bell hooks: Cultural Criticism & Transformation

Bell hooks: Cultural Criticism & Transformation

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bell hooks is one of America's most accessible public intellectuals. In this two-part video, extensively illustrated with many of the images under analysis, she makes a compelling argument for the transformative power of cultural criticism. In Part One, hooks discusses the theoretical foundations
and positions that inform her work (such as the motives behind representations, as well as their power in social and cultural life). hooks also explains why she insists on using the phrase "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy" to describe the interlocking systems of domination that define our r
eality. In Part Two, she domonstrates the value of cultural studies in concrete analysis through such subjects as the OJ Simpson case, Madonna, Spike Lee, and Gangsta rap. The aim of cultural analysis, she argues, should be the production of enlightened witnesses - audiences who engaged with the re
presentations of cultural life knowledgeably and vigilantly. "The issue is not freeing ourselves from representations. It's really about being enlightened witnesses when we watch representations." -bell hooks

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You are clueless. ... ( 4 months ago by barracuda919)

You are clueless. Bell Hooks wrote about how she relished the idea of killing a white man who sat beside her on a plane just because bell's lesbian friend was sitting in his seat and he made her move and he was white. Does that sound like dialogue to you??? Do you think it's ok to want to kill someone just b/c he's white??

Maybe YOU need her ... ( 4 months ago by barracuda919)

Maybe YOU need her passion for social justice, most of us get along fine without her trying to change everything under the sun. You folks are a bunch of losers who just can't cut it in the real world without help and hand outs.

Hahaha, "Discourses ... ( 4 months ago by barracuda919)

Hahaha, "Discourses of sex, gender, race and class" indeed. What kind of sicko are you that you could write that and take yourself seriously? Anyone who lives his/her life with that outlook is certifiably delusional. Read the psychiatric diagnostic manual, it's right under the discussions of paranoia, low self-worth, and insecurity.

Yes, because " ... ( 4 months ago by barracuda919)

Yes, because "cultural theory" is so very useful and robust. What would you hippy, pseudo-intellectual clowns do in college if the education system had to teach real scholarship? Just imagine how screwed you'd be if you actually had to think for yourselves instead of lapping up this self-satisfying nonsense garbled in a colossal shroud of impressive-sounding, obscure, made-up words. Haha "a tool towards transgression." I wish you the best of luck in "transgressing" the white, patriarchal norms.

Yes, if only I ... ( 4 months ago by barracuda919)

Yes, if only I could read a dictionary and start shopping at the whole foods store and get a degree in women's studies, then I too could enrich myself by discussing "a diaspora and a culture". Then I'd have it all, right? You folks always did strike me as a happy lot; after all, it's not like you get hung up on what's wrong with the world. Nope, you're a real bunch of go-getters who have no time for self-pity. Geez, I mean, why did I bother to study business administration in college anyway?

And...? ( 4 months ago by kindu2006)

And...?

All of my comments ... ( 3 months ago by barracuda919)

All of my comments were replies to other comments others have made; I have no idea why YouTube sucks at formatting them the right way...

okay, LOL... sorry ... ( 3 months ago by kindu2006)

okay, LOL... sorry about that. well, utube are being bombarded with videos everyday... it's understandable!

Fantastic! Shows ... ( 3 months ago by joaniponi2)

Fantastic! Shows you how black politics and feminist politics - and critical thinking as such - can help you see what you didnt even notice was in front of you.

So, I want to ... ( 3 months ago by murkyglow)

So, I want to resist playing that silly, self-serving game, and instead declare my Love, my Love for bell hooks, for women, for the marginalized perspectives, and for all the people truly concerned with democracy and liberty, who seek to make our world and future a better environment for all of us, with less imperialist, controlling regimes, with their tactics of fear and violence, and more love, curiosity, respect, understanding, and openness.

The worst kind of ... ( 3 months ago by murkyglow)

The worst kind of people to me are the ones who: a) split the one race of human beings into two groups according to narrow ideas of their own identity; and then: b) hate on the group they deem as "the other" and try to suppress and marginalize them (out of fear of growing, expanding, seeing the world in a different way, etcetera). The ignorant, narrow-minded, scared haters, those are the worst.

It seems like the ... ( 3 months ago by murkyglow)

It seems like the haters support imperialist systems, where everything is black or white, us or them, rulers or subjects, people who succeed or people who fail... It seems like they put financial interest higher then humanity, and adopt a view that can keep them in control of an economic system, and so are racist, sexist, and classist (and probably have no animal rights or ecological concerns either). They come on with superiority complexes and join-or-die chants.

But, apparently not ... ( 3 months ago by murkyglow)

But, apparently not! I don't have the patience to go back through and read the comments, since most of the haters are absurd (I don't mean in the good way like a surrealist, I mean more like ignorant, dumb, and incoherent) or self-delusional in their contradictions, but some of the more recent ones have made me realize how important cultural studies is, with an emphasis on education and critique.

Wow! I did a search ... ( 3 months ago by murkyglow)

Wow! I did a search for bell hooks and thought I'd watch this video that came up, and I can't believe all the hate comments! Not only do I think this woman is amazing, and doing some of the more important work in this country that needs to be done
—trying to illuminate some of the workings behind hateful and oppressive power structures—but, also I feel that this video is extremely tame, friendly, and, nearly, benign.

Sigh...just another ... ( 3 months ago by Albertanator)

Sigh...just another marxist racist..sad that this evil women actually is allowed to warp young minds...

that is so true ... ( 2 months ago by uliagulia)

that is so true about Ivy-leaguers having a sense of entitlement to having better lives and people who are educated in urban college settings without all that Ivy-league hype, downplay their possibilities after graduation. She's amazing.

Well, America has ... ( 1 week ago by tonialovesyou2)

Well, America has come half way now.

I am asking this ... ( 5 days ago by katseno)

I am asking this question as a part of my research in graduate school on Bell Hook's theory on pop-culture. Does anyone reading this feel that film teaches its viewers how to see others. For example, if you saw a movie that portrayed the robber as a black man, would you be more likely to think of all black men as robbers? Do you read into films the way that Bell Hooks does? Please get back to me on this, and thanks for your time everyone.

If Americas are ... ( 5 days ago by katseno)

If Americas are half way there, where have we come from and where is the other half leading us?

Good question. The ... ( 4 days ago by tonialovesyou2)

Good question. The 'half' is not mathematical, but symbolic I guess. America may not be 'half way there' in more scientific or realistic 'measures'. And while symbolism may not always create change, I think it impacts how people react to change. Where we have come from is to some extent clear, the appalling treatment of Native Americans, African Americans, women, gay men and women & everyone before, during & after speaks volumes. Where are we going? That's a big question to ask on YouTube!

Think of broader ? ... ( 4 days ago by tonialovesyou2)

Think of broader ? & break it down into a different smaller ?-Does watching pornography change peoples sexual behaviour? Do junk food ads make kids pester parents for a Hershey's bar? Do portrayals of drug users in media impact how people value the lives of drug users in real life? Do portrayals of female fashion models in magazines effect how men think of women & how women think of themselves? I think so. Symbolism has value. We all need positive portrayals that we identify with.

You've asked some ... ( 4 days ago by katseno)

You've asked some very loaded and heavy questions. There are many kinds of images out there, and some more than others intend to provoke reactions. Fashion models sell style. Junk food sells satisfaction. Symbolism is as valuable as the power to which we attribute it with. From what you wrote, images in the mainstream have a powerful impact on how the masses both obtain and process visual information. What are the positive images do you identify with?

Sorry, my spelling ... ( 4 days ago by katseno)

Sorry, my spelling is off. I mean, what are the positive images that you identify with?

I asked heavy ... ( 3 days ago by tonialovesyou2)

I asked heavy questions? Ha ha! I'm gonna have to think about yours a bit. Do you mean media narratives or symbolic moments or...?

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