If there was more funding, the system would be better, as well as vice-versa. For example, I study History at the University of Belgrade. Each year 120 students start those specific studies, 110 of whom are financed by the state at the beginning (and so forth if they keep studying well). Because there are a lot of students to finance (classrooms to clean and heat, professors to pay...), the quality of education gives way to the quantity. It is much easier to study in small groups than in large ones too.
The problem is that my country doesn't even need a half of those historians every year, if we take other universities into account as well, and yet they still finance their studies. The solution could be to close some slots and instead of having a lot of poor historians, have a few of good ones. And with that open some slots in another education profile, which is needed, such as IT. When I started uni a year ago, there was no possibility to get a scholarship for IT studies. Maybe there was a discount if you scored high at the entry exam, I can't remember. Not that I like IT, it's just something I'd like to point out.
A professor of mine once said that the authorities would like us better sitting at our lectures and being useless, than making mess on the streets in protest against the state in the state.
(10-06-2016, 03:16 PM)nOmnomnOm Wrote: Is it found in academia?
Does rap give lots of swearing?
Here it is claimed that the current methods of teaching are obsolete, and academiae have existed for about 2500 years already. If the society changes, the academiae, which are tasked with preserving the values of a society, are the second last to change. The last is the church. And stagnation is bad, right?
Swears and curses. Why are they different from any other collections of sounds? Why is the word "murder" not a taboo, and "f*uck" is? I understand that feces can be dangerous by spreading illness, but how can you infect yourself with a word? Maybe you can catch an emotion? Emotions are bad, right?
Although rap would be somewhat odd to hear in a Western institution of education, and even incomprehensible and thus impractical, and although I don't like it personally, I think that it is part of a culture. The problem is that it is not our culture, which is why it would be so weird to hear it in a school. But I believe it is even considered art in Africa, and only not used in their schools because those were shaped after Western models.
NomNom is right though... You'll be hard-pressed finding a LIX number higher than 30 in rap lyrics, except for Wu-Tang Clan which doesn't really count since they are using a thesaurus and pretending they're playing scrabble.
Not only are the lyrics, as well as the metaphors (of which there are so very little variety within the genre) of the lowest and simplest quality, the music itself is largely ripped from proper compositions made by actual musicians, who can play instruments and have actual knowledge about creating music, rather than being original in any sense of the word.
Then, the swearing. A good and proper word for "f*uck" would be "intercourse", for instance. The word "f*uck" is not taboo because of what it describes, it is taboo because it is the most vulgar term to describe the action. Obviously some people, generally people who tend to read, get frustrated and annoyed by the seemingly meaningless use of the most vulgar words (and only these words), when there's a plethora of words available. Why does it always have to be "f*uck"?
Don't get me wrong, I do like (some) hip hop, just like I like a McDonald's Cheeseburger from time to time, but let's be real: It IS utter garbage.
(10-06-2016, 04:13 PM)nOmnomnOm Wrote: I wouldn't say that.
I would compare Rap to the arts just like i would compare contemporary art to the arts.
You are being subjective towards things you can't understand. Maybe you should get past denouncing things because they are bad, and ask yourself why they are bad. Maybe they aren't.
@Mímir: I am being the devil's advocate here, but I feel like poor rap needs someone to defend it. You are right if you value books that contain precisely 50,000 words, whose beginnings of paragraphs form a story themselves. But rap is not about the mind, it is about the heart. Rap expresses an emotion in a strong way. It is actually pretty similar to futurism, except that it is easier to understand for the general masses. The word "vulgar" was originally used to refer to the general masses. When has the common man become bad? I thought that elitism was bad. An academic might be more productive in certain areas, but who is happier?
Such a handy word, "f*uck". Such a f*ucking nice day! (literal) Such a f*ucking nice day! (sarcasm) It works so well to increase the strength of a sentence in both ways. It is also a pretty f*ucking good way to get rid of the ego, and reconcile with the fact that we're all breathing, eating, sh*itting, f*ucking and stealing food from each other. With brains instead of claws. Those who think that we are any better than rats have full right not to use it, of course. But no more "intercourse" for them. No use of Santa Maria della Salute if you're unhappy. For me, the one who is better is the one who is happier.
(10-06-2016, 04:22 PM)Thunderer Wrote: You are being subjective towards things you can't understand. Maybe you should get past denouncing things because they are bad, and ask yourself why they are bad. Maybe they aren't.
I have looked at enough contemporary art and have seen enough rap to deduce my conclusion on the subject.
now I urge you to go read some Sigmund Freud essays as well as how about some Kenneth Frampton, hmm?
(10-06-2016, 04:22 PM)Thunderer Wrote: You are being subjective towards things you can't understand. Maybe you should get past denouncing things because they are bad, and ask yourself why they are bad. Maybe they aren't.
No point in discussing anything with someone who has already made up their mind cause there is very little chance you will convince them they are a moron. +
@thread
No, just no. Most of this stuff is just wishful thinking not supported by any research.