Eminem the Messiah?

Eminem the Messiah.

Let me just get this out of the way: this sounds wrong.

This sounds sacrilegious.

And it would be, if I were referring to the Jewish Messiah...but I am not.

The Messiah figure to which I am referring is secular in the sense that he or she does not have to be tied to a religion to be "the Messiah."

He or she is the Messiah because he or she is the one person who can unite a group of people and liberate them from what is keeping them in bondage.

The music of Eminem portrays Eminem as a Messiah figure, one who has come to liberate and unite an angry mass of white middle-class youth. If one examines the lyrics of Eminem's music with scrutiny, one will find that he proclaims to have this mission.

Starting towards the beginning of his career, Eminem made the bold statement, "I don't give a f---, God sent me to p--- the world off" in his hit song "My Name Is." This is not exactly what one would call a noble mission, but nevertheless it is the one Eminem claimed. The craziest part is that this statement of purpose resonated with some and united a swarm of unhappy youth who saw Eminem as the one who best embodied everything they were feeling.

Eminem describes this group in the following excerpt from "Without Me":

"Little hellions, kids feeling rebellious / Embarrassed, their parents still listen to Elvis / They start feeling like prison is helpless / Til someone comes along on a mission and yells "b----" / A visionary, vision is scary, could start a revolution / Pollutin' the air waves a rebel"

As the "narrative" of Eminem's mission unfolds, these "little hellions" find so much inspiration from Eminem that they begin to adopt his way of living. This is what Eminem refers to in "The Real Slim Shady," when he says "and there's a million of us just like me / Who cuss like me, who just don't give a f--- like me / Who dress like me, walk, talk and act like me / And just might be the next best thing, but not quite me."

"White America," with its mix of inspiration and vulgarity, succinctly describes the culmination of his efforts to unite the angry youth:

"I never woulda dreamed in a million years I'd see so many mutha f--kin people who feel like me / Who share the same views / And the same exact beliefs / Its like a f--kin army marchin in back of me / So many lives I touched / So much anger aimed at no perticular [sic]"

This myth is not completely pure in that a) Eminem did not necessarily bring a group to a better place, and in that b) his lyrics can embellish the truth.

a) Although he did unite a group of angry white middle-class youth, it is difficult to prove that he released them from their hate simply by providing them with a common music.

b) Eminem has a knack for creating an image of himself, and this image is not always true to reality. Ego distorts his listeners from ever receiving a completely accurate depiction of his true self. It is difficult to understand how much of his uniting power was a reality, and how much of it was an illusion he created with his lyrics.

An egotist? Yes.

A genius? Lyrically, perhaps.

A Messiah? Not purely.

The Real Slim Shady? Of course.

Deeply True, Dangerously False

Eminem is genius and pure ego.

He says all the wrong words and pushes all the right buttons.

He appeals to and resonates with the masses of angry, white suburban youth.

Why?

Because he says so.

Take, for instance, "White America," in which he claims to be leading a revolution against traditional American values:

"So to the parents of America / I am the damager [sic] aimed at little Erica / To attack her character / The ring leader of the circus of worthless pawns / Sent to lead the march right up to the steps of Congress / And p--s on the lawns of the whitehouse [sic] / To burn the casket and replace it with a parental advisory sticker / To spit liquor in the faces of this democracy of hipocracy [sic]."

Or, examine the lyrics of "Stan," in which his "biggest fan" conveys the close connection he feels with Eminem:

"See, I'm just like you in a way / I never knew my father neither / He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her / I can relate to what you're sayin' in your songs / So when I have a sh---y day, I drift away and put 'em on / Cause I don't really got sh-- else / So that sh-- helps when I'm depressed."

How about "The Real Slim Shady," in which Eminem boldly claims that he is in everyone:

"In every single person there's a Slim Shady lurkin / He could be workin at burger king, spittin on your onion rings / Or in the parking lot, circling, screamin I dont [sic] give a f--- / With his windows down and his system up."

Whereas it is true that Eminem's music is extremely accessible to people who can relate to the rough experiences he had growing up, it is important that we recognize that Eminem purposefully reinforces his connection with his audience simply by claiming it is there.

The "deeply true" part of his music consists of the harsh conditions and anger about which he raps. Many youth are troubled and have large amounts of rage festering inside of them. Eminem speaks to this like no other rapper had been able to do before him. So, this is why the music resonates with his audience.

However, there is a "deeply false" part of his music. In his lyrics, Eminem appears to believe that because he beat the system on his own, he is now capable of leading and controlling the masses of angry youth in a cultural rebellion.

Some members of the "Eminem lovers" semiotic domain are able to separate these two elements. They connect with the rough imagery, but understand that Eminem is not calling them to join in a real rebellion of any sort.

Others are unable to separate these two entities, and see Eminem as an idol of sorts. They wear the clothes he wears, dye their hair, and apply his anger to their own lives. They are like Stan in Eminem's hit song, "Stan." They think that he is larger-than-life, and that he is actually leading them to something greater than themselves...

Certainly, elements of Eminem's music would present him as a...

Messiah?

Media Integrity: Pt. 2

Coming back to my original argument: It is important to realize that specific media seem more meaningful to the members of a semiotic domain than they do to others outside that domain.

A great real-life example I have that shows that individuals communicate in meaningful ways through Facebook involves someone who I am particularly close to at this point in my life. Last night I was talking with her, and we reminisced about the first message I had sent her via Facebook. Now, I don't think that particular message was ripe with deep meaning, but it did lead to other messages that were more meaningful.

The culmination of these meaningful messages had to be a couple of nights ago when I sent her a message in a quasi-Socratic dialogue form. I wrote the whole Facebook message as a discussion between Socrates and Thrasymachus. This may seem bizarre (and it was, slightly), but it also had deeper statements strewn throughout the message. It was probably the most creative thing I have done for her, and it wasn't a very quick venture.

So did it lack meaning because it wasn't in a mailbox with a piece of candy?

No.

As Bob Dylan might say, "The Times They Are A'Changin'."

I am part of a new, young semiotic domain known as Facebookers, and we are able to communicate in meaningful ways via the Internet.

Media Integrity: Pt.1

I recently had a conversation with my mother in which we were discussing her relationship with my father during their college years. She told me of how he would leave her little messages in her mailbox (sometimes with candy), and how this communicated that he cared about her, that he was thinking of her, etc.

This whole account was in juxtaposition to my experience at college. I hardly ever write any type of message on paper, even to those I care about the most. Usually, I use the all-encompassing Facebook to communicate with my peers.

Now, my mother was concerned that if I only used this type of Internet communication (in addition to face-to-face communication), I might not send a strong-enough message to those whom I cared about the most.

This makes me question: Does a message lack meaning simply because of its form? Am I being relationally lazy when I use Facebook as a form of communication, or is using this type of Internet-based communication more closely related to the generation or the semiotic domain to which I belong?

I would like to make the case that I am not being relationally lazy when I use Facebook to communicate with peers.

I think that the form of communication I am using is more telling of the semiotic domain to which I belong than the integrity of the message itself.

So to what semiotic domain do I belong in this instance?

Facebookers.

Delving in further, I would say that the affinity group to which I belong is not necessarily semantically synonymous with the semiotic domain itself.

The affinity group to which I belong is comprised of all my high school and college friends I allow to view my profile, and all students at Malone with a Facebook account. Not everyone who is on the Facebook network can view my profile.

My fellow Facebook friends and I have a design grammar which we alone are able to understand without much thought. Examples of this grammar include being "poked," having a "friend request," viewing a "Wall-to-Wall," updating "My Status," and interpreting the "Heart Symbol."

The common texts we work with are wall posts, messages, photos, invitations, notes, and videos.

Whereas the argument I am attempting to make is that Facebook can be a forum for meaningful communication, I think it should also be recognized that the axiom "the media is the message" is still applicable.

Within the world of Facebook, different media texts carry different meanings. Wall Posts tend to focus mostly on day-to-day matters, and simple questions and statements. My Messages, however, leaves room for more meaningful dialogue as it functions like a private email account. Notes can either serve in a blog-like capacity or just as empty space for goofy messages.

This structure of meaning is understood by all Facebookers, so that if someone violates this structure it is apparent. Generally speaking, if you are interested in someone romantically, or want to tell someone something romantic, you do not use the Notes function to do this. I have seen it done before, and it struck me as odd.

Easy Listening

Perhaps one of my all-time favorite lyricists is Steve Taylor, a quirky Christian musician whose career began to take off in the 1980s. On his last studio album, Squint, there is a song called "Easy Listening" which serves as an example of the Myth of Eternal Return, albeit with a little twist...

The song is authored by an older person doling out advice to younger Christians in the year 2044. The song begins with the lyric, "Gather-me-grandchildren if you love a good mystery / Gather-me-grandchildren for a little church history / It's 2044 and you're avoiding our turn-of-the-century ways."

The lyrics serve as an extremely appropriate example of the Myth of Eternal Return, which holds that if things could only be like they used to be, everything would be much better. Under this assumption, the Myth of Eternal Return encourages that we strive to apply concepts from the past to the present in order to improve our quality of life.

In the song, the author is uncomfortable with the ideas of self-sacrifice and radicalism these new Christians possess, and therefore sees it fit to remind these young believers how Christians were able to attain success at the turn-of-the-century.

This is where the irony comes into play. Whereas the author subscribes to the belief that things were better "back then" in the world of Christendom, the listener is aware that he is terribly mistaken. The listener understands that his longing for the old days represents a regression toward a more shallow Christianity.

The author describes his position in the following question-and-answer format: "How did we strike it rich? / Kissing up to the powerful / How did we make our pitch? / Satellites by the towerful / Why do you young hotheads have to go and get caught up in a radical phase?"

He follows with more abrasive statements: "My conscience was clear and my wallet was full / I didn't hear none of this "sacrifice" bull / Tough times call for a backtrack / Gimme that old-time easy listening."

In summation, this song relates to the Myth of Eternal Return in two important ways:

First of all, it serves as an example of a longing for the past in the belief that things would be better or eaisier if the group (young Christians) would subscribe to values of the past (the superficial "turn-of-the-century ways" of the older author).

Secondly, this text shows that many times the Myth of Eternal Return is mythic in the sense that it is based on a falsity. The "good ol' days" can be a misguided view of history for older people who do not recognize all the things that were wrong during that time period.

In a society that thrives so much on progression, it is interesting that we still maintain an affinity for "values" of the past and the "good ol' days." As unlikely as it may seem, it is true and it is reflected in a wide array of media.

A Higher Revelation: Pt. 2

Throughout my high school years, I listened to an increasingly eclectic mix of music. I listened to everything from Relient K to Earth, Wind, and Fire.

Another Christian musician who had a large influence upon my life was Rich Mullins. Here again, I was attracted to his musicianship, but it was the life behind the music that fascinated me. The music acted as a bridge between myself and the intriguing lifestyle which Mullins adopted. He was a firm believer in humility and service to others, and was shaken to the core by the awesome love of God. A fan of Brennan Manning, his band was named "The Ragamuffin Band." I suppose that Rich Mullins taught me that as much as Jesus wants us to be holy, he also wants us to be "earthy," in the sense that we ought to be humble and compassionate to all, regardless of who they are or what they have done.

One of the styles of music that I came to love in high school was bluegrass. I have two bluegrass albums that I listen to quite a lot, with performances by Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, and Earl Scruggs.

In a sense, bluegrass music has allowed me to connect with my past. My grandmother was born in a "holler" in Kentucky. Her family members were descendants of Scotch-Irish immigrants who came to the United States during the potato famine. These immigrants brought over their Celtic style, which eventually evolved into bluegrass.

I'd like to think that some of the affinities we have are ingrained in our genetics, because I do have an internal attraction to bluegrass music.

A great example of this involves the song "Soldier's Joy." The version I have is on a CD with two banjos playing a duet. The tune has a Celtic tone, and the banjos' strings pop and roll. Sometimes it is difficult to catch the melody because the activity gets cluttered between the fast movement of all the strings. It sounds anxious and pulsating and joyful all at the same time.

Now this doesn't happen all the time, but once I was in the gym, listening to this song on my iPod, and I felt some weird type of energy swell up within me. I don't mean this to sound bizarre or cliche, but the music actually affected me. All I can attribute it to is the fact that it somehow ties me with my past. I am now busy conjuring up the spirit of Bill Monroe...just kidding.

As I enter college, music is still a very influential media in my life. I have become less concerned with listening to "Christian" music, but I still glean some truth from my listening selection. It will be interesting to see what new music I discover and how it will impact me as I progress through life. I just can't wait until I'm old and 50 cent is like disco...that will be hilarious.

A Higher Revelation: Pt. 1

Ludwig von Beethoven once said, "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Perhaps he seems a little brasch and naive for making this kind of statement, but in his world this was a reality.

In my world, I have also found music to be of great significance. I started becoming particularly interested in music after a short stint of karate when I was 6. (My mother claims it was to boost my self-esteem). Being tired of sensis and boxing matches, I turned to the guitar as a past-time.

As I learned the guitar, I began listening to "grown-up" music. Up until this point, my musical repetoire was limited to Psalty the Singing Song Book and The Donut Man. Soon, however, I was listening to Christian pop/rock groups like dc Talk and Audio Adrenaline. At this point in my life, I was just glad to be listening to this new "rock" music, and I think my parents must have been happy that I was satisfied with Christian groups.

In middle school, I discovered "classic rock," an even further deviation from the Donut Man. Some of the bands I listened to included The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zepplin, and AC/DC. I loved the sounds that these bands produced, and the groups became semi-iconic for me. I would wear t-shirts with their names on them, doodle their symbols on folders during class, and talk about them with my friends. The thing about this type of music was that, as I listened to it, I was not really led to anything but the musicians themselves. Whereas the majority of the music was free from vulgarity, it was not leading me to anything deeper, like some of the Christian groups I listened to may have done.

And then I came across a musician named Keith Green.

Keith Green was a piano-playing singer/songwriter who was extremely popular in the eighties in the Christian community. I became attracted to his music partly due to his excellent musicianship and partly due to his radical zeal for Christ. I read a book about his life called No Compromise, and was amazed at how he conducted himself as a Christian. I listened constantly to old LPs my mom had, and I also listened to the four-disc set I got for my birthday. I memorized the lyrics, I attempted to plunk out some of his songs on the piano, and I tried to adopt just a little bit of his passion.

Listening to his music literally signaled a change in my life. I went from being a potty-mouthed little teenager to someone who fell in love with Jesus Christ.