Perspective?

Perspective according the American Heritage Dictionary is a mental  view and outlook. It was interesting how many different perspectives were presented during class discussion concerning the Rihanna and Eminem video, "Love the way you lie." 

Music certainly communicates for each of us as individuals, and as individuals, a particular song might mean something different for you than it does for someone else (Sellnow, 2010). This was very evident during class discussion.


When we consider music as rhetoric, we examine the messages it communicates to identifiable audiences, rather than the various individual meanings you and I might have of it (Sellnow, 2010). We did in fact have people mention personal experience of relationship abuse, and we were able to consider the message they received from the song as an identifiable audience.


At first glance I perceived the video to be a form of catharsis and educational for an identifiable audience. Educational because it reflected real life situations and scenarios. It told a story that some are able to relate to. The sole purpose of the video could have simply been to allow or provide a catharsis. A technique used to relieve tension and anxiety by bringing repressed feelings and fears to consciousness. http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/catharsis

Messages are couched in music that are effective in persuasion and change.

I perceived the line "I  love the way you lie" to be satiric in that it was not a true statement but rather a form sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.


I also perceived that the female initiated violence and was just as violent as the male. I think this raised a great point that men are also abused. 

"Now I know we said things, did things that we didn't mean

And we fall back into the same patterns, same routine. But your temper's just as bad as mine is. You're the same as me. Maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems. Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano." Violence is never right no matter whom the victim.




"Love the way you Lie," functions rhetorically by creating an illusion of life for listeners. It is simply a representation of life experiences and feelings influenced by Rihanna and Eminem's perspective. 

Sellnow, D. The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture: Considering Mediated Text. SAGE Publications Inc. 2010; http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U;http://www.directlyrics.com/eminem-love-the-way-you-lie-lyrics.html

STAND for SOMETHING or FALL for ANYTHING!

Schools can modify homophobic and sexist social environments in several ways-by placing affirming posters in their classrooms, providing support for GSAs, sponsoring assemblies and speakers, and reorganizing highly gendered school rituals (Pascoe, 169).


I strongly disagree with Pascoe concerning this statement.  Schools can attempt to transform students, but the root of the problem stems from parents and home environment. She states what schools can attempt to do, but she admits to removing a “Gay Pride” sticker from her car due to the strong sense of homophobia (Pascoe, 161). I am confused? How can she say what a school should do, if she is not willing to stand for what she believes in despite of the present Homophobia?

Students are taught prior to attending school to be homophobic to be prejudiced against homosexual people, this is not taught in the curriculum, but possibly reinforced at school if anything.

My husband and I do not curse we do not allow our children to be around people or atmospheres where people do. We also do not allow them to listen to distasteful music. BUT tell my why in Kindergarten my daughter comes home repeating “What the F%$K…” This is certainly not part of the curriculum, her teacher did not teach her this; she got it from another student who got it from home. Very hurtful and disappointing…


 I didn’t expect my daughter to come home with a nasty mouth, I do not expect her to go to school and see posters affirming the GLBT community and I do not want her attending assemblies etc.  I feel there is no difference between them teaching my daughter to drink, smoke, do drugs, or have sex. I do not feel the school has the right to influence my daughter in any of these matters, just to teach her the basic curriculum of math reading and science. But at the same time, I am not teaching my daughter to hate or mistreat others. PERIOD!

The school should only be responsible to do so much. They have a mission to educate our children with the basics. Parents need to step up and take responsibility and accountability for their children and their behavior.