While reading Attali’s essay, Noise and Politics, I was compelled to think about the college classroom, the noise and politics that occur within the classroom and the relationship between the classroom setting and Attali’s theories of power, control, and community. In the beginning of the reading, Attali stated, “any organization of sounds is then a tool for the creation or consolidation of a community.” Incontrovertibly, sound plays an essential roll in the creation of the learning environment; in the passing of wisdom from the mouth of a teacher to the ears of a student a community of sorts is formed. Attali continues on to talk of how noise is, without a doubt “a source of power.” Indeed, an observer can easily tell the power dynamics of a classroom by paying attention to the noise made, who speaks, who listens, what is said, who controls what is said or what is taught. Though perhaps speaking of a broader topic, Attali’s Noise and Politics without a doubt provides interesting insight into the world of modern schooling.
Homeland security is watching you. Listening in, reading the words on this page. Human beings under the law and establishment of the world are too numerous, and, with the right kind of ideas and leadership can be quite dreadful. You speak, and tap text trinkets into that buzzy electronic piece that resides in your pocket, but where does it all go? Our words and interests fly through the sky at incredible speads, and all one needs is some kind of fancy signal catcher. It's easy, right? Our noises have long been public, plucked from the sky by the 'they' in the suits and tall buildings. But of course, it is all too easy to be censored. In a land professing the value of free speech and artistic liberty, of course you can say/do whatever the hell you want, but if someone with more money than you doesn't like it, well tough shit. Milk-cartons need faces too. I think the question is how many of us venture so far as to speak words that threaten the order, or if laziness and paranoia seduce all too easily.
Sound is a weapon. It can be used against you. It can be manipulated, distorted, transformed and taken out of context. Sound can be power. It can be used to control and contain. To subdue. It is a commodity that can be bought and sold on a whim. Its meaning can be censored. It can be stripped of any substance until it is just white noise.
Attali's article is interesting because it relates the power of not only music, but of sound in every respect. It is used for not only creative purposes but as the main interaction between humans.
A thing of control, politicians use it to not only express, but to influence and persuade. I suppose what it comes down to is the person's intent behind broadcasting sound. Are they trying to share, or are they trying to persuade, manipulate, control? Sound is something that is hard to get away from; we cannot easily remove ourselves from the source.
It would be impossible not to have things like Orwell's book 1984 conjured up when reading Attali. A more contemporary example of a leader using sound to control a country is Kim Jong Il's complete control over North Korea's airwaves. The entire country basically only listens to what he wants to be listening to at that time. As for distribution and control of music, one paragraph will not even come close to covering today's surveillance. iTunes tracks what you listen to and suggests new songs and artists according to what you buy. They type your tastes and then continue to formulate and perpetuate them. Facebook tracks your posts and selectively advertises bands and concerts according to the lyrics you post as your status and musicians you say you saw or hate. Those ads are even sophisticated enough now to follow you to google later and other sites you visit. All to track what you listen to and keep you listening to it. Not even Orwell could have imagined that. <3 Heather
The notion of sound as power is an interesting one that has many wide implications. The most interesting aspect is in some ways the reverse of sound: the ability to take it in. A society that has the ability to hear all within it has the power to control the people it hears. The music industry side of it gets a little bit towards a conspiracy theory, but some good points are made on the control of music corporations over the sounds produced by their artists. Overall, however, the essay simplifies the issues and in some cases completely neglects to rationalize or explain it's arguments. -Zach Sands
In this article, Attali claims that sound is power. It is a form of control and a form of art in many respects. The government uses sound to monitor the things we say and make, censor our thoughts, and often manipulate our opinions through carefully chosen words and propaganda. Conversely, music represents the most obvious form of sound art with the intention of affecting our emotions. However, music could be considered a form of control in that most music we encounter comes from an ever-changing industry fueled by money and publicity. The only way we can overcome these constraints is by creating our own sounds on our own terms. We can take back the power and control by communicating ourselves through sound without fear of oppression or prejudice.
I wish the author of this essay had gone further into explaining the actual means by which sound is actually used to manipulate. It is no doubt that sound has a powerful influence on the way we understand things, but I am skeptical about the reasoning.
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ReplyDeleteIs this working??
ReplyDeleteWhile reading Attali’s essay, Noise and Politics, I was compelled to think about the college classroom, the noise and politics that occur within the classroom and the relationship between the classroom setting and Attali’s theories of power, control, and community. In the beginning of the reading, Attali stated, “any organization of sounds is then a tool for the creation or consolidation of a community.” Incontrovertibly, sound plays an essential roll in the creation of the learning environment; in the passing of wisdom from the mouth of a teacher to the ears of a student a community of sorts is formed. Attali continues on to talk of how noise is, without a doubt “a source of power.” Indeed, an observer can easily tell the power dynamics of a classroom by paying attention to the noise made, who speaks, who listens, what is said, who controls what is said or what is taught. Though perhaps speaking of a broader topic, Attali’s Noise and Politics without a doubt provides interesting insight into the world of modern schooling.
ReplyDeleteTiffany Shelly
Homeland security is watching you. Listening in, reading the words on this page. Human beings under the law and establishment of the world are too numerous, and, with the right kind of ideas and leadership can be quite dreadful. You speak, and tap text trinkets into that buzzy electronic piece that resides in your pocket, but where does it all go? Our words and interests fly through the sky at incredible speads, and all one needs is some kind of fancy signal catcher. It's easy, right? Our noises have long been public, plucked from the sky by the 'they' in the suits and tall buildings. But of course, it is all too easy to be censored. In a land professing the value of free speech and artistic liberty, of course you can say/do whatever the hell you want, but if someone with more money than you doesn't like it, well tough shit. Milk-cartons need faces too. I think the question is how many of us venture so far as to speak words that threaten the order, or if laziness and paranoia seduce all too easily.
ReplyDeletePHLADKY
Sound is a weapon. It can be used against you. It can be manipulated, distorted, transformed and taken out of context. Sound can be power. It can be used to control and contain. To subdue. It is a commodity that can be bought and sold on a whim. Its meaning can be censored. It can be stripped of any substance until it is just white noise.
ReplyDeleteCaitlyn Howell
Attali's article is interesting because it relates the power of not only music, but of sound in every respect. It is used for not only creative purposes but as the main interaction between humans.
ReplyDeleteA thing of control, politicians use it to not only express, but to influence and persuade. I suppose what it comes down to is the person's intent behind broadcasting sound. Are they trying to share, or are they trying to persuade, manipulate, control? Sound is something that is hard to get away from; we cannot easily remove ourselves from the source.
Brianna Didyoung
It would be impossible not to have things like Orwell's book 1984 conjured up when reading Attali. A more contemporary example of a leader using sound to control a country is Kim Jong Il's complete control over North Korea's airwaves. The entire country basically only listens to what he wants to be listening to at that time.
ReplyDeleteAs for distribution and control of music, one paragraph will not even come close to covering today's surveillance. iTunes tracks what you listen to and suggests new songs and artists according to what you buy. They type your tastes and then continue to formulate and perpetuate them. Facebook tracks your posts and selectively advertises bands and concerts according to the lyrics you post as your status and musicians you say you saw or hate. Those ads are even sophisticated enough now to follow you to google later and other sites you visit. All to track what you listen to and keep you listening to it. Not even Orwell could have imagined that.
<3 Heather
The notion of sound as power is an interesting one that has many wide implications. The most interesting aspect is in some ways the reverse of sound: the ability to take it in. A society that has the ability to hear all within it has the power to control the people it hears. The music industry side of it gets a little bit towards a conspiracy theory, but some good points are made on the control of music corporations over the sounds produced by their artists. Overall, however, the essay simplifies the issues and in some cases completely neglects to rationalize or explain it's arguments.
ReplyDelete-Zach Sands
In this article, Attali claims that sound is power. It is a form of control and a form of art in many respects. The government uses sound to monitor the things we say and make, censor our thoughts, and often manipulate our opinions through carefully chosen words and propaganda. Conversely, music represents the most obvious form of sound art with the intention of affecting our emotions. However, music could be considered a form of control in that most music we encounter comes from an ever-changing industry fueled by money and publicity. The only way we can overcome these constraints is by creating our own sounds on our own terms. We can take back the power and control by communicating ourselves through sound without fear of oppression or prejudice.
ReplyDeleteSteph Hedges
I wish the author of this essay had gone further into explaining the actual means by which sound is actually used to manipulate. It is no doubt that sound has a powerful influence on the way we understand things, but I am skeptical about the reasoning.
ReplyDelete