Transcript HU300 Arts and Humanities Twentieth Century and Beyond John

HU300 Arts and Humanities
Twentieth Century and Beyond
John Ragan, Instructor
Our agenda for this seminar
A review of the work that was done in
Unit 4
 Our Unit 5 topics
 Looking ahead to Unit 6
 The final project
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The National Endowment for the Humanities
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The latest from the N.E.H.
TIME CAPSULE: Due in Unit 9
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A letter of introduction
to tell someone in the
future about your dayto-day life
An example of morality
and decision-making in
current culture
Your definition of
happiness
Your definition of
freedom
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A significant literary
work (poem, short story,
or novel)
A significant example of
art or architecture
A significant song or
group of songs
A significant film
A significant item from
popular culture (a toy,
gadget, fad, etc.)
A review of Unit 4
• Many good posts and writing projects, so
thanks for that!
Areas for improvement…
 Making sure that you provide detailed main posts which
thoroughly respond to the discussion questions.
 Posting responses to other students which are
substantive, and which help to advance the discussion.
 In all of your posts (main post and responses to
others), making references to the specific
material in the readings and studies.
An example…
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Hindsight is always 20/20. I believe it would be difficult to say whether or not the impact of the Civil Right’s Movements of the
1960s would have been the same with Malcom X as the leader. Sometimes there are different ways to approach a situation that may
achieve the same outcome. Yet, I do believe that it is safe to assume that the collateral damage would have included very different
results. The two charismatic leaders had very different approaches to and philosophies regarding the inequalities and atrocities
committed against our black citizens. On one hand, Dr. King felt that for the most part, a path of passive resistance and persistent
persuasion was the method most suited to the fight for civil rights. According to his I Have a Dream Speech, it was of paramount
importance to abstain from any physical violence, even if it was retaliatory in nature. He states clearly in his speech, “let us not seek
to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must ever conduct our struggle on the high
plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must
rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force”. On the other hand, Malcom X was very clear in his call to
arms. According to Farber (1994), “he offered African-Americans embittered by generations of racism a stark alternative to Martin
Luther King’s nonviolent, integrationist path” (p. 199). As important as the method, was the desired outcome. MLK states in his I
Have a Dream Speech (1963), “now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of
brotherhood”. His goal was full integration, brotherhood, and equality. He felt that only by learning to live together in love and
freedom would the wounds be healed. Malcom X and his followers held a completely different view. They felt that AfricanAmericans should “live up to their African heritage and take pride in their dark skin and in their own communities” (Farber, 1994, p.
200). His dream of a separate black nation did not include any healing or joining of races.
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In this reader’s opinion, Dr King’s methods were by far a better choice. I believe that had Malcom X and his followers gained a larger
following or foothold, the whole Country would have erupted in even more violence. As my Grandmother used to say, you get more
bees with honey than vinegar!
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Farber, D. (1994). The Age of Great Dreams. New York, New York: Hill and Wang.
King, M. L. I Have a Dream. Lincoln Memorial. Washington D. C. 28 August, 1963. Keynote Address.
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An example, continued
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Hi Julie, yes, I think it is a shame that Malcolm came to a different viewpoint too late in his
journey. I sense though that one of the reasons he was so successful is that he was just echoing the
anger and frustration felt by the many of the participants in the civil rights movement. The
movement had been stagnating, and it was just the right time for Malcolm to present a different
approach. I think the hallmark of a good politician is one that will give the people what they want.
Malcolm realized the discontent and structured his platform around what the black community
wanted. According to Farber (1994), "many Black Americans delighted in Malcolm X's abuse of the
white man and his vision of black pride and strength" (p. 201). Having grown tired of MLK's
"Uncle Tom" approach, hearing Malcolm's fire brimming speeches denouncing the white
community as ""subhuman devils" fulfilled a need in the black community to rebel against the
approach taken by other civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King. (Farber, 1994) Malcolm
X's success was based then partially on his gift as a speaker but also partially on the direction of his
message. A different approach may not have garnered a similar response.
Faber, D., (1994). The Age of Great Dreams. New York, N.Y.: Hill and Wang
Areas for improvement (cont’d)
• In the writing projects, making sure that you
incorporate ideas, issues, concepts, etc, from the
readings and studies for that unit.
• Using APA format, with internal citations and sources
listed at the end.
• Checking spelling and overall clarity of writing before
submitting the project.
Grading rubrics…
“Makes frequent, informed
references to unit material”
Finishing up the Music topic
Unit 4 explored the subject
of music…
The standard bearers in music
 What do the standard bearers
communicate about the time, place,
culture, influences, and circumstances
that lead to these musical expressions?
Your own interests
Have there been types of music
which you once disliked, but
then developed an interest in?
Unit 5
 Literature!
Many forms of literature
 Just as with art and music, there are many
different forms of literature…
 Epic tales
 Sonnets
 Short stories
 Poetry
 Novels
 Because….there are many forms of human
expression!
Reading habits
*In 2004, the National
Endowment for the Arts
put out a study about
�”Reading at Risk”,
about the decline of
reading in America.
*What might explain the
change in reading
habits?
What does it say about a culture?
What does a decline or increase
in reading of literature say about
a culture? Why is reading
literature important?
Poetry…which we focused on in Unit 5
 Poetry rarely is a best-seller…why do you think that is?
Is poetry surviving in some ways?
 Poetry slams enjoy a following…
Looking ahead to Unit 6
Morality…
Unit 6 examines Morality
• Different schools of moral philosophy
• The application of moral decision-
making
DEFINTION
Morality – the study of moral systems by
which significant choices are made.
Moral – an adjective indicating a choice
between significant options, based on
principles derived from reason, family
teachings, education, religion or law.
Pearson Longman © 2009
Important concepts of morality in the Unit 6
readings
Moral absolutism
Utilitarianism
Moral relativism
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A ship sinks, and the lifeboat can only hold
five people, but there are seven people left on
the sinking ship, and they all want to survive.
The only way to survive is in the lifeboat
(there are no other options).
Do five of the people take the lifeboat and
abandon the other two?
Do all seven people go down with the sinking
ship?
What do YOU think is the morally correct
answer?
The assignments in Unit 6
Readings
Discussions
Seminar
No writing assignment
When doing the Unit 6 discussions
 Remember to extensively incorporate
ideas and concepts from the readings
into your main post, and into your
responses to others.
Questions?