Will someone please give me a definition of “social awareness?” If you may remember Youth for a Western Civilization’s entrance into the media-fray stirred a controversy as to what exactly western civilization was, and what exactly YWC was implying by daring to use such a phrase. At the Campus Y (our friendly neighborhood communist, ACORN-like, campus phenomenon) forum I thought a great point was made regarding that specific accusation: it never seems to be leveled at the left. There doesn’t seem to be much of a demand for the definition of “diversity” or “inclusion” or any of the other mindless phrases oft repeated at UNC.
The Daily Tar Heel wrote a piece about the new art exhibit at the Fed-Ex Global Education Center entitled “kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa.” You can’t make this stuff up. The exhibit explores people’s mixed-race identity; something that brings “social awareness” according to the DTH. The display is possible, according to the UNC Global website, through the Global Education Distinguished Speakers Series with support from the Carolina Annual Fund and Alumni Committee for Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Artist Kip Fulbeck (check him out in the video below) is a “slam poet” and an art professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Now this is usually where sane, normal people recognize the stupidity of people (many times college students, administration, or faculty) who think they are smarter than everyone else (a slam poet? “Oh, yeah, my uncle’s a slam poet, he, uh, slams Shakespeare like nobody’s business”).
The exhibit, positioned along the walls of the Global Center, is a series of portraits. One of the portraits includes a question at the bottom: “Did you ever notice that people think you are what they are, if they like you?” WHAT?
The Fed-EX Global Center has decided to add it’s unique little flair to the exhibit; it will feature a video of “local volunteers of all walks of life answering the question, ‘What are you?'” (Hmmm. Right now I am hungry.)
And I thought UNC-CH was supposed to leave some sort of elite taste in one’s mouth after pronunciation. I can’t for the life of me understand the ohhhhhssss involved when I tell an adult my place of undergraduate residence. It is a silly place. I have just learned to laugh. Oh, and after you listen to the artist, Kip Fulbeck, below, come back and tell me UNC doesn’t have a partisan agenda.
Fulbeck will be performing some slam-down poetry for us yokels September 17th, live, at the Global Center. Should be interesting.
What your/your parent’s hard earned money is going toward, the “artist,” Kip Fulbeck:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZckwNFCIbA8
Why make a mockery of slam poetry? Just because you don’t care for it? Or do you not understand it? You know, our hard-earned money goes towards many things we don’t agree with or care for. I wasn’t a big fan of the pictures of fetuses in our quad, but I support the funding of all views. Why don’t you?
Also, why do you mock diversity and cultural differences? Do you find any positives in either?
I admit I put this post together in a hasty, mocking mood. I mock slam poetry because I find it something worth making fun of. And I must apologize for not addressing your obvious corollary regarding the fact that money goes to many things many people don’t agree with. The way I see it, student fees are an altogether different thing than official engagements such as this exhibit. Student congress has an across the board criteria for allowing student groups to get funds. UNC does not technically endorse these events or expenses; it is a sort of free for all from SDS to the Review. But when the university officially endorses such nonsense as this exhibit, I am reminded at the bias that UNC holds to. For instance, to reference your example, the Students for Life got a great amount of media coverage (the DTH did it’s job for once and actually investigated a possible misuse of student fees) and criticism while other groups that get the most money ($5,000 is pocket change for such groups) are not criticized, but lauded. And, this exhibit is touted as fighting for social awareness. Nothing about misuse of money is looked into, even though it is a controversial exhibit much like the Students for Life had. I hope you can admit the difference.
Of course I find positive aspects of the plurality of culture. I am referencing the manner in which I hear many of my friends at UNC use the term “diversity” as if it were, in itself, a virtue.
The clip you provided is more of speech-like than most slam poetry is. You would probably appreciate the genre more if you exposed yourself to some of the raw, passionate, creative talent out there.
I especially think you’ll like this poem by Shihan – part of it comments on slam poetry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkM5fFs9ZA0
And here’s a school related poem too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTmHFhBXvAU
To anyone interested, Chapel Hill is lucky to be home to “the Sacrificial Poets,” a really talented group of student poets.
– Lydia.
(ps – Despite the correct spelling of Fulbeck’s name in both your copied link and Youtube embed, you’ve misspelled it everywhere else… )
Are you really asserting that this exhibit is as controversial as the giant bloody fetus photos on the quad?
@ Lydia: thank you for your comment and the spelling correction.
@ *: No.
Wow, Lydia. I’m trying to think of a genteel response to the “slam poetry” that you provided, but I can’t think of anything that is both as genteel and, at the same time, honest as possible other than to say that it is completely uncivilized and it sucks. Are you seriously a student at UNC-CH? This is exactly the kind of crap that I don’t want to become acceptable at an elite institution of the West, but it appears that it’s too late.
It’s also amazing that you have the gall to correct Justin’s spelling errors while enjoying this uncivilized crap. I believe in one of the videos I heard “they was” among other things.
And, Johnny, do you not realize that the preaching of “diversity” and “cultural differences” seems to be the main goal of UNC-CH? Thank God that YWC isn’t the only group that will criticize it every now and then.
I just went back and listened to the links you offered Lydia and I must say I find them offensive and silly.
Oh man, here we have the King and Queen of Civilization deciding what is and what is not “civilized.” Excuse us simple folk who enjoy artistic expression. Your disdain for anything that is outside of your stringent ideology is appalling.
“This is exactly the kind of crap that I don’t want to become acceptable at an elite institution of the West, but it appears that it’s too late.”
hahahaha, Mr. Righteous!!! Start your own University where only things you find acceptable are permitted.
‘And, Johnny, do you not realize that the preaching of “diversity” and “cultural differences” seems to be the main goal of UNC-CH?’
No, King of Civilization, that’s not the case. I have attended many a class at UNC and there was never any preaching of diversity or cultural differences in any of them. Your rhetoric is always so sensationalist. It makes me feel like I’m watching Fox News 😀
Am I to assume then that I am the queen? Dagnabit! Oh, well. Your comment completely misrepresents my post.
hey i love the fed ex building!
great rooftop view
Sorry, somebody had to be the queen…
My only problem with the Fed Ex building is that its architecture is not an efficient use of space.
Why can’t we criticize art? There objectively is such a thing as bad art.
“Why can’t we criticize art? There objectively is such a thing as bad art.”
I couldn’t agree more, BNS. But apparently some people think that there aren’t such things as objectively beautiful or ugly things. Everyone has to respect everyone else’s fool ideas, poor taste, and lack of talent because beauty is “socially constructed,” according to them.
@ cwjones: I cannot tell you how much I totally agree with you. I seriously had a conversation with my friend who was with me at the time I read the DTH article about how the building wastes all of that space even though it looks cool. We decided, like hotels, they want all of their rooms to have a window view.
@ BNS: I agree : )
Not sure what you mean by efficient use of space, but it is one of the most energy efficient buildings on campus, and was specifically designed to be so. I think we should appreciate that.
wow.