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bangwoolofbangtan · 4 years ago

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TIME

ENTERTAINER of the year

BTS

[Time magazine BTS interview ]

It’s late October, and Suga is sitting on a couch strumming a guitar. His feet are bare, his long hair falling over his eyes. He noodles around, testing out chords and muttering softly to himself, silver hoop earrings glinting in the light. “I just started learning a few months ago,” he says. It’s an intimate moment, the kind you’d spend with a new crush in a college dorm room while they confess rock-star ambitions. But Suga is one-seventh of the Korean pop band BTS, which means I’m just one of millions of fans watching, savoring the moment.

BTS isn’t just the biggest K-pop act on the charts. They’ve become the biggest band in the world—full stop. Between releasing multiple albums, breaking every type of record and appearing in these extemporaneous livestreams in 2020, BTS ascended to the zenith of pop stardom. And they did it in a year defined by setbacks, one in which the world hit pause and everyone struggled to maintain their connections. Other celebrities tried to leverage this year’s challenges; most failed. (Remember that star-studded “Imagine” video?) But BTS’s bonds to their international fan base, called ARMY, deepened amid the pandemic, a global racial reckoning and worldwide shutdowns. “There are times when I’m still taken aback by all the unimaginable things that are happening,” Suga tells TIME later. “But I ask myself, Who’s going to do this, if not us?”

Today, K-pop is a multibillion-dollar business, but for decades the gatekeepers of the music world—the Western radio moguls, media outlets and number-crunchers—treated it as a novelty. BTS hits the expected high notes of traditional K-pop: sharp outfits, crisp choreography and dazzling videos. But they’ve matched that superstar shine with a surprising level of honesty about the hard work that goes into it. BTS meets the demands of Top 40’s authenticity era without sacrificing any of the gloss that’s made K-pop a cultural force. It doesn’t hurt that their songs are irresistible: polished confections that are dense with hooks and sit comfortably on any mainstream playlist.

BTS is not the first Korean act to establish a secure foothold in the West, yet their outsize success today is indicative of a sea change in the inner workings of fandom and how music is consumed. From propelling their label to a $7.5 billion IPO valuation to inspiring fans to match their $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter, BTS is a case study in music-industry dominance through human connection. Once Suga masters the guitar, there won’t be much left for them to conquer.

In an alternate universe where COVID-19 didn’t exist, BTS’s 2020 would likely have looked much like the years that came before. The group got its start in 2010, after K-pop mastermind and Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk recruited RM, 26, from Seoul’s underground rap scene. He was soon joined by Jin, 28; Suga, 27; J-Hope, 26; Jimin, 25; V, 24; and Jung Kook, 23, selected for their dancing, rapping and singing talents.

But unlike their peers, BTS had an antiestablishment streak, both in their activism and in the way they contributed to their songwriting and production—which was then rare in K-pop, although that’s started to change. In BTS’s debut 2013 single, “No More Dream,” they critiqued Korean social pressures, like the high expectations placed on schoolkids. They have been open about their own challenges with mental health and spoken publicly about their support for LGBTQ+ rights. (Same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized in South Korea.) And they’ve modeled a form of gentler, more neutral masculinity, whether dyeing their hair pastel shades or draping their arms lovingly over one another. All this has made them unique not just in K-pop but also in the global pop marketplace.

In March, BTS was prepping for a global tour. Instead, they stayed in Seoul to wait out the pandemic. For the group, life didn’t feel too different: “We always spend 30 days a month together, 10 hours a day,” Jin says. But with their plans upended, they had to pivot. In August, BTS dropped an English-language single, “Dynamite,” that topped the charts in the U.S.—a first for an all-Korean act. With their latest album this year, Be, they’ve become the first band in history to debut a song and album at No. 1 on Billboard’s charts in the same week. “We never expected that we would release another album,” says RM. “Life is a trade-off.”

Their triumphs this year weren’t just about the music. In October, they put on perhaps the biggest virtual ticketed show of all time, selling nearly a million tickets to the two-night event. Their management company went public in Korea, turning Bang into a billionaire and each of the members into millionaires, a rarity in an industry where the spoils often go to the distributors, not the creators. And they were finally rewarded with a Grammy nomination. On YouTube, where their Big Hit Labels is one of the top 10 most subscribed music accounts (with over 13 billion views by this year), their only real competition is themselves, says YouTube’s music-trends manager Kevin Meenan. The “Dynamite” video racked up 101 million views in under 24 hours, a first for the platform. “They’ve beaten all their own records,” he says.

Not that the glory comes without drawbacks: namely, lack of free time. It’s nearing midnight in Seoul in late November, and BTS, sans Suga, who’s recovering from shoulder surgery, are fitting in another interview—this time, just with me. V, Jimin and J-Hope spontaneously burst into song as they discuss Jin’s upcoming birthday. “Love, love, love,” they harmonize, making good use of the Beatles’ chorus, turning to their bandmate and crossing their fingers in the Korean version of the heart symbol.

Comparisons to that epoch-defining group are inevitable. “What’s different is that we’re seven, and we also dance,” says V. “It’s kind of like a cliché when big boy bands are coming up: ‘Oh, there’s another Beatles!’” says RM. I’ve interviewed BTS five times, and in every interaction, they are polite to a fault. But by now they must be weary of revisiting these comparisons, just as they must be tired of explaining their success. RM says it’s a mix of luck, timing and mood. “I’m not 100% sure,” he says.

They’ve matured into smart celebrities: focused and cautious, they’re both more ready for the questions and more hesitant to make big statements. When you ask BTS about their landmark year, for once they’re not exactly chipper; J-Hope wryly calls it a “roller coaster.” “Sh-t happens,” says RM. “It was a year that we struggled a lot,” says Jimin. Usually a showman, on this point he seems more introspective than usual. “We might look like we’re doing well on the outside with the numbers, but we do go through a hard time ourselves,” he says. For a group whose purpose is truly defined by their fans, the lack of human interaction has been stifling. Still, they’ve made it a point to represent optimism. “I always wanted to become an artist that can provide comfort, relief and positive energy to people,” says J-Hope. “That intent harmonized with the sincerity of our group and led us to who we are today.”

In an era marked by so much anguish and cynicism, BTS has stayed true to their message of kindness, connection and self-acceptance. That’s the foundation of their relationship with their fans. South Korean philosopher and author Dr. Jiyoung Lee describes the passion of BTS’s fandom as a phenomenon called “horizontality,” a mutual exchange between artists and their fans. As opposed to top-down instruction from an icon to their followers, BTS has built a true community. “Us and our fans are a great influence on each other,” says J-Hope. “We learn through the process of making music and receiving feedback.” The BTS fandom isn’t just about ensuring the band’s primacy—it’s also about extending the band’s message of positivity into the world. “BTS and ARMY are a symbol of change in zeitgeist, not just of generational change,” says Lee.

And in June, BTS became a symbol of youth activism worldwide after they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement amid major protests in the U.S. (They have a long track record of supporting initiatives like UNICEF and school programs.) BTS says now it was simply in support of human rights. “That was not politics. It was related to racism,” Jin says. “We believe everyone deserves to be respected. That’s why we made that decision.”

That proved meaningful for fans like Yassin Adam, 20, an ARMY from Georgia who runs popular BTS social media accounts sharing news and updates, and who is Black. “It will bring more awareness to this issue people like me face in this country,” he says. “I see myself in them, or at least a version of myself.” In May and June, a broad coalition of K-pop fans made headlines for interfering with a police app and buying out tickets for a Trump campaign rally, depleting the in-person attendance. Later that summer, ARMY’s grassroots fundraising effort matched BTS’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter within 24 hours.

For 28-year-old Nicole Santero, who is Asian American, their success in the U.S. is also a triumph of representation: “I never really saw people like myself on such a mainstream stage,” Santero says. She’s writing her doctoral dissertation on the culture of BTS fandom, and she runs a popular Twitter account that analyzes and shares BTS data. “Anytime I’m awake, I’m doing something related to BTS,” she says. “This is a deeper kind of love.”

Devotion like that is a point of pride for BTS, particularly in a year when so much has felt uncertain. “We’re not sure if we’ve actually earned respect,” RM says. “But one thing for sure is that [people] feel like, O.K., this is not just some kind of a syndrome, a phenomenon.” He searches for the right words. “These little boys from Korea are doing this.” —With reporting by Aria Chen/Hong Kong; Mariah Espada/Washington; Sangsuk Sylvia Kang and Kat Moon/New York

FASHION CREDITS

RM: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes HERMES; SUGA: Jacket, shirt and necklace CELINE. Pants GIVENCHY. Shoes LOUIS VUITTON; Jung Kook: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes FENDI; J-Hope: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes LOUIS VUITTON. Necklace HERMES; Jin: Suit, knit top and shoes BALENCIAGA; Jimin: Jacket, silk shirt, pants and shoes CELINE; V: Suit, shirt and shoes ALEXANDER McQUEEN. Tie THOM BROWNE.

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calvinistwoman · 5 years ago

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What are your thoughts on the LGBT community and would you be willing to have a discussion about said thoughts?

This isn’t a topic I’ve really written much about on this blog, and in truth, it’s something I’ve avoided. Not because I believe it’s unimportant but because 1) there are several Christians on here who have discussed this at length and I didn’t want to just repeat what they were saying, and 2) it’s a very heated topic and I don’t particularly want to deal with all the messages and anon hate I know I’m going to get. I’ve gotten questions like this before (usually from anons who just want to start something) and I haven’t answered them. The reason I’m answering now is because it came from a blog that claims both the Christian and the LGBT title and has written about this topic a lot in attempt to prove that the Bible supports the LGBT lifestyle.

Before I actually get into writing my response, I want to preface this by saying that I don’t mean to degrade or disrespect anyone from the LGBT community. My intention is to only say things that are backed up with Scripture. I understand that I don’t have a full understanding of everything LGBT related, and while I know that the things the Bible says about this topic are offensive, it is not my intention to just be an offensive and nasty person. If I misrepresent you and your viewpoint on things, please know that it’s not personal, I just can only speak from my personal knowledge on this topic. I respect you as a human being and it’s my desire that you come to a full understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Feel free to ask questions or debate me, but I will warn you that I wouldn’t be posting this if I wasn’t already convinced that this is what the Bible says. I will discuss my position, but I won’t be swayed from it. Sorry for the long intro.

Homosexuality:

When faced with the question of whether homosexuality is wrong or right (according to the Biblical standard) we have to first understand what God’s intention was for relationships/marriage/love.

The Bible both begins and ends with a marriage. This is not accidental. The marriage in Genesis 2 is a prophetic picture of the marriage that occurs in Revelation 19. Genesis 2:24 says “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” This verse is quoted again in Ephesians 5:31, and then we see in verse 32, “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” The church is always referred to throughout Scripture as the Bride. She is to be the wife of Christ and He will be her husband. This is how marriage was set up from the beginning. And you can make arguments that “of course it said man/woman and husband/wife because it was a heterosexual couple getting married. That doesn’t mean it HAS to be that way.” To that I’d respond by saying that there is no passage in the Bible that was intended only for the historical characters in those passages. All Scripture is for all Christians of every generation. Secondly, if this passage was really only referring to Adam and Eve, there would have been no need to mention leaving his father and mother, because he had none. Clearly this was meant not just for them, but for those who would come after them as well.

The intention of marriage was clearly defined from the very beginning of Scripture, and it was done purposefully. A man and a woman, two beings that are different, come together to form one flesh. The woman was created to be joined to her husband, just as the Church was created to be joined to Christ. These are the parameters that Scripture has laid out. This is the Biblical definition of marriage. If God, who is not bound by time and knows the future, had wanted to leave the door open for same-sex marriages, He could have simply said two people come together to be one flesh. Since He didn’t, we are not in a position to expand the definition we are given.

So how does this affect same-sex attracted people? It affects them because no matter how you try to translate or interpret the Bible, it does not legitimize a same-sex marriage.

However, I don’t want to just limit this to marriage. What does the Bible say about homosexuality in general? 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 list it among other subsets of what is considered the “unrighteous” person. This passage is clear that those who practice such unrighteousness “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Romans 1, calls it “unnatural” (being that God did not create mankind this way) and “indecent”. The whole passage from 1:21-32 compares same-sex acts with idolatry. V. 23 in the same way that they exchanged God for images and idols, v.26-27 they exchanged the natural use for men and women for the unnatural one. This continues to V. 32 where it says “those who practice such things are worthy of death”. These two passages come to the same conclusion.

Now, I don’t want to condemn people who have felt these desires but have abstained. We cannot control our feelings or desires, but we can choose to not let them dictate our actions.

Transgender:

First, I want to say that there are no verses that directly talk about Transgenderism. However, that doesn’t mean that the Bible doesn’t deal with the issue. There are also no verses about environmentalism, gun control, or if it’s ok to speed and go through red lights.

So what does the Bible say that indicates its position on the transgender debate? Firstly, through creation we see that God made only two options: man and woman. He created them differently and with different uses. This was God’s design for humanity from the beginning.

“Dividing the human race into two genders, male and female – one or the other, not both, and not one then the other – is not the invention of Victorian prudes or patriarchal oafs. It was God’s idea.” – Kevin DeYoung

Before the fall, before sin and decay entered the world, there were two assigned genders. Again, this was purposeful.

Yes, I’ve heard the argument that sex and gender are different and that you can be male of one and yet female of the other. And I don’t want to be insensitive and try to deny the genuine feelings people have about this. Yes, there are men who believe that their sex is male and their gender is female. Those feelings may be real and come from some sort of legitimate place, but that doesn’t make them correct. God has separated us by design and has placed boundaries on what men and women should be.

1 Corinthians 1:14-15 “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her?”

Deuteronomy 22:5 “A woman shall not wear a man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.”

This is totally counter-cultural, but the fact is that God is our creator and has every right to limit our uses of our bodies. He has purposefully designed us, and commands that we act in accordance with what He has made us for. This is non-negotiable for those who claim Christ: that regardless of what we feel inclined to or desire, we use our bodies for God’s purpose. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Why are sexual sins different than other sins?

Now, there is a sense in which sin is sin. All sin, no matter how great or small, shares the same penalty. And we know that we shouldn’t judge others who have sinned “more” or “worse” because in the end, we have all fallen short of the same goal and offended God infinitely.

However, we should also remember that the Bible does speak about sexual sins (sins with our bodies) as being in a different category than other sins. 1 Corinthians 6 goes into this in great length. V. 13, says that the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord. V. 15 talks about how our bodies are members of Christ. V.18 says “Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.” Then V. 19-20 conclude the chapter by telling us that we are not our own, and we ought to glorify God with our bodies.

Common objections to the Biblical view:

“But God says I’m beautifully and wonderfully made.” Firstly, in the context of the passage, this isn’t meant to be a “You’re perfect just the way you are” kind of verse. Rather, the writer is praising God for His creation. Secondly, no one would take this verse to mean that EVERYTHING about us is made perfectly. Since the fall, we have cancer and broken bones and obesity and mental issues. Just because something exists within us does not mean it’s good. Which leads me to one of the most common objections…

“I was born this way.” As Christopher Yuan, author of Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story, so eloquently put it: “innateness doesn’t mean that something is permissible; being born a sinner doesn’t make sin right.” Regardless of the things that exist in your life, Christ calls us to holiness.

“God is love so he will accept me.” God is also Holy and Just and has laid out commandments that we should follow. Yes, He is Love, and it was in His love that He made a way for us to be accepted by the Father. But the ONLY way to have that acceptance is to be found in Christ. God’s love and acceptance will not be extended to anyone who is not found in Christ. (Romans 5:1-8)

Moreover, God cannot accept sin or sinners. In fact, the Bible says clearly that God HATES sinners. (Psalm 5:4-6, Psalm 11:5, Proverbs 6:16-19, Jeremiah 12:8, Hosea 9:15, Malachi 1:2-3, Romans 9:13.) (References gathered by Steven Rohn, inthelasthour.com, Does God Hate Sin and Not Sinners? Revisiting an Old Cliché)

“God wants us to be happy.” Yes, God wants us to have joy in Him, but that doesn’t mean He wants us to be happy at the expense of holiness. In fact, God calls us to do things that will potentially lead us to have difficult and depressing lives. In Luke 9:23, Christ calls us to deny ourselves and our desires to follow Him. In many places in Scripture, we are also told to die to ourselves, that we might live to Christ. (Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:8, Ephesians 4:22-24, Galatians 5:24) So yeah, there is joy in Christ, but don’t think that just because something makes you happy means that it’s ok.

“Even if that was a part of the Old Testament Law, it doesn’t apply to modern day Christians.” This is just a blatant misunderstanding of our relationship to the law. First, the only way to be freed from the Law is to be joined to Christ through His death. (Romans 7:3-4) This means that if you have not trusted in Christ and have not been cleansed by His blood, the curse of the Law still applies to you. You ARE under obligation to keep the Law. It wasn’t vanquished when Christ died. It was merely fulfilled for those who are Christ’s. Second, just because something was stated in the OT Law doesn’t mean it no longer applies. The Law also said not to kill and steal and those are still 100% in effect. Also, you might have a better case if the same things weren’t explicitly stated in the New Testament as well.

“When the Bible was written, homosexuality didn’t exist in its modern monogamous, loving format”

First, the Bible never prefaces its condemnation of homosexuality by saying “If it’s loving and monogamous, then it’s ok.” It’s an absolute statement. Those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Period.

Second, this isn’t a new concept. Not in the slightest. It’s become trendy the last few years, but these things have existed for a long time. A few sources for looking into homosexuality in the ancient world would be: Homosexuality in Ancient Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook of Basic Documents by Prof. Thomas K Hubbard. And Plato’s Symposium.

Now, I know that was a super long answer, and probably not the one you wanted to hear. The truth is that any attempt to pair Christianity with the LGBT community is doomed to fail because Christianity is first and foremost predicated on the truths of the Bible, and some of those truths come into stark conflict with LGBT beliefs. In recent years, I have seen a lot of people coming out as “Queer Christians”. I know these people exist and I’m not trying to deny that. But the reality is that the Bible speaks clearly on these issues and any attempt to deny that is also a denial of Christ.

What makes a Christian? Is it someone who believes in God? Or someone who believes that Jesus Saves!? 1 John gives us a clear indication of what a Christian is and is not.

1 John 2:3-4 “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him.”

So to the people who claim both the title of Christianity and of the LGBT community, I ask this: In light of the Biblical commands to abstain from sexual immorality and homosexuality, and in light of God’s design regarding gender, are you willing to submit to God and flee from sin, or will you continue to disobey His commandments? The truth is that if God says something is wrong and you continue to do it (and try to justify is as being just fine) you are NOT a Christian. You can’t possibly be, because it is a defining characteristic of a Christian that when God commands, we obey. We can’t cling to Christ and our sin at the same time.

But, there is forgiveness to be found in Christ. It’s only by turning from sin and turning to Christ that we can be saved. We cannot have both sin and salvation.

If you are someone who genuinely believes in Christ, but has been taught that the LGBT lifestyle and Christianity are compatible, I urge you to read your scriptures and see for yourself. Christ offers us a life walked in righteousness, a life free from the slavery of sin. Don’t be deceived, but rather read your Bible. See what God had created us for, and turn to Him.

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woodworkingpastor · 3 years ago

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Say What? It’s not my place to judge--Matthew 7:1-5--Sunday, August 15, 2021

I am often surprised at how much conflict there is in the New Testament. It was helpful to hear Charles Wilson talk about this last Sunday, as he described the church as a place that doesn’t have the same disagreements and division that the world does, because we are shaped—and are being shaped—by Jesus. We recognize that at a fundamental level, our lives are defined by Someone who is both larger and “more ultimate” (if that descriptor even makes sense!) than the issues of our day. Because of the reshaping that is at work in us, we even begin to approach the issues of our day from a different perspective.

This has been a characteristic of how churches grow in contexts that are hostile to the Gospel. Why is it that people would want to follow Jesus if it made certain circumstances of their life more difficult? The Christian answer to this is that God has revealed part of God’s character to everyone; that there exists within us a sense of true north, if you will, and we can begin to move in that direction on our own. So people see Christians behaving differently and it touches something in them and some of them become curious about how this can be. Questions are asked, relationships are formed, and lives are changed.

We should not romanticize stories like these, because living differently from the prevailing culture also comes at cost. That, too, is part of our story.

Knowing all of that doesn’t really do all that much to lower my surprise at the conflict portrayed in the pages of the New Testament. We might expect people who have been captured by Jesus and filled with the Spirit to behave better. And we certainly do find some of that. Both in the New Testament and in Christian history we find many examples of people’s encounter with Jesus becoming an inflection point in their lives, a point any of us can look back upon and say, “Aha! Here is where things changed.” We see people and note that their life used to look one way, but now it looks another. With the resources and testimonies of nearly 2,000 years of Christian history to draw from, we can begin to predict what some of that transformation will look like:

Life and relationships are held in much higher regard, especially for those persons and circumstances on the margins. We are moved to be concerned for people and circumstances that we have no compelling reason to be concerned about;

Patterns of destructive behavior are left behind;

People begin aligning their lives and their priorities with Jesus.

Being a follower of Jesus entails nothing less than becoming a visible alternative to the world!

Knowing all of this, how is it that leaders in the New Testament from Jesus to the elders and deacons of the early church consistently found themselves knee-deep (or more) in conflict? It is precisely because the Spirit challenges our old ways and patterns of living and interacting. Even after our lives pass that inflection point and we begin on this new trajectory, the old ways are still with us. Change and loss are threatening, even to people who operate with the best of intentions. When we find ourselves in situations where tensions begin to rise, we begin to judge.

This leads me to two challenging questions for us this morning:

“How many times have you looked at a person and/or their circumstances—or been talking to someone else about that person and/or their circumstances—and said, ‘Well, it’s not my place to judge’?”

“When you said this, were you, in fact, judging?”

I believe the answers for each of us will be the same: “Often” and “Yes.” Just making the statement is a fairly clear indication that we’re looking at a situation you don’t approve of, and we don’t want to say out loud what we are thinking in our minds.

This is why this sermon makes it into the Say What?! series, and why we want to understand the fullness of what Matthew 7:1-5 has to say on the matter. The significant issue with all the myths, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations is that that they offer a simplistic answer in place of a deep answer. But simplistic answers are insufficient for faithful discipleship.

We are surrounded by situations where someone’s testimony about Jesus does not line up with the pattern of their living. We are certainly capable of recognizing those situations. But what are we to do then? “Judging” means something specific: it involves making an ultimate determination about the value of another person’s life. When we “judge,” we are looking at another person and their circumstances and acting as if we have all the information necessary to determination the value of their life. We are assuming that we know:

all the circumstances of the situation;

the reasons why they did what they did;

that we would not have made the same decision if we had been in their place;

their future—and this is the big one. Even if the situation we see is every bit as bad as we understand it to be, when we pass judgment on another person, we come very close to deciding the person has no value.

All of that can be tied up in that simple statement, “It’s not my place to judge” when, in fact, we are doing that very thing!

Why do we judge? I think it’s because at a certain level we’re looking for a reason to demonstrate the strength and superiority of ourselves and of our group. We know ourselves very well; we know we’re not perfect; we understand the ways we let God and ourselves and other people down; we know all the times we’ve not had the courage to live boldly and courageously for Jesus because it was just simpler to give into the circumstances and temptations of the moment. Grace can be so hard to give, but I wonder sometimes if grace is even harder to receive. It’s easier to try to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down.

What Jesus does in this passage is the same thing he is does throughout the Sermon on the Mount: he is reframing our imaginations so we can begin to comprehend Kingdom life. Having met Jesus and dedicated our lives to Him, part of the Spirit’s work in our lives is teaching us to think differently. Rather than responding to situations that we see by assuming some kind of moral or spiritual strength and superiority, our response comes from a place of meekness. Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us,

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”

Here is an example of that. Following along past the simplicity of the Say What?! section of the passage and moving into the depth of the fuller teaching, Jesus goes on to say,

Why do you see the speck in your neighbors eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye (Matthew 7:3,5).

Mennonite pastor and theologian Myron Augsburger says it this way:

the refusal to be judgmental does not mean a refusal to be helpful. But helping one’s brother [or sister] at his [or her] point of need must be done with a spirit of grace and understanding (The Communicator’s Commentary, v. 1, p. 96).

Jesus wants to reframe our imaginations so that we come to see strength in meekness neither as a contradiction nor a paradox, but as the Spirit-inspired way of life so that we can help one another along the hard road and narrow gate “that leads to life.” One encouragement for me in this regard is to read the experiences of the spiritual giants of the church. It is helpful to see what this process looked like in the lives of people who came before me; I’ve found it to be a tremendous gift to have spiritual mentors in my life, even the ones whom I only know through their writings.

Lately, I’ve been reading The Confessions of St. Augustine. Augustine, one of the all-time spiritual giants of the church, was born in what is modern-day Tunisia in the year 354. His mother was a Christian, and as a young adult Augustine gave his life to Christ in earnest, eventually rising to the level of bishop. Augustine was also an intellectual giant who defined and defended orthodox belief in the face of several significant theological controversies that threatened to derail Christianity

The Confessions are one of his most famous writings and are a spiritual biography. In the Confessions, Augustine reviews each segment of his life and to understand the ways his sinful, pre-Christian self disappointed God and caused harm in his own life. At one point he writes,

I wish to bring back to my mind past foulness and the carnal corruptions of my soul. This is not because I love them, but that I may love you, my God. Out of love for your love I do this. In the bitterness of my remembrance, I tread again my most evil ways, so that you may grow sweet to me, O sweetness that never fails, O sweetness happy and enduring, which gathers me together again from that disordered state in which I lay shattered in pieces, wherein, turned away from you, the one, I spent myself upon the many. For in my youth, I burned to get my fill of hellish things. I dared to run wild in different darksome ways of love. My comeliness wasted away. I stank in your eyes, but I was pleasing to myself and I desired to be pleasing to the eyes of men (Confessions, Book 2, Chapter 1).

There is an attitude there we don’t hear too often. But we need to understand that Augustine was neither indulging a guilt trip nor tearing himself down out of a misguided sense of self-loathing. These are the writings of a man who wanted to understand how far Jesus had brought him, and part of that process was in understanding just how far away from God that he really was. He wanted to “take the speck out of his own eye” so that he might be a useful vessel to bring others with him along the path of faithfulness.

Augustine knew how to view himself as a spiritual being with a clear place and role to play in the Kingdom of God. To participate with God in this transformed imagination where strength in meekness is sought after, he was willing to go to great lengths to be pleasing in God’s sight.

When it comes to the amount of conflict we see in the New Testament—and in the church—we really shouldn’t be all that surprised. We’re at different levels of having our imaginations being transformed. One great gift that we have to offer is doing the hard work of removing the specks from our own eyes so that when others stumble—and they surely will—we can come along side in a spirit of meekness and humility to lift them up, not cast them out.

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realyoungdarius · 4 years ago

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1.3 Discussion: Borland Case Baseline Ethics

Getting Started

Someone with a degree in education, business, medicine, psychology, or law, can be familiar with the knowledge base of the profession, but may still act in a manner that is unethical and undermines the utility of that knowledge. It is important to learn the skill of ethical reasoning in addition to ethical principles. In this activity, you will being to examine situations that may or may not be ethical and evaluate the players and outcomes that occur because of chosen actions.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

Define ethics and give examples of ethical decisions you make in your daily life.

Explain the levels of ethics and how they relate to human relations.

Explain how your ethics are developed both personally and in the workplace.

Examine the guidelines offered by the world and the Bible for ethical living.

Distinguish behavior accepted by those serving the world from behavior by those serving Christ.

Resources

OER Text: Human Relations

Video: Our Buggy Moral Code

Background Information

Borland's Brave Beginning

Philipe Kahn, the colorful former CEO and current Chairman of Borland International built a powerful software company from the ground up with a series of brilliant business moves including the 1991 acquisition of Ashton-Tate, one of the software industries' biggest companies for $440 million. Until very recently, the company was extremely successful, culminating in the building a palatial headquarters complex costing nearly $100 million. At one point, Kahn even entertained thoughts of challenging Microsoft as the world's top software manufacturer. (1) While the company has recently fallen on hard times, its beginning is one that some would consider morally questionable while others would denote as being "smart moves within the game."

In an interview with Inc. Magazine in 1989, Kahn told the story of Borland's humble beginnings. Operating out of two small rooms and strapped for cash, he couldn't afford to place an ad in Byte magazine, the best forum to reach his target market. In order to convince the ad salesman to extend credit terms, Kahn hired "extra people" to scurry around and made sure the phones were ringing in order to look busy. He prepared a media plan on a chart in which Byte was crossed out but made sure the salesman "accidentally" saw the chart. When the salesman asked if they wanted to advertise in Byte, Kahn replied that it was not the right audience and that they couldn't afford it. The salesman pleaded and eventually gave good terms of credit. The ad ran once and sold $150,000 worth of software, launching a successful venture.(2)

Pitta, Julie. "The Barbarian Steps Down." Los Angeles Times. January 12, 1995. p. D1+

"Managing by Necessity." Inc. March, 1989, pp. 33+

Instructions

Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.

Read 5.1: An Ethics framework from Chapter 5 of the Human Relations OER textbook.

Read Borland’s Brave Beginning.

Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following prompts:

Each response should contain a detailed evaluation that demonstrates clear, insightful critical thinking

Guidelines:

Be prepared in Workshop Two to engage in discussion regarding your initial post. You will compose two replies to separate student’s posts as rebuttals to their arguments. Then, in Workshop Three, you will need to compose a final rebuttal to a student who made a reply on your initial post.

Briefly summarize the Borland Case.

The Borland Case is one to go down into the record books. The former CEO, and current board member of the company, Philipe Kahn, when asked about how his company rose to prominence, by Inc. Magazine in 1989, he described how he created fake hype for the business. This enabled him to secure much needed press in the market he had to sell his products to.

Clearly identify and discuss each of the Four Levels of Ethical Issues from your reading in the Human Relations text that are present in the Borland case.

There are four main levels of ethical levels within organizations. Rao Rama, V. S. (2009, April 17). Four levels of ethics. Citeman Network, accessed February 24, 2012, http://www.citeman.com/5358-four-levels-of-ethical-questions-in-business.html The first level is societal issues. These are the top-level issues relating to the world as a whole, which deal with questions such as the morality of child labor worldwide. Deeper-level societal issues might include the role (if any) of capitalism in poverty, for example. Most companies do not operate at this level of ethics, although some companies, such as Tom’s Shoes, feel it is their responsibility to ensure everyone has shoes to wear. As a result, their “one for one” program gives one pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of shoes purchased. Concern for the environment, for example, would be another way a company can focus on societal-level issues. This level of ethics involves areas of emotional intelligence we have discussed, specifically, an individual’s empathy and social awareness. Many companies take a stand on societal ethics in part for marketing but also in part because of the ethics the organization creates due to the care and concern for individuals.

Our second level of ethics is stakeholder’s issues. A stakeholder is anyone affected by a company’s actions. In this level, businesses must deal with policies that affect their customers, employees, suppliers, and people within the community. For example, this level might deal with fairness in wages for employees or notification of the potential dangers of a company’s product. For example, McDonald’s was sued in 2010 because the lure of Happy Meal toys were said to encourage children to eat unhealthy food.Jacobson, M. (2010, June 22). McDonald’s lawsuit: Using toys to sell Happy Meals, accessed February 24, 2012, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-f-jacobson/mcdonalds-lawsuit-manipul_b_621503.html This is a stakeholder issue for McDonald’s, since it affects customers. Although the case was dismissed in April 2012,The Associated Press. (2012, April 5). Calif. judge dismisses suit against McDonald’s toys. USA Today, accessed June 4, 2012, http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-04-05/mcdonalds-happy-meals-toys-lawsuit/54040390/1 the stakeholder issue revolves around the need for companies to balance healthy choices and its marketing campaigns.

The third level is the internal policy issue level of ethics. In this level, the concern is internal relationships between a company and employees. Fairness in management, pay, and employee participation would all be considered ethical internal policy issues. If we work in management at some point in our careers, this is certainly an area we will have extensive control over. Creation of policies that relate to the treatment of employees relates to human relations—and retention of those employees through fair treatment. It is in the organization’s best interests to create policies around internal policies that benefit the company, as well as the individuals working for them.

The last level of ethical issues is personal issues. These deal with how we treat others within our organization. For example, gossiping at work or taking credit for another’s work would be considered personal issues. As an employee of an organization, we may not have as much control over societal and stakeholder issues, but certainly we have control over the personal issues level of ethics. This includes “doing the right thing.” Doing the right thing affects our human relations in that if we are shown to be trustworthy when making ethical decisions, it is more likely we can be promoted, or at the very least, earn respect from our colleagues. Without this respect, our human relations with coworkers can be impacted negatively.

While I feel like the decision to be deceiving people was possibly wrong at a personal, internal, and stakeholders’ level, I do feel like it didn’t end up hurting anyone at the societal level! So, it could be viewed as being less harmful at the rest of the levels. Were the people who were in on the scheme hurt in any way, really? It seemed like the entire company ended up benefiting from the decision to deceive the salesperson. Not even the salesperson can feel that bad! Why? It’s because the salesperson ended up making money for the magazine! It was mutually beneficial for the companies, their employers, and even the buyer of the products!

I recognize that getting people to adopt a company’s values can be easier said than done, like is said in an Industryweek.com article. It does seem like Khan had luck in getting his employees to follow along with his scheme. If they wouldn’t have went along with it, he would have lost some colleagues and also lost potential friends he could rely on for business propositions.

They probably remained alongside him, because they didn’t have issues like what happened at Boeing’s North Charleston, South Carolina factory. According to an article from the New York Times, the management at the factory did nothing to fix the “shoddy production”. Because of the management not doing anything to fix the problem, Qatar Airways, a major customer, according to the NY Times article, had “notified Boeing that they wouldn’t accept shipments of airplanes from this facility”.

Honestly, I do feel like Kahn’s actions violated my fudge factor. I’ve tried to see beyond that. But, I have to recognize that he could have created a compelling case for selling his product to the salesperson. Being warm and inviting toward the salesperson could have helped to sell the story, and the product behind the story, in a much more ethical manner.

In review, the case showed a silver lining, even if Philipe Khan’s actions violated my fudge factor. This is because the actions didn’t hurt anyone at a societal level. I do believe the story, if you look at it from other levels, does create a situation where Khan put a lot of faith and trust in his employees, to get them to agree to lie to the salesperson to attempt to hustle their way toward the promotional coverage.

References

(2009, April 17) Four levels of Ethical questions in Business -- https://www.citeman.com/5358-four-levels-of-ethical-questions-in-business.html

Ariely, Dan. (2009, February). Our Buggy Moral Code. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_our_buggy_moral_code?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. Society for Human Resource Management. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/policies/pages/code-of-ethics-conduct-policy.aspx

Erickson, Paul (2020, Jan 16). Is Ethics in Business Possible? Industryweek. https://www.industryweek.com/supply-chain-initiative/article/21120741/is-ethics-in-business-possible

What do you think about Kahn’s actions? Do his actions amount to shrewd business, deception, or both?

Some might argue that since everyone “won” in the end, Kahn’s decision was ethical. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Review the Ted Talk Our Buggy Moral Code. What is a personal fudge factor? Does Kahn’s actions in the Borland case violate your personal fudge factor? Why or Why not?

If you were Kahn, what might have been some ways to achieve the same outcome but in a more ethical manner? How do these approaches take into account the four levels of ethical issues from your reading?

In your analysis, be sure to discuss how the players, in this case, were impacted at each of the four levels.

Your 1.3 post should be at least 500 words in length

Your 1.3 post must include two scholarly sources that are properly cited according to APA guidelines. For questions on APA style, go to OCLS APA Writing Styles Guide.

Your 1.3 post is due by the end of Workshop One.

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justicesolutionsofamerica · 4 years ago

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THE CORRELATION BETWEEN CRIMINAL OFFENDING AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES IN OFFENDERS IN THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS

By Sean R. Francis, MS

President

Justice Solutions of America, Inc.

The link between traumatic brain injuries ( TBI ) and criminal behavior can no longer be ignored or disputed. Inmates in America’s prisons who have suffered a TBI at some point in their life are overrepresented. Some studies have found that as many as 60 percent of inmates have suffered a TBI at some point in their lifetime. ( Nagele, Vaccaro, Schmidt., & Keating, 2018).

1. What are the implications of a link between traumatic brain injury and criminal behavior? The implications of a link between TBI’s and criminal behavior are that people who have no control over their behavior, due to suffering a severe head injury, will likely end up in the criminal justice system. Should they go to prison it is unlikely they will get the medical or mental health care they need and will deteriorate and have no realistic chance of re-integrating into society when their sentence is complete. Lane, St. Pierre, Lauterbach, & Koliatsos, (2017). studied four individuals who ended up in the criminal justice system and had suffered TBI’s. The similarities between them was striking. Three of the subjects were in their mid to late 30’s and one subject was in his early 20’s. Three of the subjects had suffered TBI’s as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Two subjects suffered more than one TBI. (Lane, St. Pierre, Lauterbach, & Koliatsos, 2017). It appears that none of the subjects have ever been incarcerated prior to suffering a TBI. Yet, after suffering a TBI all of the subjects of this study acted in ways that they had not acted prior to suffering the injury. Specifically, all of these subjects acted out violently and aggressively towards hospital staff and family members. They verbally abused staff and family and assaulted them. One subject even started to set fires. Additionally, some subjects were sexually inappropriate with female staff members at the hospital that they were being treated at. (Lane, St. Pierre, Lauterbach, & Koliatsos, 2017). These actions resulted in petitions being filed for involuntary hospitalization and interactions with law enforcement, including arrest. (Lane, St. Pierre, Lauterbach, & Koliatsos, 2017) Considering this research, the American criminal justice system must take a fresh look at the nexus between TBI’s and criminal behavior. If the research cited above is accurate, we have a true mental health, medical and moral crisis unfolding in our nation’s prisons. Currently, only a person who is “insane” at the time they committed their criminal offense may be found not responsible for the crime. Insanity is defined as not knowing the difference between right and wrong due to severe mental disease or defect and thus not having the mens rea or “guilty mind.” 18 U.S.C § 17 (a). However, what if the United States has a vast number of offenders who do realize the difference between right and wrong but have no volitional control due to suffering a TBI and cannot control their behavior? They certainly do not meet the legal definition of insanity…..but should they be held criminally responsible for their actions and locked away in prison?

2. Is incarceration for individuals with TBI an effective method of rehabilitation? Make a concise but logical argument for or against incarceration of individuals who engage in criminal behaviors with a TBI? Incarceration is not an effective method of rehabilitation for individuals with TBI. To address this question, it must first be pointed out that rehabilitation in prisons is, for the most part nonexistent. The concept was widely abandoned in the mid 1970’s as crime exploded. This ushered in the era of long and unforgiving prison sentences. (app.org), (Phelps 2011). To the extent that rehabilitation in a correctional institution occurs, the vast majority of programing does not address the unique challenges that inmates with TBI’s will face. Programing focuses mostly on drug offenders and sexual offenders. All prison systems and even some county jails now have programing to assist these type of offenders with their issues. There is also some programing that focus on job skills such as HVAC and electrical training. In over ten years working inside prisons I have never seen programs that address the unique challenges offenders with TBI’s face. Often these inmates are lumped into the “mentally ill” category. Most prisons deal with this population through medication that will tranquilize them and, when needed, force. While there are prison hospitals in every system, state and federal, these facilities are designed to treat mental illness or physical ailments such as cancer, injury and heart disease. Rarely is TBI recognized for what it is inside of a prison. Rather, the inmate is labeled as “problematic” and dealt with accordingly. The medical staff in correctional institutions often lack the complex medical background to address TBI related issues. The cost of sending the offender for care outside the prison is huge. This is why it doesn’t happen. Often mental health staff is limited on a prison compound. Two psychologists for 1200 inmates is normal. These psychologists often lack the time or specialized training to deal with TBI related issues. Therefore, prison is absolutely not the right environment for an offender with TBI to be rehabilitated. Again, this is the moral dilemma. What do we as a society do with offenders who act out due to a brain injury that they have suffered and not consciously?

An additional peer reviewed study that supports the link between traumatic brain injury and criminal behavior was “The Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Criminality in Juvenile Offenders” by Gordon, Spielman, Ketter & Therese ( 2017). The authors focused their study on adolescent offenders and found that over 72 percent of them had suffered a TBI. (Gordon, Spielman, Ketter & Therese 2017). Mood disorders were also more common among inmates that had suffered a TBI. The study also found that correctional institutions do not routinely screen inmates for TBI upon arrival to the institution. (Gordon, Spielman, Ketter & Therese 2017). Therefore, it is difficult, if not impossible to identify inmates who require special treatment due to their brain injury.

In “Traumatic Brain Injury and Recidivism Among Returning Inmates by Ray & Richardson ( 2017). The authors confirm what other studies have found, TBI’s increase the chances that an offender will interact with the criminal justice system. All of the samples used for this study were males in their early 30’s in Indiana (Ray & Richardson 2017). One third of the sample had suffered a TBI at one point in their life. (Ray & Richardson 2017). The study found that screening for TBI was vital so that offenders could be placed into programs that provide them the proper structure and support they need to succeed. With proper screening I mates can actually be treated for their brain injury and be much less likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system. (Ray & Richardson 2017). In conclusion, the link between TBI’s and criminal offending is real and creates some real moral questions about the treatment of these offenders and whether they should be held fully responsible for their actions moving forward. Failure to properly treat these offenders will likely result in increased recidivism and crime.

REFERENCES Lane, K. S., St. Pierre, M. E., Lauterbach, M. D., & Koliatsos, V. E. (2017). Patient profiles of criminal behavior in the context of traumatic brain injury. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 62(2), 545–548. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13289 Gordon, W. A., Spielman, L. A., Hahn-Ketter, A. E., & Sy, K. T. L. (2017). The relationship between traumatic brain injury and criminality in juvenile offenders. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 32(6), 393–403. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000274 Nagele, D., Vaccaro, M., Schmidt, M. J., & Keating, D. (2018). Brain injury in an offender population: implications for reentry and community transition. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 57(8), 562–585. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2018.1549178 Phelps M. S. (2011). Rehabilitation in the Punitive Era: The Gap between Rhetoric and Reality in U.S. Prison Programs. Law & society review, 45(1), 33–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5893.2011.00427.xLinks to an external site. Ray B, Richardson NJ. Traumatic Brain Injury and Recidivism Among Returning Inmates. Criminal Justice and Behavior. 2017;44(3):472-486. doi:10.1177/0093854816686631 https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug03/rehab https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2020.html

#bop #federalprison #federal prisoner #jsa #federalprisonconsultant #justicesolutionsofamerica #cjreform #federalprisonconsultants #tbi #traumaticbraininjury #FPC #txpc #capc #nypc #flpc

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juushika · 7 years ago

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Homestuck liveblog part 3: Vriska, Terezi, and characterization; “let me tell you about homestuck” is “let me explain quadrants”; Karkat/Karkat OTP

me: You know sollux is pretty great tho Canon mental health issues Can see vision of his own death Generally a seer but with like a lot of angst and bodily suffering “I’ll copy/paste less now that the typing quirks are insane,” I said, like a big liar http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003985

TA: ii al2o talk two you becau2e iin ca2e you havent notiiced ii de2pii2e my2elf and perpetually 2eek two dupliicate through emotiional paiin the cacophony of phy2iical paiin my hiideou2 mutant braiin cau2e2 me every day.

Sollux is pretty great

Missy: hah i read like.. 4/5 words some i just go.. meh fuck it

me: Sometimes the trolls will find each other’s typing quirks confusing Which functions both to normalize some of the text for the viewer And to be like lol we know this is ridiculous I appreciate the meta When one troll will repeat what another troll says but with different typing quirks

me: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003986 Sollux to karkat:

TA: the only thiing youre good at ii2 yelliing and makiing huge mii2take2.

Same tho

me: Nopeeeeee time to meet vriska Preemptive feels Abort abort The way that she engages interpersonal relationships reminds me too much of myself Especially with tavros??? Who is a small angel which better nature dictates we must protect at all costs Which spoiler is not what happens!!

me: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004078

AG: Can I join your team? CG: YES I’M GLAD YOU ASKED, BECAUSE THERE IS A WIDE OPEN SLOT FOR THE MOST VILE BACKSTABBING SOCIOPATH WHO EVER LIVED. CG: YOU REALLY HELPED ME OUT OF A JAM BY STEPPING FORWARD. AG: Vile 8acksta88ing sociopath? Karkat, did you copy and p8ste that phrase directly from your personal ad descri8ing what you are looking for in a lady?

CG: BECOMING FRIENDS, WHAT THE FUCK. CG: WE WILL NEVER BE FRIENDS, MORON. AG: Not even h8 friends? CG: NO. MORE LIKE TWITCHY EYED PROJECTILE VOMITING IN UTTER DISGUST FRIENDS, WHILE I PERFORATE MY BONE BULGE WITH A CULLING FORK. AG: Yessssssss. I’ll take it! CG: GET LOST.

Vriska makes me!!! uncomfortable!!! What’s particularly interesting here is that karkat is super obsessed with quadrants which is how trolls conceptualize their interpersonal relationships And they have a dark side to the quadrants which are animosity-fueled relationships So he is actually in desperate search of hate friends So in his own way the answer is yes He said that he is also really bad at communicating his wants with other people but also with himself, he’s very bad at honesty and self-knowledge So the answer is also no And also yes My babies

Missy: Can I just hate hate the stupid drivers? [from longer story about being stuck in traffic QQ] No friends?

me: Yes that is allowed It probably won’t be this personality- and life path-defining interaction Like it is for trolls But that’s probably a good thing

Missy: I remember you like karkat and want to be vriska From long ago* But that all i remember

me: Vriska is very black romantic inclined Also approximately a sociopath, hurts people a lot…really cruel And then I’m like oh my God is this dream-me Well, that bodes well

Missy: Yes that See

* chatlog from 2011 (!!!!), which is what Missy remembered from long ago:

me: it's a few things [which make me feel uncomfortable about identifying with Vriska] it's 1) a different set of morality than yours (general you) I sympathize with that it's similar to but not quite amorality which I think we all have that inside but because I hate people mine is pretty pronounced so I understand hers but the 2) is harder to phrase it's sorta Ayn Randian to be honest she's selfish, and violent, and really just a murderous monster, but that interior morality doesn't just justify it to her, it makes the issue moot you don't need to justify what you know to be innately correct, even if others don't see it your way BUT she has second thoughts because her interior morality/rules are not as fixed or indeed as ... countercultural [or even cultural] as she thinks in fact in being so secure in them and the belief that they don't need to be justified is actually her being ... defensive and for good cause, and she’s partially in the right but not to the extent she's arguing she is so like killing and hurting people as a form of self-expression is not innately bad, except that it is and where am I going with this... I understand the conflict between "my rules are different, which is okay" and "my rules contradict yours, which is problematic"

Missy: i sorta get it. except with that i don't read homestuck so this is all theoretical and without context

me: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004120

“It should be noted that in troll language, the word for friend is exactly the same as the word for enemy.”

Equius is…. So weird…. I’ve never known what to do with this character

Missy: ?

me: God it’s just a lot of tealdeer, uh Trolls have a caste system based on blood color which is sort of outdated but still carries social prejudices he’s really obsessed with it but sort of embodies the obsession via what amounts to fetishes and d/s dynamics Which are intentionally played to be embarrassing for the reader So it’s like this interesting aspect of troll culture combined with embarrassment squick and just I never know what to do with it He’s not an attractive character Profoundly not He also wants to roleplay being bossed around by higher castes No homo And he’s a furry Still no homo!!!! He makes me Uncomfortable

me: equius is SO CONFUSING i am so confused also i remember why i never latched on to terezi in the long run her character … re … development…. by which I mean that when we flash back to the troll origin stories her characterization is less consistent she’s actually super justice-y it’s just that troll justice/legal system is super tyrannical and violent and doesn’t mesh well with humans, so it came across v murdertime from human PoV but i legit think her earlier dialog doesn’t adequately reflect that distinction and so her character (retroactive) development is still inconsistent i think i remember her flying off the handle in later acts tho and becoming murder so we’ll see [future Juu: nope this did not pan out; my earlier argument stands] http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Terezi_Pyrope

Terezi can be civil, flirty, manipulative, and derisive in her interactions. Her drive for justice results in some callous and cruel actions, the majority of which she has been shown to be deeply affected by and regret later on.

yeah i… like that balance: deeply regret the doing of what one must because one can but i much prefer earlier characterization of just “because one can” i really--like, as much as hussie has everything pre-written in his head i really think her characterization is uneven and just sort of….unwrites earlier (publication order not internal chronology) interactions like HEY DAVE WHAT DOES YOUR BLOOD TASTE LIKE or when she tricked john into killing himself and destroying the entire game session (which is “punishment for jack noir/the way the kids play their session” but there’s nooooooooo indication of that in dialog i srsly think it’s just retconned if it’s explained at all) yeah wiki really doesn’t have good explanation for the murdering john thing b/c it’s inconsistent so there, homestuck! p.s. earlier terezi was better but i guess vriska makes her redundant since she does just murder for murder’s sake that said vriska doing the murder is why she and terezi stop being frand, which seems like just poor writing/further (retroactive) character development

me: Time travel (from troll relative perspective) had begun!! You know what that means Time for karkat to realize his true potential to hate himself

Missy: Time for your feels you mean (Pt 8383939/8382962882)

me: He is leaving memos to his past/future self!!! I love him So much Like no exaggeration Top 10 fav

http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004447

CCG: FUTURE ME, DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE WEIGH IN ON THIS, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING. CCG: IF I WERE FUTURE ME, WHICH I GUESS I AM, I WOULD READ THIS AND BE ALL OVER IT, LIKE DAMMIT KARKAT WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING. CCG: GET TO THE POINT. FUTURE carcinoGeneticist [FCG] 0:20 HOURS FROM NOW responded to memo. FCG: YEAH PRETTY MUCH. CCG banned FCG from responding to memo.

http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004467

FCG: OH GOD, NOW I’M ARGUING WITH CURRENT ME. FCG: I DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE I WAS DOING IT, THIS IS REALLY FUCKED UP. FCG: I’VE GOT TO PULL IT TOGETHER.

I love!!!! Karkat as everyone’s fucking romance councilor is.. it’s so good….. Like He is so obsessed with romance, so actually a great person to go to for advice about it, and actually surprisingly emotionally accessible when he wants to be Except where the relationships involve him Even in pale romances aka what we think of as friendship or animosity Then he gets over-performative or defensive or just locked up He really values and understands these things but is unable to access them Instead, and I know I’ve written about this before but, his most meaningful and complex and intimate and antagonistic relationship Is with Himself I love him so much and like the weird narrative techniques of HS are what make this possible, they’re not just gimmicks, they’re ways of exploring something unique but identifiable further http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004467

FCG: NOT THAT I EXPECT YOU TO GIVE A SHIT BUT PERSONALLY I AM ALL TWISTED UP ABOUT BLACKROM STUFF ESPECIALLY. FCG: HONESTLY I DON’T THINK I WAS CUT OUT TO HAVE A KISMESIS, I THINK MY STANDARDS ARE WAY TOO HIGH. FCG: DID YOU KNOW THAT… FCG: THIS FEELS SO INSANE TO ADMIT, BUT FCG: OVER THE COURSE OF THIS ADVENTURE, AT TIMES I ACTUALLY BEGAN TO SUSPECT I WAS MY OWN KISMESIS. FCG: HOW FUCKED UP IS THAT???

¡!!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!!!! Kismesis is uh black romantic arch nemesis with sexual intimacy

http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Quadrants

in other words, kismesissitude seems to be based on a mix of hatred and sexual attraction. As it thrives on a rivalry between two trolls, defeating or killing your kismesis is discouraged, since obviously there wouldn’t be a relationship anymore. However, despite the stronger hatred aspect of the relationship, in order for a kismesis to last there must be some level of respect between the those persons involved; the tension in kismesissitude relies not only on hatred and annoyance of ones more irksome aspects, but also a level of admiration for their more positive aspects

even more http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004467

FCG: BUT OBVIOUSLY ITS NOT TRUE, I NEVER EVEN DID ANY LEGIT TIME TRAVELING WHERE I COULD MEET MYSELF, I JUST BICKERED WITH PAST AND FUTURE GHOSTS ON A CHAT CLIENT. FCG: FITTING REALLY. EVERY CALIGINOUS ADVERSARY I’VE CONTEMPLATED HAS ELUDED ME LIKE A PHANTOM, EVEN MYSELF!

Legit my fav… interaction…. Thing… Of all time

me: problems with terezi 1) that “when i became a visible character” altered characterization 2) the flushed relationship with karkat it starts offscreen as a noodle incident … thing their interactions after that are good--like, silly, but i can accept them but what sparked the start of the relationship? the soonest we see is when she violates his privacy to find out the color of his blood, which … has class-connotations for trolls, also violent connotations even tho it was a non-violent act, but basically it’s a … like it reads as blackrom, then whips around to a cutsey redrom the way trolls initially feel about each other (& humans) vs how their relationships develop/want vs need/the general emotional maturation occurring within their complex social system is super neato but sometimes what hussie ships doesn’t …. make sense?? in the sense of making a cogent arc for either/any involved character and/or has problematic repercussions specifically within human social constructs, like “i physically abused you to the point of paralysis b/c i liked you” aka vriska who ends up in redrom relationship with tavros??????? (briefly!) like they have An Energy but the “hitting as sign of embarrassed affection x10000” is not a SUPER great thing to depict (inverted a bit b/c vriska is female so it isn’t just straight-up rape culture really but STILL, a BAD START) sollux and feferi end up together b/c she kisses him to wake his dream-self after he dies???? with ZERO prior interaction on-screen?????? hussie also sets up “trolls don’t gender” and then all the trolls mostly end up in hetero relationships so that’s also weird like karkat’s intense initial blackrom crush on john being played as a joke, a lol it’s funny both b/c karkat is desperate and b/c gayyyyyyyyyyyyyy the saving grace is that a lot of these relationships are eventually unwritten b/c the trolls are like going through adolescence lots of hookups and then character growth and then breakup, sometimes played super well

me: oh interesting the wiki categories things … differently so btw http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Quadrants#Quadrant_Vacillation

Often in quadrant vacillations one party will have red feelings while the other one has black feelings. Usually one party will adjust their feelings to match their partner’s emotions, but this is not always the case. This sort of relationship volatility is one of the reasons why auspistice is an important part of troll culture.

is my life goal like, kismesis is my love but matesprit/kismesis double reacharound “it’s complicated and also violent” is ….hannibal and also my dream!!

Due to the multiple relationship types and the demands of troll society, trolls form groups and chains of Matesprits and Kismesises. A quadrangle is the simplest complete form of such a group of relationships. It consists of four trolls with two Matespritships and two Kismesissitude between them. If one pairing in a relationship group swaps its relationship type it can force all other relationships within the group to swap as well.

polyamory goals~

why is it not me

me: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=004553

EB: but also i know that it is probably not exactly an empty threat! EB: since one of you already managed to trick me into getting myself killed. EB: well, in another timeline at least. AG: Man. AG: That was pro8a8ly Terezi! I should have known she would pull something like that. What a meddler. EB: terezi? AG: Yes. The pesky 8lind troll who licks her monitor and smells words and stuff. The one who got you killed. I’m sure of it!

(john’s first convo with vriska) and it MAKES NO SENSE why would you go, oh yes, that person obsessed with righteous justice/vengeance who got so mad at me hurting others that they did a big revenge on me; obviously SHE tricked you to your death it’s an obvious attempt to retcon sense into her inconsistent characterization

me: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/test_index.php?s=6&p=004561

EB: heheh. car cat. that is how i am saying that. EB: beep beep, meow!

(Missy later told me that he had been thinking “beep beep, meow” every time I talked about Karkat and still isn’t sure if it’s b/c I have quoted this to him before or b/c he parallel-evolved John’s phrase)

me: kanaya/rose is the otp to end all otps tho so i guess that’s nice, that the most convincing, meaningful romance is between women, nice job redeeming yourself hussie

Missy: why does he need redeeming? i thought you liked these people

me: hussie is creator

Missy: yes but why he need redemption? do we all need redemption? (deep thoughts there Missy)

me: hussie has Shipping Problems where he sets up his trolls as outside gender binary/outside heterosexuality/with different concepts of romantic relationships and sexuality and then … conforms to heteronormativity like 90% of the time, in part b/c this was written like 7 years ago, in part b/c he’s a generic white dude but he frequently aims for like, diverse characters and dynamics and then defaults to everyone is heteronormative even when it doesn’t make sense/even if the writing for it is lazy/even if it means going against prior established characterization or interactions the true heteronormativity-conquers-all narrative; miss me with that please but every now and then he actually does something approximating the diversity in his worldbuilding, and gracefully so that’s nice

#/#//#///#////#/////#Juu reads #Homestuck #conversations with Missy #spoilers be ye warned #heterosexism tw //#flashing gif under the cut

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tance · 7 years ago

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Who are Debt Collectors?

When you fall behind on a debt for an extended period of time, creditors will often send your account to “collections.” As many of you probably already know, this means that you will have a debt collector calling and writing to you in an attempt to collect on the debt. Millions of Americans are pursued by debt collection companies every year, however, very few are familiar with their business model, the laws that regulate them and how best to put a stop to their abusive tactics. As a bankruptcy lawyer, I’ve seen this time and again. This post will help you get up to speed on the debt collection industry and give you practical tips for dealing with the letters and phone calls.

Who are these shadowy figures that call at all hours to collect on past-due debts?

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a piece of federal legislation that regulates the activity of debt collectors. The FDCPA defines debt collectors as:

any person who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of any debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another.

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Just as the name implies, debt collectors are individuals or businesses whose primary job is to collect debts. Although they usually have funky names like RNC Financial or Arrow Financial Services, collection law firms who regularly pursue past due accounts qualify as debt collectors. It is important to be aware be aware that original creditors, such as a bank or credit card company, will not be governed by the FDCPA because they do not fit the definition of a debt collector. The principal purpose of their business is not to collect debts. Generally speaking, the only time an original creditor will qualify as a debt collector under the FDCPA is when they use a name other than their own to collect the debt. In these cases, the FDCPA considers creditors to be debt collectors because they are behaving like collectors.

How do debt collectors get paid?

There are two common arrangements under which creditors work with debt collection companies: contingent payment and debt sale. Under a contingent payment arrangement, the original creditor hires a debt collection company to pursue a delinquent debt, with the collection company receiving a percentage of the amount they are able to collect. Depending on the type of debt, the age of the account and how many attempts have already been made to collect on it, the fee for successfully collecting could range from 10% to 50%. The advantage for debt collectors in a contingent arrangement is cost; they aren’t required to front any money in order to gain the right to pursue the debtor.

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By contrast, the second most common arrangement under which creditors work with debt collection companies, selling debt, requires debt collectors to purchase past due debts so that they can then try to come after the debtor for the full outstanding balance (or as much of it as they can get). In cases where a borrower has fallen behind and the creditor views the likelihood of successful collection to be small, they may elect to sell the debt at a highly discounted rate to a debt collection company. For example, Creditor X is owed $500,000. Based on the financial picture of the borrower, Creditor X calculates a very small likelihood of collecting the full outstanding balance. In order to recoup some money, Creditor X sells the $500,000 debt to a debt collector for $100,000 or 20% of the outstanding loan balance. The debt collector then pursues the debtor for as much of the outstanding balance as possible. Everything they collect over and above $100,000, is profit.

Consumers need to be aware that the sale of debt in no way guarantees that the debt collector has the legal right to collect. In many cases they do not. Numerous articles have been written on this Forum about debt collection companies who buy “zombie debt,” i.e. debt that is no longer owed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. In other words, it is not uncommon for debt collection companies to try to pursue consumers for debts that they do not legally owe.

Who regulates debt collection companies? How can I stop them from calling?

Debt collectors are regulated by state and federal law. The scope of this article is to short to address all of the various state laws on the subject, so we will continue to discuss the federal FDCPA instead. I you have questions about your state’s consumer protection laws, it’s always best to contact a local attorney.

Now back to the FDCPA. In order to address widespread abuses in the debt collection industry, Congress passed the FDCPA in order to rein in the tactics of debt collectors. The FDCPA prohibits abusive or coercive behavior in pursuit of a debt and awards consumers statutory damages of $1,000 for each violation of its code of conduct.

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Specifically, debt collectors are prohibited from contacting 3rd parties, such as family members and friends of the borrower, when they have knowledge of the borrowers current contact information and address. They must limit collection calls to reasonable hours and must not intentionally harass debtors. Further, once a consumer communicates to a debt collector in writing that they wish for communications to cease or the collector learns that the debtor has hired an attorney, the collection efforts must stop.

Always send written correspondence via fax or certified mail so that you can prove it was sent. If it becomes necessary to pursue a claim under the FDCPA, proof of written communication will help your case.

Debt Collector Law Summary

Debt collectors are third-party businesses whose sole purpose is to collect debts. Under federal law, original creditors do not qualify as debt collectors unless they are attempting to collect under a different business name than was used to extend credit in the first place. Debt collectors get paid when they collect on delinquent accounts; either as a percentage of what they’ve collected or after purchasing the debt outright. State and federal law regulate the debt collection industry. The FDCPA prohibits abusive or coercive tactics on the part of debt collectors when they are pursuing a debtor. If you find yourself overwhelmed by collection calls or letters, it is always a good idea to meet with a local attorney. There are powerful laws that can help.

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From http://www.ascentlawfirm.com/who-are-debt-collectors/

from https://familylawattorneyut.wordpress.com/2018/04/19/who-are-debt-collectors/

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ogplusa · 8 years ago

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The “notification and likes” pandemic

Yes, is does affect a lot of us. Here’s some tips to staying safe – Online

Social media sites have taken over our lives. How did social media actually influence our life and the society in general? In my opinion, it has had a positive impact. But it doesn’t mean I don’t see the backside of the coin.

In 2016, statistics had it that the average person is connected to at least three devices, with this gradually increasing to probably 10 to 15 devices by 2025.

1. Impact of Addiction to SNSs

Inhibits Creativity and Decreases Physical Activity

Due to addiction to social media, people become alienated from outside life – no breath of fresh air, jostling to interact with people virtually, they often forget to engage with those proximate to them – their friends and family. Addiction to social media also hinders the victim’s creativity as their capacity to think originally is replaced by the ease of accessing information on-line, eliminating the need to use their own perceptions. By hooking people to the screen, addiction to social media also restricts opportunities for physical movement.

Affects Communication Skills

The generation’s obsession with social media has had an impact on the way we communicate. Most of the virtual society relies on abbreviations and emoji’s to express their emotions. Awkwardly enough, and some might argue this, this goes a long way in affecting how we articulate ourselves specifically in writing, all you LOL and TBH people. Humans are social animals and are supposed to interact with each other directly; When people are addicted to social media, although they interact with people they lose the ability to emote due to a straitjacket range of channels of communication.

Social networking should be used to work in a smart way to gather information, communicate, bring people with common interests together.

A False Sense of Connection

According to Cornell University's Steven Strogatz, social media sites can make it more difficult for us to distinguish between the meaningful relationships we foster in the real world and the numerous casual relationships formed through social media. By focusing so much of our time and psychic energy on these less meaningful relationships, our most important connections, he fears, will weaken.

All little too much? Trust me, there’s more…

Privacy

Social networking sites encourage people to be more public about their personal lives. Because intimate details of our lives can be posted so easily, users are prone to bypass the filters they might normally employ when talking about their private lives. What's more, the things they post remain available indefinitely.

Staying safe 101 (Okay, here’s the actual ‘stay safe’ guide)

• Use a strong password. The longer it is, the more secure it will be.

• Use a different password for each of your social media accounts.

• Set up your security answers. This two-factor authentication is available for most social media sites.

• If you have social media apps on your phone, be sure to password protect your device.

• Be selective with friend requests. If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request. It could be a fake account.

• Click links with caution. Social media accounts are regularly hacked. Look out for language or content that does not sound like something your friend would post.

• Be careful about what you share. Don’t reveal sensitive personal information ie: home address, financial information, phone number. The more you post the easier it is to have your identity stolen.

• Become familiar with the privacy policies of the social media channels you use and customize your privacy settings to control who sees what.

• Protect your computer by installing anti-virus software to safeguard. Also ensure that your browser, operating system, and software are kept up to date.

• Remember to log off when you’re done.

And, safety for the organization? Yes, we’ve covered that too

1. Create a social media policy

Create a social media policy and procedures to protect your company. Make sure to consult all relevant parties, whether that’s executives, IT, legal, security and compliance, or PR beforehand. Clearly define the dos and don’ts on every social channel for engagement and employee advocacy. Include best practices, guidelines, and procedures on how your organization plans to implement training and enforce proper use

2. Establish social media training

Reinforce your social media policy with in-depth training. This will bring any potential issues or gaps in security to light. Social media education is the best way to arm your business against avoidable human error. Walk your employees and advocates through what they can and cannot share, how to use secure social media tools, and what an unsafe link or social account looks like.

3. Limit social media access

Only give publishing access to employees who have been fully trained in the social policy, procedures, and technologies that protect your brand. Give as much or as little access to publishing on all or specific channels, assign team leaders, and approve communications before they are public. Always keep track of who has access to what.

4. Put someone in charge

Social media is a full-time job. At least one person should be fully trained and educated in social media best practices and policies. They should monitor your brand’s presence, listen for related conversations, oversee training, and security, as well as manage who has publishing access. Having someone act as the eyes and ears of social is a big step in mitigating risk.

Still not convinced? Cool, check out the video below you borderline addict, yes you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGU8yjjJXD8

This article uses extracts from a presentation made by Victor Opiyo, an Art Director at OG+A during our weekly Knowledge Exchange (KXC) Programme.

#Ideas SocialMedia Addiction Insight

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jeremieg21 · 8 years ago

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Understanding American Cultural Exports: Global Media, Bollywood, and Independent Cinema

I wrote this article as a fellow with Arts Diplomacy Network in March 2014.

Definitions of the term independent cinema, also called indie films in America do not necessarily match with the Indian film industry because the independent circuit mainly developed in the West. Through a conversation with Indian screenwriter, director, and film critic, Bikas Mishra I was able to gain insight on mechanisms of film financing operating in India that not only promote international collaboration but foster the development of socially relevant media that contributes to the reduction of prejudice. Mishra is the founder of DearCinema.com, an award nominated startup web platform that reports on independent cinema, film festivals, and world cinema as it relates to India. He has served on the programming and selection committees at the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image a public trust that organizes the yearly Mumbai Film Festival and is currently working on a first feature film project called Chauranga, a co-production of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), which he wrote and directed. Chauranga has won awards at Mahindra Screenwriters’ Lab and Film Bazaar and is now in post-production. I also spoke with Indian film actress and award winning playwright Kalki Koechlin who provided additional insights from both the commercial and independent film sectors.

Gleaning insights form both Mishra and Koechlin’s experience and expertise I have developed an understanding of the unique aesthetic characteristics in South Asian cinema as well as the western influences that have shaped the larger industry. Bollywood and other regional film industries represent robust economic assets in India. In recent years, as the sector has established itself and opened up to foreign direct investment, some might argue that Indian cinema has been undergoing a process of Americanization of sorts. This brings to question how audiences abroad come in contact with America and what constitutes their conception of American culture. More often than not these ideas are sold abroad through our commercial media. The thriving independent film sector in India has contributed to breaking down monolithic perceptions and the promotion of sometimes dangerous cultural norms. Increased international cooperation in the film and advertising sector to produce socially relevant media as well as the incorporation of films in new education curriculum and increased platforms for the moral and aesthetic critique (not censorship) of all forms of media are important elements to consider in diffusing misconceptions and promoting balanced views of the ‘other’ in a multicultural and increasingly global media context.

On my trip to India around Diwali 2013, I sat down with Indian screenwriter, director, and film critic Bikas Mishra over coffee in Mumbai.

Defining and Understanding ‘Independent’ Media: Insights on Shifts in Mode of Film Financing

Across the globe, local film industries from Europe to Latin American have a tough time surviving because Hollywood dominates the market. The situation is the same in Asia barring India and China, both these countries having film industries that have largely survived on their own. With over 1,000 films produced annually, the Indian film industry has more than double the output of Hollywood.[1] Finpro, the national trade, internationalization and investment development organization reports that “there are over 400 production houses in the country with 32 corporate houses in the business of film production.”[2] According to the International Business Times, “Bollywood gross receipts have almost tripled since 2004 and revenue is expected to reach $4.5 billion in 2016.”[3]

Understanding the relationship between mode of financing and artistic goals in media production is important given the robust film industry that has emerged in India and the subsequent rise of independent film ventures. In the U.S., independent films are made outside of the established sector. Mishra explains, “One of the blockbusters this year was Krrish 3, a superhero film starring one of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Rakesh Roshan. This film was produced by a family-owned company. Technically, when looking purely at the financing and ownership pattern, some of the biggest production houses in Mumbai are independent non-studios, but I would not call Krrish 3 independent cinema.” According to the International Business Times, Krrish 3 "became the third Indian film to earn more than 300 crore nett[4] ($65 Million) from the worldwide box office on its theatrical run.”[5]

“Commercial cinema knows the right formula for the biggest blockbusters,” explains Indian film actress Kalki Koechlin “that being said, it’s becoming easier and cheaper to make films that are not dependent on big shot producers and families. There is also a lot of speculation and people who are not from the industry see film as a good investment in the hope of hitting the jackpot with new actors or hit movies. This investment has created space for emerging filmmakers to tell great stories.”

In India, the terms of independent film are still being defined because the larger film industry is still young. The turning point for the Indian film came in 2001, when the government accorded it industry status. Finpro reports, “Granting of the industry status along with privatization facilitated securing of finances from financial institutions at affordable rates and brought much needed transparency in the industry. (…) Since 2002, foreign investment in the film sector has been considerably liberalized, by allowing 100% foreign direct investment. The movie industry has been getting more and more corporatized. Many film production, distribution and exhibition houses are listed on the stock markets and they have raised capital through public issue.”[6]

The industry provides employment to over 6 million people in India[7] and the value of the film industry in the Indian economy is not going unnoticed. “Because it is talent driven, you can’t automatize the film industry,” Mishra explains. The Indian government supports this industry with two largely subsidized film schools, the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute in Calcutta and the Film and Television Institute in Pune offering access to equipment and professional training. The National Film Development Corporation funds feature films by new filmmakers, coproduces films, supports various stages of development such as scripts and post production, and helps with distribution and marketing. That being said, the Indian film industry is not dependent on government support. It benefits from independent film patrons and financiers and it is gradually becoming easier for people to approach these companies, corporations, and private equity funds.

Mode of Finance and Artistic Goals: Global Partnerships for Independent Film Production

According to Mishra, Indian films are very different form American films artistically. “Most of the time our commercial films don’t travel internationally unless they are exported to Indian communities aboard,” explains Mishra “generally our films are about somebody – like a hero; there are songs and dances; the tone is melodramatic and over the top. Our films have traditionally been very different and I think that is one of the greater reasons that they have survived.”

The American superhero film Thor screens along-side the Bollywood superhero action blockbuster of the year 2013, Krrish 3.

“In terms of the acting style, there is a lot of outward acting in South Asian films,” explains Koechlin; “this comes from traditional performing arts such as the classical Indian dance-drama Kathakali. Films in India are about escapism to an ideal world. Many Hollywood films are also like that but they usually tend to be based some kind of realistic situation. That being said, Bollywood has taken the word inspiration to the next level; they flat out appropriate elements of Hollywood films all the time.” In Bollywood, American film culture is appropriated in obvious and sometimes more subtle ways.

[This scene from Nikhil Advani's 2003 Bollywood romantic comedy-drama Kal Ho Naa Ho reveals the escapist nature of many Bollywood blockbusters. The dance number borrows music from the 1990’s American romantic comedy Pretty Woman starring Richard Geere and Julia Roberts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW8ddkl_f0E]

Over time, virtually every part of the globe has gained exposure to American folkways through our media exports and other commodities. Boston College Professor Martha Bayles explains that “while Washington was shrinking its funding for cultural diplomacy, Hollywood was aggressively expanding its exports. The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization reports that between 1986 and 2000 the fees generated by the export of filmed and taped entertainment went from $1.68 billion to $8.85 billion – an increase of 427 percent. Foreign box-office revenue has grown faster than domestic, and now approaches a 2-to-1 ratio. The pattern is similar for music, TV and video games.”[8]

This increase in American commercial media exports had been felt by consumers in India. Professor Bayles explains further, “American pop culture has penetrated India with the fragmenting of the Indian audience and the 300-million strong emerging middle class, who have a fairly westernized taste in entertainment; but not everyone is on board. Bollywood films are starting to push the envelope, particularly when it comes to sex and it’s often written up in the New York Times as a cool thing that Bollywood is getting over its Puritanism. I think that the general Indian public has very mixed feelings about this and it is often seen as a form of Americanization. Bollywood admires American technology in film and they admire the clean and honest financing – they do not admire the lack of family and these other kinds of values “[9] Americans also concerned about the impact of commercial entertainment here at home. Professor Balyles explains, “According to a 2005 Pew Research Center survey, roughly 60 percent of Americans are very concerned about the values that popular culture is teaching their children.”[10]

Independent Filmmakers: Breaking Down Monolithic Perceptions about Indian Culture

“I don’t belong to the city, I don’t belong to Bombay,” explains Mishra, “I grew up in Eastern India, in a village. I would like to tell my own stories about what I have observed growing up and I would like to make films about my part of the country.”

While Mumbai is the hub of the Hindi-language Bollywood film phenomenon, India is also home to a diverse range of regional studios, making movies in over 20 languages.[11] Mishra explains, “Our film industry is decentralized. We have the Bollywood industry in Mumbai, Telugu cinema that operates out of Hyderabad, the Tamil film industry operates out of Chennai, and the Bengali film Industry out of Kolkata, to name a few. Each region has a unique language and culture which produces as many films as the entire French film industry. What is unique about our country is that we have so many national identities. Western audiences sometimes have a very monolithic idea about Indian movies but today, many of the cinemas on the margins are finding their audiences abroad and this is a very healthy development in terms of promoting cultural understanding because we are breaking free from an identity imposed upon us. There is limited exposure to Indian diversity not only abroad but in our country as well – the people in Bombay get to see very little of Bengali or Malayalam cinema.”

This phenomenon of a fragmented culture is very much echoed in the American experience. Given demographic change in the United States, The Brookings Institution reported in 2013 that new 2010 census data analysis reveals that “Texas, New Mexico and California are already majority-minority states reflecting a racial shift related to more deaths among whites than births.”[12] In addition, data reveal that “for some groups, much more than others, upward mobility and the American dream are alive and well.” A recent New York Times opinion piece explains the cultural drivers behind the fact that “Indian-Americans earn almost double the national figure (roughly $90,000 per year in median household income versus $50,000). Iranian-, Lebanese- and Chinese-Americans are also top-earners.”[13] As we move towards being a majority minority country, American commercial media are starting to adapt as seen in Coca-Cola’s most recent advertising and marketing campaign, which consists of an online video series featuring children and young adults singing ‘America the Beautiful’ in Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, Tagalog, Arabic, Keres, Senegalese-French, and Hebrew as well as documentary-style perspectives on American identity.

[Coca-Cola using American multiculturalism and leveraging tropes of the American Dream to sell more soda is indicative of a response to projected demographic shifts and income data: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReHUMUb9gY&feature=youtu.be]

Private sector marketing and communications is responding to demographic data in order to ensure that the future face of America values their product. Communicating the value and beauty of American diversity is a good thing, but Coca-Cola packaging the American experience still imposes a narrative on people and does not promote the individual self-expression or empower creativity. This example illustrates the limited potential for the cinema of the margins to gain widespread dissemination in a competitive media environment driven by commercial interests. “Sometimes it feels like we are headed in the same direction as America,” explains Koechlin “the concept of freedom is increasingly tied to advertizing here in India. It’s like the Marlboro man in the U.S., we are distracting people with these wonderful ideas of freedom. In India, advertising can be just awful. We have fairness crème. Movies reinforce standards of beauty by always making their villains with darker skin.”

[This Fair & Lovely advertisement targeting rural audiences sells the idea that light skin is beautiful and that men are only attracted to women that are fair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjNxwhyhZb4]

The commercial media sector is a machine that sells products and certain ideas. “If you had only commercial media and movies the industry would die after sometime because there would be no innovation. This is because innovation is always very risky,” explains Mishra. “If you look at Bollywood films in the 90’s, every single film was about family and family values. One of the biggest box office grosses of Yash Raj Studio, the 1995 romantic comedy Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, sold the whole idea of love rooted in the concept that ultimately the girl has to get approval from the father to marry the man of her choice. When films knowingly or unknowingly start selling certain ideas about a culture or society it becomes dangerous. For years in India, all these big budget films upheld the image of a patriarch dictating the life of the family or put forth norms of respect towards elders; there was always the idea or assumption of a culture in all these films. Independent cinema moves away from that.”

“There are so many stories to tell in India and it is a shame that we have been regurgitating the same old narratives for the past ten years,” explains Koechlin. “Today, brilliant actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui have a place in Bollywood, and they don’t need to have the six-pack body and pretty boy look. He is an amazing ambassador for independent film and reveals recent trends in investment that are changing the face of Bollywood.”

New film festivals and film markets are creating platforms where filmmakers from different parts of the country can meet and interact. The National Film Development Corporation is now in its 6th edition of Film Bazaar, which serves as a marketplace for independent films and happens every year in Goa, the seat of the International Film Festival of India. “Indian independent cinema is at a very exciting stage right now,” explains Mishra “not only because of the number of films that are getting made but because there is more funding available from abroad and Indian films are getting more international exposure.

“Through Film Bazaar I worked with a Dutch body called Binger Filmlab,” explains Mishra, “experts from Europe identified six scripts and provided mentorship. After a year, I pitched my script to the coproduction market where I met independent producers, mainly from Europe. This is how Indian films manage to find coproduction or funding from European bodies and producers from different countries.” Another initiative is carried out by Mahindra, one of the automobile giants in India. They run an entertainment company called Mumbai Mantra and, in collaboration with the Sundance Institute, they have coordinated a screenwriter’s lab.

These programs catalyze mentorship and coproduction opportunities for individual filmmakers while achieving cultural exchanges and cultural understanding outcomes because creative, financial, and technical assistance not only brings together international stakeholders but informs media outcomes and sensibilities. “I always understood the story of Chauranga as a local rural story about an Indian village,“ explains Mishra, “working with my script mentor he looked at my story and saw shades of Greek tragedy and Shakespeare that I could have never imagined because I have not grown up in that tradition. My idea of storytelling is different because I was raised on Indian folklore and literature such at the Ramayana and Mahabharata. One of my favorite authors is Phanishwar Nath 'Renu.’ In my school days, I worked with a woman writer in my small town, only later did I realize that she was a feminist Dalit writer Ramanika Gupta. I never really engaged with Western literature because I do not come from that tradition.”

The next generation of Indian independent filmmakers will increasingly travel to international festivals and access funding abroad thus translating to innovation in the mainstream film industry. Though independent films are stylistically different from the conventional Bollywood movie, many of them have nonetheless shown success at the box office. When something is successful the mainstream industry is always after that formula. The sea change that is occurring in the Indian commercial media is indicative of the importance of new financing mechanisms to spur independent storytelling through media production. These innovations produced in the independent sector infuse commercial films with increased sensitivities and nuance, which in turn produces more socially relevant media ultimately promoting understanding and the elimination of prejudice.

Leveraging Media to Promote Cultural Understanding and Educate Globally-Minded Youth

Much work needs to be done at home and abroad to dispel myths and misconceptions about cultural diversity. In her recent book Through the Screen Darkly, Professor Martha Bayles describes popular culture as a “fun-house-mirror, giving an exaggerated view of America’s faults, from sexual immorality to gun violence, political corruption to financial malfeasance. Americans may relish the exaggeration or recoil from it, but either way we automatically adjust the picture in light of our own experience. A similar adjustment is possible for those who have access to accurate information about the United States; whether from travel, study, or exposure to its larger cultural heritage. The problem is that most human beings have no such access, so they cannot adjust the picture and while they often find it entertaining, they seldom admire it.”[14]

Professer Bayles asks, “Where do people get their impressions about American ideas and customs? Given that 95% of the human race is not American and the vast majority of these people will never meet an American or travel to the United States, the masses learn about America through our entertainment products.” [15] A report commissioned by the State Department’s International Visitors Program offers this summary:

“People who watch U.S. television shows, attend Hollywood movies, and listen to pop music can’t help but believe that we are a nation in which we have sex with strangers regularly, where we wander the streets well-armed and prepared to shoot our neighbors at any provocation, and where the lifestyle to which we aspire is one of riche, cocaine-snorting decadent sybarites. This is not an accurate description of the U.S., nor is it attractive to many people around the world… The visitors were very clear that the images of America, shaped by commercial media were inaccurate and distorted, and gave them a negative perception of the United States.”[16]

“In India, before every film you have to stand up and sing the national anthem; we take cinema very, very seriously,” explains Mishra. “American movies are very prevalent here. If you walk into any theater there are at least two Hollywood films – every single big Hollywood movie is released here, just like everywhere else in the world. Everybody in India watches Hollywood movies since childhood; everybody knows about America. Similarly, people abroad know more about India because they have seen Indian films. As an Indian, I know about the culture of Maharashtra through Marathi films; I know about Bengal because I have grown up watching Bengali movies. Cinema helps you know about your culture and the culture of others especially if you do not limit yourself to mainstream cinema because mainstream cinema has commercial motivations.”

When I got back to the US, I connected with Bollywood star Kalki Koechlin and asked her a few questions about multiculturalism and media in India.

“It was really by accident that I started making Bollywood films,” explains Koechlin. “I grew up in South India and speak Tamil, French, and English. Hindi is not my first language; I just knew useless sentences and academic grammar when I started out. When I first got to Bombay I was doing a lot of theater and not making much money. Then the role of Chandramukhi in the movie Dev D, Anurag Kashyap modern-day take of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic Bengali novel Devdas, came along. When I went for the audition, the script was in Hindi and I thought I was not going to be able to pull it off. I did the audition in English and the role was tailored to me; I am Indian of French decent, and a lot of mainstream Indian actors refused to do the role of Chandramukhi claiming it was indecent.”

“The reason I decided to take on the role was because in the movie, Chandramukhi wasn’t stereotyped in any way. Her role was inspired by an instant messaging scandal that took place a few years back in India where a 15 year old teenager girl was unknowingly filmed giving her boyfriend a blowjob. This public scandal caused her father to commit suicide and she had to leave the country. The age-old tale of Devdas was made contemporary in Dev D using a true story to explore the experience of a young Indian girl.”

Dev D is one among many films that has been able to catalyze dialogue about pressing social issues in India. The internet has opened up new and often more transparent funding avenues for independent filmmakers. Openly gay filmmaker Anirban “Onir” Dhar who is on Chauranga’s production team along with Sanjay Suri and Mohan T Mulani explains in an interview with Forbes India that for his film series I Am, which “explores such themes as homosexuality, child sexual abuse, displacement of Hindus in Kashmir and the dilemmas of in-vitro fertilization (…), one-third of the budget was raised through Facebook.” Such movies have a significant impact when placed in the context of a nation where gay sex remains a crime and much international press attention is given to an India rife with sexual assault.

The U.S. also struggles with addressing the proliferation of sexual abuse and gender based violence. The issue has been placed center stage in the national arena with Obama starting a national conversation about rape on college campuses following his State of the Union address. In addition, with an estimated 9 million American sex addicts there is a pressing need to address what has been labeled an epidemic. How can we develop media that are culturally and socially relevant to help address such cross cutting issues? In the current state of affairs, Professor Martha Bayles explains that industry counterparts from across the globe take cues from the world’s most successful entertainment industry, Hollywood, and very often that means more sex and more violence.

The movie rating systems and the Central Board of Film Certification in India are not helping as they allow youth and children to view violence more liberally than intimacy. “In India, violence is alright and acts of intimacy, such as a kiss, are not because it is much more taboo,” explains Koechlin. We experience a similar bias towards violence in the Motion Picture Association of America approach to rating movies. In January, 2014 The Parents Television Council called for an overhaul of the U.S. ratings system used in television and films, saying it does not accurately and consistently reflect violence in the media.[17] A study released in 2013 revealed that “the level of gun violence in the top-selling PG-13 movies has been rising, and it now exceeds that in the most popular R-rated films.”[18] These skewed rating structures both in the U.S. and India present a challenge for independent filmmakers who want to ensure that their films have access to a broad range of distribution channels and revenues.

In the 21st century, individuals come to know more people para-socially than through interpersonal contact in media-rich environments.[19] Given the rise of new communications technology it is important that our children are equipped with the tools to think critically about films and advertisements. This can be achieved by generating opportunities for dialogue between cultures using media as a catalyst. The Lear Center at University of Southern California Annenberg launched the Entertainment Goes Global project in 1999 to explore the implications of the globalization of entertainment. One of their new projects launched in 2003 is Journeys in Film a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing global education among American high school students using foreign films in the classroom. Journeys in Film selects age-appropriate movies that feature young people; tell compelling stories; offer entry points for lessons on science, mathematics, social studies, language, and art; teach the history and culture of the films countries of origin; and prepare students to live and work in the global economy.[20]

The Para-social Contact Hypothesis: The Power of Media to Reduce Prejudice and Promote Understanding

Many Bollywood and Hollywood media representations are increasingly hyper sexualized and extremely violent and it is important to understand that these representations have concrete impacts on the lives of men and women across the globe. While there is literature on the adverse impacts of media representations, the work of Edward Shiappa, Professor of Comparative Media Studies/Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, proves that TV can have a positive influence on prejudice. Para-social interaction suggests that communication media can provide viewers with an apparently intimate, face-to-face association with a performer. Because the human brain processes media experiences similarly to how it processes direct experience, people typically react to televised characters as they would to real people. This proves that television and film have an opportunity to influence beliefs about groups with which individuals typically may have little direct social contact.[21]

Using the Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Gay Men Scale, developed by Professor Gregory Herek, a psychotherapist at the University of California, Davis, Professor Schiappa’s work looks at shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Will & Grace proving outcomes that the more people realize how much diversity there is among gay men, the less they are to be prejudiced toward that group, most change happening with people who had least direct, personal contact with homosexuals. This is strong evidence that attitudes may change through para-social contacts.[22] Independent film has an important role to play in generating opportunities for para-social contact.

There are groups in the U.S. that seek to engage other nations and populations through local and regional TV channels abroad such as Layalina Productions or America Abroad Media, which recently honored Amir Khan for his TV series Satyamev Jayate that explores some of India’s biggest social challenges. American commercial entertainment has the opportunity to engage global audiences in meaningful ways by offering technical assistance to emerging media sectors abroad. This has been demonstrated with independent media like the show Afghan Star, based off the U.S. television show American Idol, which empowers local voices and organizations across Afghanistan by introducing new societal concepts. Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media produces entertainment that inspires and compels social change. American television shows like All in the Family and The Cosby Show in the 70’s, or Modern Family today, all have had an impact in terms of questioning social norms at home and abroad.

[Afghan Star inculcates the practice and principles of merit-based competition and civic participation.[23] This documentary film preview follows contestants as they risk their lives to sing and participate in the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DentE2ydnMI]

Meanwhile, Dr. Luke, the man responsible for writing the lyrics to Pitbull’s Timber featuring Ke$ha and virtually every American pop song of the last decade described on PolicyMic as “epic female anthems that have come to define a whole new pop sound”[24], is arguably the most far reaching spokesperson for American women abroad.

[Meanwhile Pitbull and Ke$ha serve as pop culture music video ambassadors representing Cuban-American relations in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUbLv4ThOo]

This crisis in understanding demonstrates the need for all nations to create international, national, and regional venues for inclusive conversations about media representations to unpack what they mean for individuals and for society at large. In an increasingly global society opportunities to adjust the fun-house-mirror effect produced by profit-seeking media will be essential in addressing the disparity between lived reality and media representations in nations like India and the United States. We also need to make it a national and international imperative to empower the next generation of artists and storytellers. Using independent films as a catalyst for discussion and expanding opportunities for individuals to engage in the production of media will help the next generation develop the critical skills to navigate media-saturated environments.

“We’ve forgotten to criticize our pop culture without raising the specter of censorship” explains Professor Bayles. “In other societies film is not criticized constructively. The extent of writing about film in India is fan magazines or gossip tabloids. There is no real criticism of pop culture, be it moral or aesthetic criticism.”

This is not the case in the independent cinema sector. Mishra’s DearCinema.com borrows models from the American website Indie Wire and partners with the European website Cineuropa to write about all things related to Indian independent films. With new funding secured from India’s first crowd-sourcing platform, wishberry.in, they have revamped their website and are in the process of creating a database along the lines of the American withoutabox.com, where filmmakers can get up to date information about all national and international festivals and deadlines. In the next few years, Mishra is planning new programming to complement the web interface such as workshops, interactive sessions to share best practices, and symposiums that bring together filmmakers and international co-producers.

Given the dominance of global commercial media, there is a pressing need for more robust efforts in creating platforms for citizens to meaningfully engage and discuss media representations and their implications, the implementation of curriculum that use films as a leaning tools and catalysts for critical conversations, and mechanisms of film financing and training that empower filmmakers across the globe. This will effectively hold producers and artists accountable to the impacts of media portrayals and help adjust the fun-house-mirror effect that has resulted in a crisis of understanding when it comes to Americans abroad.

[1] http://www.ibtimes.com/bollywood-100-how-big-indias-mammoth-film-industry-1236299 - 01/22/14

[2] https://www.finpro.fi/luovimo/bollywood-mania - 01/22/14

[3] http://www.ibtimes.com/bollywood-100-how-big-indias-mammoth-film-industry-1236299 - 02/09/14

[4] 1 crore = 10 million

[5] http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/526989/20131203/krrish-3-box-office-collection-300-crore.htm - 12/09/14

[6] https://www.finpro.fi/luovimo/bollywood-mania - 01/22/14

[7] Ibid.

[8] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/27/AR2005082700034.html - 02/07/14

[9] http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/01/14/americas-cultural-exports-now - 02/17/14

[10] Bayles, Martha. Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad. , 2014. Print.

[11] https://www.finpro.fi/luovimo/bollywood-mania - 01/22/14

[12] http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/06/19-us-majority-minority-population-census-frey - 02/09/14

[13] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/opinion/sunday/what-drives-success.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1 – 02/07/14

[14] Bayles, Martha. Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad. , 2014. Print.

[15] http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/01/14/americas-cultural-exports-now - 02/17/14

[16] Bayles, Martha. Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad. , 2014. Print.

[17] http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/09/us-ratings-idUSBREA0800L20140109 - 02/07/14

[18] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/business/media/gun-violence-in-american-movies-is-rising-study-finds.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1392096111-OrMhzV/f/lbOcEMBfGXTBw 02/17/14

[19] Schiappa, Edward, Peter B. Gregg, and Dean E. Hewes. "The Parasocial Contact Hypothesis.” Communication Monographs. 72.1 (2005): 92-115. Print.

[20] http://www.learcenter.org/pdf/JIFPressRel.pdf - 02/07/14

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] http://www.brookings.edu/events/2009/06/12-afghanistan-media - 02/19/14

[24] http://www.policymic.com/articles/81511/one-man-has-written-virtually-every-pop-song-of-the-last-10-years - 02/09/14

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