music was a concentration

Music in Concentration Camps
Remember all those years ago, when we studied WWII and the sheer audacity of a German nation to condemn populations of people upon people (6 million estimated) to torture and extermination? We all know the story. We all feel that uncomfortable horror and sorrow for unnecessary death. A lot happened at Auschwitz, Dachau, Buchenwald, and a hundred other camps that changed the world's view on human depravity.

While perusing the Music and Politics journal I came across a strange title: Music in Concentration Camps. I say strange, because I think we don't see the prisoners of those concentration camps and think music. I believe we all see suffering, despair, torture, and inhumanity. This article however, speaks to music in two ways: as a command, and as an escape.

I talked about slavery times in my last post and how the use of music created for them a way of rebellion and hope. The same could go for the prisoners of Auschwitz, but their music could also be their torture. The Nazi's commanded music. They commanded entertainment from their prisoners. They commanded the singing of songs that criticized their prisoners, that evoked within them indecency and inequality. They were forced to sing songs about how they were unworthy and without intelligence. They were forced to sing songs they did not agree with, did not appreciate, and songs that degraded their very being.


In the beginning the camp inmates were not a musical bunch. They were political antagonist who were thrown into camps because of their strong opinions and big mouths. But as the years progressed so did the musical talent and interest among the prisoners. There were secret musical events and politically musical meetings against Nazis. Music could bring pleasure and pain, but still brought hope.

As a double entendre, music was used to support and confide, but would weaken and destroy as well. The positives of music in these camps does not make it right, but instead gives us new understanding and insight. It holds the possibility that although we think of them as prisoners who were treated with the utmost inequality, they were also people of a human existence and complexity that we often fail to consider.

In Dachau they created great symphonies that live on to this day. In Buchenwald they started the first musically inclined band that generated great favor and applause. And in Auschwitz the prisoners sang to their deaths songs of rebellion.

music became an agent of learning

Music, Politics, Protest


“The power of song will exalt the spirit of rebellion,” Joe Hill inspired political action through humor and irony. He was an American singer who wrote songs like "The Ballad of Casey Jones" which talked of a union scab. Whether he was right in his songs or wrong is completely irrelevant because the main point of this week's journal entry is music as way of political persuasion. 


Dard Neuman talks about the effect of music in teaching politics and how it is a very useful tool. Throughout the years music has taken on new ideas and shapes.It is said to have created movements (Crass) and knocked down ideologies. It has questioned the status quo and pushed people to their very limits. The sociologist R. Serge Denisoff says that music is magnetic persuasion. He says that songs have instigated unions and riots through their "call-to-action" lyrics. 

Woody Guthrie was Joe Hill's musical successor his portrayal in the movie "Bound to Glory" is about people waiting and competing for scarce work during great economic turmoil. One song creates organization and uproars. One song politicized the whole game. 


Music has also critiqued the power structures in nations. One great example is slavery. The songs on the plantation grounds belted out by slaves were not only a "requirement" of plantation owners, but secretly a political escapism and cry for freedom. These "spirituals" or hymns of music were the best sustained communication possible for slaves. They could say what they needed to, as well as feel encouraged.
 "The point was to communicate compliance to dominant society while communicating defiance to one another." as Neuman states.


To be apart of a society with cultural and economic differences is politics whether we see it or not. Music is created with the purpose of sending a message, making a statement, and inducing a feeling. It is in itself political. 

i listened to Crass

My political journal of choice:
http://www.music.ucsb.edu/projects/musicandpolitics/archive/2010-2/cross.html

Yes Sir, I will:
http://www.lyricstime.com/crass-yes-sir-i-will-lyrics.html

Crass's famous song, Yes Sir, I Will was top charts in Britain. It was all about indignation against the man and how our lives are controlled by an idiotic and small sector of people.

"Lennon said 'They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool',
He was right. Social intelligence merely requires agreement and compromise".

Rick Ross wrote an article about this song and how it inspired political movements all over. It raised questions towards authority and freedom. Socialism was attacked and degraded to merely a control of the masses. Conservatism was too organized and liberalism...well we all know how that worked out. In walks anarchy.

Take into context that this is a British band in the UK where anarchy to punk rock artist seemed like the savior of the world.  There was a revival of anarchy.Crass created the movement towards punk rock artist's creative and political priorities. They were committed to the Do-It-Yourself mantra and sought to protect autonomy. Anarcho-punk was a collaborative effort among punk rock bands which both surprised and moved a whole generation. Its political aspirations towards anarchy and freedom did in fact have it's imperfections, but the shear audacity of such a surprising group of individuals to create this movement is in itself testimonial to political outrage.

Punk rock and politics, I always knew there was a connection between the two.

there was a war of experts

Let me break it down.

Miller is like a candy store there are limits, but the possibilities are endless
Bitzer is like a hardware store...everything is logical and good to know

Aristotle is like html coding for the cpu regeneration...you might want to ask for help.

In discussion today we compared Miller and Bitzer (two experts on the rhetorical situation). Both had a wealth of knowledge on the definition of an exigence and it's connection the rhetorical situation. My group decided that we preferred Miller's analysis because it's a little more open to interpretation and individual base assessment.

Here's a little video on the rhetorical situation that someone made for their writing class (she goes to FSU, I know not cool, but it was just too good to pass up)



Now i just feel like i should be that creative.