Transcript Intercultural Communicaton

Muted Microcultural Groups:
The Rap Music Generation
 “An
identifiable group of people who
share a set of values, beliefs, and
behaviors and who possess a common
history and a verbal and nonverbal
symbol system that is similar to but
systematically varies from the larger,
often dominant cultural milieu”
 Microcultural
groups often develop their
own language for communicating outside
the dominant or majority culture’s
context or value system.
 The
terms “minority group” or subculture
are often used to refer to microcultural
groups, however these terms carry
negative connotations.
 By
definition, sub- means “beneath,”
“below,” and inferior”.
 Social
scientists generally recognize five
characteristics that distinguish
microcultural groups from the dominant
culture.
• 1) Ethnicity/Gender/Language/Distinctive Dress
Habits, e.g., Rastafarians
• 2) Microcultural membership is usually not
voluntary
• 3)Microcultural group member generally
practice endogamy (i.e., marrying within the ingroup)
• 4) Group members are aware of their
subordinate status
• 5) Such groups often experience unequal
treatment from the dominant group in the form of
segregation and discrimination
 The
manifestation of the muted group
theory is that microcultural groups’
speech and writing are not valued by the
dominant cultural group.
• “Moreover, microcultural groups experience
difficulty expressing themselves fluently within
the dominate mode of expression; that is, they
may not speak the same language as the
dominant group, and hence “micro-macro
interaction is difficult”.
 Written
by Homeboy Sandman, who
identifies as a hip hop artist.
 These
words, and others, are given more
media attention in the hopes that more
people will use them or embrace them.
• There are many negative stereotypes of this
microculture, which leads to oppression of the
group.
 Those who embrace this lifestyle are also embracing
all the negative stereotypes, and become easier
victims of oppression
 The
author of “How to Build a Universe
That Doesn’t Fall Apart in Two Days,”
said:
• "the basic tool for the manipulation of reality is
the manipulation of words. If you can control the
meaning of words, you can control the people
who must use the words."
 This shows the importance of language, language
usage, and content of language.
 The intended meaning of language may not be the
meaning interrupted by the listener.
 Children
will often rely more on the
judgments, like stereotypes, about
people that what the person is actually
like or has done.
• Example : “How did the idiot get all of the
questions right”
 Children will accept that he is an idiot, wonder how
he managed, and not ask why he’s an idiot.
 Rap
is being marketed and aimed at
children more and more.
 Hip
Hop music is basically telling
children to become people that others
feel aren’t even worthy of respect.
 “Metacommunication -- implanting
subliminal messages by stressing certain
key words."
• Which came from a list of ways to control society
 In
the long run children that identify with
hip hop culture grow to not respect
themselves
 There
is a greater issue of, institutional
racism, that certain practices, and
attitudes are brought about by the
majority group, to keep the minorities
inferior.
• Like hip hop music and culture being used to
sell those cultural beliefs to children.
• With the difference in the punishment for those
found with drugs, specifically crack.
 Sandman, H. (2012). Words
are weapons: Rap's
self depreciating lexicon. Huffpost arts &
culture.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/homeboysandman/words-are-weapons-hiphop_b_2156846.html
 Neuliep, J. (2012). Intercutural communication a
contextual approach. (pp. 95-99, g-3). Thousand
Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.