economically disadvantage youth in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia. In her personal time she avoids listening to opera, instead focusing her attention on hip-hop, and never on an iPod as “there isn’t enough bandwidth on an iPod to give you the full scope of a trained voice or a beautiful violin… you’re not going to hear the timpani in the background or the wonderful soft entrance of the clarinet in the second movement, and all of these things that make this really great music, that is hundreds of years old, and we cannot stop listening and playing because it is so wonderful”.
As for the changes in her voice over the years and the changes in herself, Norman wisely says “I find that to be wonderful, that we can accept the passing of the years as being a positive thing. Life and living can be a marvelous thing if we simply, as it were, embrace the passing of time with love instead of shunning it and pretend that it isn’t happening”.
Woo Park: Chicago Funk Gurus
Woo Park is a Chicago-based funk/jazz-fusion band specializing in mind-altering synth sounds and sexy siren-songs that lure you into their psychedelic world. Every musician in the group is individually a master of their craft, and their union is an impressive mix of precision and insanity. Within the past year, they’ve released their first EP, Smokes, and two new songs, Tidal and Propeller, by means of live studio sessions. The studio session videos were recorded at Rax Trax studios in Chicago and feature excellent sound quality as well as live performance prowess. Since Woo Park is known for the palpable energy of live shows where they have been known to surprise the audience with outrageous costumes, fake blood, on-stage haircuts and more, the studio sessions had a lot to live up to. Naturally, they didn’t disappoint, and only further reinforced the reign of the Woo in the emerging Chicago music scene.
Their numerous appearances at South By Southwest 2015, along with other Chicago bands such as Twin Peaks and The Boxers, helped throw them into a larger musical scope, setting them officially on the path to stardom. Woo Park is one of the rare cases in today’s music scene where true talent gets appropriately recognized. Though they still don’t receive the attention they deserve, they have a total cult following in Chicago and it’s growing in other cities they’ve played on tour.
Anyone with an appreciation for music will enjoy their EP, Smokes. It combines jazzy, sexy vocals with progressive funk and intricate timing, courtesy of drum prodigy, Luke Sangerman. Brian Sanborn shreds on the guitar in beautiful, hypnotic melodies while Emily Nichols seduces listeners with dynamic vocals that go from soft whispers full-on wailing. Christian Zwit melts your ears with insane alien sounds on the keys and Parker Grogan destroys souls on the bass, adding effects that seem to drive listeners down into the core of the earth. Together, they are a total supergroup that refuses to be ignored.
The live studio sessions and full EP are available by clicking the links below. See for yourselves the madness that awaits you. Though Woo Park definitely appeals to musicians and people who are into Steely Dan, there’s no reason why everyone can’t get down with some crazy talented people playing music that’s impossible not to groove to. They play tons of shows in Chicago, and if you’re lucky enough to be around for one, do yourselves a favor and go. They will redefine what you think of as music, and they will undoubtedly pull some insane stunts that leave you wondering whether or not you still exist. If you still haven’t gone and listened to Woo Park, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for.
FULL SMOKES EP
https://wooparkgrooves.bandcamp.com/
PROPELLER: LIVE STUDIO SESSION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qsn8mv15XA
TIDAL: LIVE STUDIO SESSION
Chasing the Northern Lights
This week, I went on a journey to find beauty in nature. I know it’s not actually that difficult to find, especially in Michigan, but I was looking for a new kind of beauty I’d never seen before. The kind of beauty that only comes in the darkest of nights under just the right conditions. You see, the sun was flaring up, and that meant there was an increased chance of seeing the aurora borealis across southeastern Michigan. And I was dying to see it.
I’ve wanted to see the northern lights for as long as I can remember. In pictures, they always look like someone found a giant paintbrush and made big sweeping brush strokes of blues and greens, and sometimes reds, across the black night sky canvas. I’ve never actually been fortunate enough to find the lights in person, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t tried. Repeatedly. And Monday night was no different.
So late that night, I piled into my friend’s car with three other girls and we headed north to chase the lights (our second official attempt as a group). Last time we drove until morning only to be severely disappointed by the lack of color in the sky, so this time we decided to cut ourselves off. We drove until one in the morning and spent our hours in the car wishing, praying, and hoping to see the lights. And I really thought we’d see them this time. The sky was crystal clear and even from the highway we could see light streaks of something we hadn’t seen before, which, of course, we assumed were the lights. We drove and drove, and yet, no aurora borealis. In fact, we hit clouds the further north we got. Discouraged, we turned around and drove back towards Ann Arbor.
But then, something magical happened. The clouds cleared and brilliant stars filled the night sky. A great big orange ball of a moon hung low on the horizon, covered by just enough clouds to create a mysteriously spooky masterpiece. Shooting stars skidded into view and out again. The sky was beautiful, just like that painting I had imagined, even without the northern lights. And even though we didn’t find the lights like I hoped we would, and even though my heart still aches for the moment when I can call my family and say I did, I am so happy for that journey. I got to see something just as beautiful and magnificent. I got to see the kind of pure night sky some people in big cities have only dreamed of. And I know I’ll find the lights one day. But for now, I’ll take the nights filled with surprising skies instead, because they’re just as good, if not better.
The Singing Ringing Tree
There is a tree in a little town in Lancashire, England, but unlike the trees outside my window, this tree does not shed its leaves or sway with the breeze. This tree is made out of galvanized steel pipes that hum when wind flows through them. It is my new favorite piece of sculpture/experimental music and I constantly find myself captivated by its haunting sounds in videos like this:
What an absolutely incredible silhouette, and an amazing way to see the sun rise. As part of a project to rejuvenate the landscape of the area, artists Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu completed the Singing Ringing Tree in 2006, adding to a series of sculptures built along the countryside.
What I love about this sculpture is how it harnesses the natural energy of wind and translates it into sound. So many of the forces and phenomena of our world can be expressed creatively through sound, and in many cases these types of translations provide us with a new way to understand and experience the world. For instance, here is a talk by artist Robert Alexander in which he uses sound to represent data collected from space:
#socool
What he touches on that I find fascinating is how digital data sets translated into frequencies often sound like organically produced sound. How cool is it that all of the music that we listen to when we’re walking to and from class, when we’re trying to cram for an exam, or when we’re busting moves at a party, is a string of code that is translated into sound? I think that everything in the world can probably be sonified, and I think this would be such a cool way to experience the world. Who needs commodification….why should we monetarily quantify things when we can sonitize them?
