McKee’s main point in the chapter on Spectacle is that each culture needs to use forms of communication that are relevant to their culture to communicate the needs of that culture. He uses the example of rap music in the African American community. Although I know some white people who listen to rap music, it is predominately an African American genre of music. McKee speaks a lot of the group Public Enemy, and the kind of lyrics that they use to communicate their political beliefs as well as injustices that they see being done to their community. These songs do seem pretty spectacular, and a little over the top, but as McKee points out, it is what that particular culture is used to. As a white middle class woman I find their lyrics highly offensive and I choose not to listen to that type of music. I think they could communicate what they are talking about without the “F” bomb in every other sentence.
I do understand what McKee is saying though that each culture is different. I personally think that it is important to remember that we are all equal but we are also all very different. I do not think though that it is beneficial to a community that those differences become so great that our society can find no common grounds, which I guess is what the next chapter is about. So I guess in this respect I would be considered a modernist.
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I agree with Stephanie that rap artists shouldn't have to use such vulgar means to promote their political ideas. I also agree that the postmodernist ideal of respecting every culture to no end will in the end divide and conquer a nation-and so I am also curious to see how McKee confronts this issue of fragmentation, because I side with the modernists and wish that people would put aside their cultural pride to adapt to the government. Culture belongs in the home and after work...it shouldn't dominate the public sphere to the point that we can't get anything important done. If a matter of culture clashes tremendously with a matter of government, then such issues should be addressed. But again, what constitutes important space in the public sphere is all attitudinal and I know there are people who would disagree with me on issues of value and importance.
-Karalynn Schneck
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