Ted Talk Outline

Thesis: Marijuana usage has become more accepted within society because of increasing positive research of its medicinal benefits and an overall political shift to more liberal ideologies.

  1. Hook to engage the audience
    1. Something visual that can be remembered throughout the presentation
  2. Introduce the history behind marijuana usage
    1. Ancient times
    2. 30s-prohibition, associated with laziness, immigrants
    3. 60s-70s- hippies, spiritual trips, festivals, music, experimentation
    4. 2000s- medicinal marijuana legalization starts
    5. 2012-recreational use of cannabis in Colorado and Washington
  3. Cannabis & Politics (changing attitudes)
    1. Nixon- War on Drugs
    2. Bill Clinton- said he didn’t inhale
    3. Other more recent examples that show that marijuana has become more accepted within society
  4. Analyzing specific changes of how Marijuana has become so quickly favorable within the United States
  5. Statistics/graphs
    1. Show changing political ideologies
    2. Polls that show people’s attitudes on medicinal legalization and recreational legalization
  6. What is the future of cannabis?
    1. When will recreational cannabis be legal within the United States?
  7. Conclusion
    1. Review thesis
    2. Resolution that appeals to audience

CUCO.

It is always a pleasure to find people incorporating their culture within popular forms of music, and challenging the norms. Representation within the music industry is extremely important and supporting artists who embrace their culture is equally as significant. One artist in particular takes the slow, and romantic aspect of latino rock and meshes it with lo-fi beats and melodic synths. Cuco has recently become popular in the alternative genre due to his laid back production style as well as his soothing dream-like music. His rise from an unknown artist to an influential representation of the young latino community is especially valuable.

Omar Banos, known as Cuco, is a Mexican-American (Chicano) singer and producer who grew up in Hawthorne, California. He is the only child of immigrant Mexican parents from Puebla and Mexico City. His passion of music began as a young child as he experimented with trumpet, guitar, keyboard, drums, bass guitar, mellophone, and french horn before he was even fifteen. Later, Cuco attended Santa Monica City College for one year, but then dropped out to pursue music. His decision to do this was especially difficult as his parents emphasized the importance of school in getting a good job, as well as setting an example of success as a second generation latino in America. Cuco started creating music in 2015, and self-released two EP’s in 2016 and 2017, and his first studio album Para Mi was released in 2019. His fame exploded with the release of his song “Lo Que Siento” in 2017 which gained more than 56 million streams on Spotify alone.

Cuco’s style of music is exceptionally unique as it combines elements of indie pop and bossa nova with a retro-psychedelic flair. To be honest, it is extremely catchy and enjoyable to listen to at the end of a bustling night with friends. Recurrent themes in his music include romance, heartbreak, friendship, and other life issues. Cuco is awfully lighthearted and doesn’t drag too deep into dark issues, and keeps his music entertaining, while also keeping a balance with reality. His easy beats and silly, sappy ballads keep things fun, and are rejuvenating to listen to.

One song in particular, “Bossa No Sé,” describes the confusing struggle of loving and hating a person that might not be particularly good for you. But, the chase and past memories make it hard to let go of that intoxicating someone as he sings “Don’t play with me/ You broke my heart/ But I’m also so obsessed with you.” The song follows a soft trap beat with light synths, guitar strumming, and deep piano chords in the background, as well as a rap feature from Jean Carter. This mix may not seem particularly enticing, but trust me when I say that it’s the perfect concoction of soft and chill.

TWENTY ONE PILOTS.

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how something can hold so much significance in your life until you look back on it and realize, “oh yeah.” You could simply stumble across something one day and not even realize that it will impact your life, and continue to impact your life in the future. For me, I have experienced this feeling with the band Twenty One Pilots. I know, I know, I know, that this may sound a little cheesy but, to each their own. This band has been with me through the good and the bad times, and I attribute so much meaning to their work and appreciate all of their artistic endeavors, because they truly are amazing.

Now, what is Twenty One Pilots’ origin story? Starting with the name of the band, it was inspired by the play “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller. In it, a man chose to distribute faulty airplane parts during World War Two which caused 21 pilots to die, and then he ultimately committed suicide because of this decision. This deeper meaning behind the band’s name is only just the beginning of hidden meanings behind this band. 

Image courtesy of the author. 10.18.19

Moving on to the people in the band, originally Tyler Joseph (the current lead singer) started the band in 2009 with his two high school friends Chris Salih and Nick Thomas. Shortly after they released their first album, these two band members left because of family business. In 2013, Joseph met Joshua Dun, the current drummer, and they instantly became best friends and to this day continue to have a great dynamic between each other. To date, Twenty One Pilots has released four albums, with Trench (2018) being the most recent one.

Although Twenty One Pilots have become a more popular name over the years, they still retain their original style and flair within every song sung and performance given. And as far as I’m aware, they still haven’t “sold out.” Common themes within their songs include mental illness, insecurities, strength, compassion, support, etc. Their albums also feature a general aesthetic or particular atmosphere surrounding them. For example, their album Blurryface, was centered around Joseph’s personal insecurities and doubts. This was further portrayed through the physical character of “Blurryface”–a faceless being donned in red that represented insecurities through black paint on Joseph’s neck and hands. The genre of music that encompasses Twenty One Pilots is alternative rock, pop rock, and alternative hip-hop. 

One of my current favorite songs from their new album is “Chlorine” which describes Joseph’s love-hate relationship with his music-making process. Although he first started making music to express himself and understand what he was feeling inside, this also turned outwards so others could attribute their own meanings to his songs as well. This intense personal connection could turn quickly toxic and is compared to “sippin’ on straight chlorine” as he uses songwriting to cope, even though his thoughts could be difficult to deal with. Furthermore, he goes on to say that “the lead is terrible in flavor/but you double as a paper maker” which means that now with his success as an artist, it is ironic that he’s making money from his self healing, yet destructive process of writing music. This is merely just one example of the genius of Tyler Joseph, and what’s inside his brain.

I encourage you to listen to some of their songs, and maybe find a meaning of your own. Remember to never stop creating.

 

Ted Talk

I watched a Ted Talk called “The psychology of your future self” by Dan Gilbert, a Harvard psychologist, which examined why people often make decisions that their future selves often regret. This is interesting as there are many stereotypes about teenagers getting tattoos or piercings at a young age, which they might regret when they mature into adults. Gilbert observed that as people get older however, one’s rate of change slows down dramatically, and that adolescents change more often than someone’s grandparents. Additionally, these changes which form someone into a better person may seem to happen rather quickly, but actually they take a lot of time to progress and develop slowly over the years. This slow process of change may someone believe that they actually haven’t changed, until they realize it in a certain moment while looking upon their past. Gilbert states that in a survey of different age groups and their predicted rate of change, many people underestimated how much they were going to change in their life. Specifically, the age group of 18 year olds anticipated changing just as much as 50 year olds actually do. Therefore, in reality there are many significant life changes that one goes through, whether it be their personality, beliefs, or values. In each of these categories in a prediction of change for ten years, the same prediction is concluded that people underestimate the rate of change that will occur. Thus, we overestimate our current preferences because it has to do with the ease of remembering versus the difficulty of imagining. To explain, we remember who we were years ago, but find it a bit difficult to imagine who we are going to be, and because we think that it’s hard to imagine, we think that it’s less likely to happen. I liked how Gilbert used personal examples and statistics to get his point across to explain how this phenomenon works.

Paradigm Shift Proposal

For my paradigm shift analysis I would want to examine the changes in the significance of music and possibly how its cultural significance has shifted over the years. Or, how the role of music in relation to social issues has changed. For example, how music played a role during the social changes of the 70s and the Vietnam war protests, compared to its significance in modern social issues today. I’m not really sure of any specifics within these topics as I would have to examine research associated with the change of music and its meanings. I will probably do most of my research online and look for key differences between the usage, meanings, genres, audiences, impact, and prevalence of music throughout history (probably mainly focusing upon United States history).

Another idea that I have is the change in activism over the years, specifically centering on protests. How has social media impacted protests today? Are these new methods more effective for organizing and encouraging activism? Does modern activism actually promote change? Also, I want to examine the roles of the youth in participating in political activism, and this change over time.

THE FRIGHTS.

Surf Punk. What is it??? Punks surfing? Surfs punking? Don’t know?? Let’s find out..

The Frights is a band from San Diego, that was formed in 2012 as a fun after-high school project. The original trio consisted of Mikey Carnevale, Richard Dotson, and Adam Lomnitzer and the band separated shortly after each member headed to college. They came together again in December of 2012 during winter break and decided to have one last show before they disbanded forever. Well, it just so turns out that after the concert an audience member offered to sign the band to a local record label, Postmark Records, and at this moment The Frights officially became a band. Since then, two new members joined the band, drummer Marc Finn and lead guitarist Jordan Clark. The Frights have released 3 EPs and 3 albums (with my favorite one being You Are Going To Hate This [2016]), with the most recent one released in 2018, named Hypochondriac.

So, you’re asking what genre are they? Well, surf punk, of course, mixed with elements of doo-wop and classic punk. Their sound is best described as unpolished, gnarly, and naturally fun. The lead singer, Carnevale, tends to sing with a rough, carefree voice which perfectly accompanies the brash drums and jangling bassline present in the background. This mish-mash of sound comes together ever so smoothly in absolute imperfection. Carnevale also isn’t afraid to belt out into emotive sound, and often includes vocalizations reminiscent of old school doo-wop which are placed randomly within songs.

Most of The Fright’s songs focus upon sappy love stories, childhood memories, teenage angst, mental health, among many other personal narratives. One song that is especially characteristic of this band is “All I Need,” which features bizarre ups and downs, parts that are soft and unpredictably loud, along with a much needed guitar solo. The song is simplistic in meaning, as it is about a relationship with a girl that provides comfort and loving support. To be honest, much of the lyrics are repeated throughout the song, but it’s still pretty catchy. But, the main point of this music is the lovely instrumentation!! The driving, pounding bass-line, dramatic guitar features, as well as a constant banging from the drums which pushes the song into forward motion. 

As The Frights have created more albums, their sound has become slightly more developed and cleaned up. Personally, I don’t really enjoy this modernization of their music as it takes away the raw and genuine aura behind their older songs. However, sounds change and people start to scream less, I guess. Nonetheless, their music is still a fine listen, just stick to the old stuff. 

Artifact Comparison Essay

If there was a problem that affects 25% of women on campus, then why wouldn’t there be a persistent effort to curb this issue? According to Penn State’s Gender Equity Center, one in four women, and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted during their time as a Penn State student. Sexual assault and harassment on college campuses is a horrifying issue as many students’ lives have been significantly shattered due to one unexpected night or instance. This current situation has been entirely prolonged, possibly by a lack of education and because it exists within a society that continues to enact old-age gender stereotypes and fundamental mistrust towards victims of any kind. It is understandable that the issue of sexual assault is not one that is easy to solve, however its widespread and universal nature as it plagues and breeds upon college campuses should signify that this issue should be at the forefront of our minds. The advertisements “Unacceptable Acceptance Letters” and Penn State’s own “All In” campaign focus upon displaying how sexual assault on college campuses has been enabled through victim blaming and a demeaning mistrust towards victims. These notions are highlighted through commonplaces about college, an accusatory tone, and as well as the usage of imagery. Both of these advertisements urge audiences to thoughtfully reconsider their perspectives and convey a sense of urgency through straightforward presentations of the raw reality of sexual assault.

Firstly, the commonplace of college being a new, hopeful, and enriching experience is used as a background for both advertisements. The idea that college is a place where one has the best years of their life is often a universal one, as it has been repeatedly promoted and romanticized by pop culture such as movies and television shows. It is commonly believed that this period holds incomparable memories, more independence, freedom from controlling parents, a diverse atmosphere, as well as a fresh start to become the person that one wants to be in the future. Both advertisements use this previous knowledge and expectations about college and build upon these notions to convey the truth about the increasing prominence of sexual assaults on campus. Specifically, the “Unacceptable Acceptance Letters” advertisement envelops the reality of sexual assault as a part of the “college experience” that many students are facing today by first focusing on the idea of this commonplace and then mentioning that “one of these memories will include being raped by someone you thought you could trust” (Unacceptable Acceptance Letters). The advertisement uses the overtly positive and hopeful atmosphere of the “college experience” to its advantage by emphasizing that this is an unforgettable period that will allow one “to make lifelong friends and memories here on campus,” which builds up the emotional charge and importance of the memories to be made in college. This perfectly sets the stage for the shocking and climaxing point of the advertisement that mentions that one of these college memories will involve being raped, as this clearly contradicts the idea of the expected perfect college experience and therefore heightens the impact and memorability of this statement within the advertisement. However, The “All In” campaign advertisement does not directly use this commonplace to its advantage, but instead employs it strategically in a way that subtly implies its positive aspects. To explain this further, the advertisement is targeted towards college students and is presented through a text message exchange between two people. This advertisement seems fairly simple as it only features a couple lines of text, but displays the ignorance of failing to recognize and name instances of sexual assault for what they are, which may be due to the fact that people resist ideas that threaten their previously conceived notions of things. When faced with the fact of the massive instances of sexual assault on campus, the receiving person within the conversation states “That’s different. You know what I’m trying to say.” This in turn validates the rejection of the truth of sexual assaults  in order to follow the ideas of the perfect college experience, and that this must not be actually occurring on campus since it does not follow suit with the idea of the perfect college experience. (add closing sentence and wrap it up)

Additionally, an accusatory tone I used within both advertisements to extract an emotional response from the audience. Since both advertisements are heavily text-based, they rely on emotional appeals to directly connect with the audience effectively. The “Unacceptable Acceptance Letters” advertisement heavily relies upon tone to convey its message as it aims to directly impact the audience on a personal level, as it specifically speaks to the audience in a second person point of view. The “acceptance letter” of the advertisement starts off hopeful and endearing, but shortly switches to a dark and accusatory tone as it describes the unfortunate memory of being a future victim of sexual assault during one’s college years, yet having no one believe that this actually happened. This unsuspecting switch in tones immediately signifies something important to the audience as this stark contrast is not expected. For example, the advertisement states that “the claims you will make against your rapist will be ignored, much like your right to feel safe at school..we don’t respond to liar,” which makes the audience feel like they have a lack of control within the situation and have been blatantly ignored, overlooked, and invalidated. This unsuspecting switch in tones immediately signifies something important to the audience as this stark contrast is not expected. Furthermore, this accusatory tone clearly displays the true feelings of hopelessness and rejection that a victim of seual assault would actually feel within this situation. The harsh tone causes the audience to sympathize with the situation as they are directly being put into this hypothetical situation whether they like it or not. A similar application of an accusatory tone is also found within the “All In” advertisement as one person within the conversation states “she was asking for it.” This simple remark rejects the feelings, thoughts, and explanations of the victim being mentioned…

Revised Speech Outline:

Thesis: The advertisement uses commonplaces and emotional appeals, such as tone and imagery, to personalize meaning for the audience, as well as logical appeals to establish a factual basis for the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. 

  • Statistic as a hook (1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted in college)
    • Explain how this specifically pertains to the sexual assault rates on Penn State campuses
  • Background on advertisement (introduce it)
    • part of Goodby Silverstein & Partners Don’t Accept Rape campaign 
    • aims to educate about the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses, and the lack of action on the part of colleges in recognizing this issue
    • First seen in Harvard newspaper (Harvard Crimson) 
  • State THESIS
    • The advertisement uses commonplaces and emotional appeals, such as tone and imagery, to personalize meaning for the audience, as well as logical appeals to establish a factual basis for the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. 
  • Explain emotional appeals (tone + imagery)
    • Introduce commonplace of the “college experience”
      • Disillusionment of the reality of college
      • Don’t expect sexual assaults to be as prevalent as they are
      • College acceptance letters are usually an exciting event
      • Impact of the tone shift is heightened because of these positive expectations
    • Shift in tone/mood when imagery appears
      • Makes people feel uncomfortable, shocked
    • Raw and straightforward, doesn’t hide the truth and exposes the lack of safety on campus
    • Second person pov directly addresses audience
      • Forces audience to become a part of a real like scenario, and put themselves in the place of a sexual assault victim
  • Explain use of logical appeals (statistics)
    • Statistic highlights the prevalence of sexual assaults
      • It is an unfair reality that has happened to a lot of female students
      • Facts that can’t be argued with
      • Proves that it is an issue that needs to be addressed now!!
    • Perfectly placed at the end of the ad to tie ideas together
    • State that it is a true story
      • Puts a “face” to the situation, rather than just using a fictional scenario
    • Makes the issue more blaring, want attention drawn to it
      • Impactful, impetus for change
  • Closing Statements
    • Short summary of argument and rhetorical appeals
    • Strong, personal
    • CALL TO ACTION!!!!!

MAC DEMARCO.

Imagine that you’re a dirty haired teenager in the 90s and you’re hanging out with your friends, relaxing in your bedroom. The lights are dim, and your purple lava lamp bubbles and glides along your wall. You lay on the floor, sinking into the rug while twinging, slow guitar riffs reverberate around the room and soothe you to sleep. This is the flavor of Mac Demarco.

Mac DeMarco is surely an artist that is one of a kind. His music combines synthetic sounds, dreamy vocals, and soft harmonies that awaken a nostalgic feeling within the soul. On appearance level DeMarco may just look  like another bummy indie artist, but his scraggly and rather simple choice of fashion add to his endearing appeal as an artist that doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks. His overall style is a refreshing contrast to the manufactured idols of the music world that gain quick and mindless popularity nowadays.

Mac DeMarco, born as Vernor Winfield McBraire Smith IV, is from British Columbia, Canada, and is a musician, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Demarco’s style is a tangled jumble of things including lofi, indie, blue wave, folk rock, and slacker rock. Basically, this just means that he has a very prominent laid back essence in his music. Many of his songs feature soft flat drums, vibrato effects on the guitar, and low frequency bass guitar. To date he has released six albums, with Here Comes the Cowboy (2019) as the most recent. An especially interesting aspect of his music is that he records his songs on reel-to-reel tape recorders to attain a vintage and crackly kind of sound. His music is an easy listen and is open to goofy interpretations as well as quiet reflections into one’s own deeper consciousness.  

The first song that pulled me into what is the universe of Mac DeMarco is “My Kind of Woman,” which is a sappy sweet song about a romance between a head over heels boy and a girl that may not exactly reciprocate these specific feelings. DeMarco creates a genuine and glowing atmosphere by using soft synthetic chords as background noise and a gentle plucking guitar while he quietly sings under these sounds. His lyrics aren’t complicated, but the delivery and spacing of them produce goosebumps, yet are soothing enough for a baby to fall asleep to

On another note, DeMarco rarely takes himself seriously as his music videos include weird and lighthearted phenomena such as dressing up as a lizard cowboy, or a woman, or Michael Jackson, or Homer Simpson. This reminds us that in the end music is just music and that we’re meant to have fun with it, no matter what anybody else thinks.