The Production of Culture

One could argue that the cannon theory presented in the reading could be reflected into other realms of popular culture today. Let’s discuss the cannon theory recently created in the realm of hip-hop ( to continue my ongoing rant on how hip-hop affects culture today and its place within it. With the Grammy’s approaching many begin to speculate hip-hops place on the nationally televised award show. Last year’s recipient of Best Rap Album began to put hip-hops racial controversy on full display, when Macklemore won with his independent album, the Heist with Ryan Lewis.
Although, Macklemore had accomplished great things with his album, especially with no label backing and a few number one hits, mainstream American may have believed that he deserved it. That was not the case for those who are a part of the Hip-Hop community created an uproar. What’s the reason for his uproar? His competitor was none other than Kendrick Lamar. The Compton born rapper took over Hip-Hop with the release of his certified Platinum album good Kid M.A.a.d city. His innovative flows and his ability to use his lyrical poetry for story-telling created a new wave of hip-hop. Many believed that his unique style and ability to take the genre by storm would guarantee him the Grammy of Best Rap Album of the year. And when Macklemore admitted within a text to Kendrick that he had robbed him of the award and then choose to make it public the social conflict of race and its place within the industry was confirmed by none other than the winner himself. So why did Kendrick lose?
The Voters Committee is a select group chosen through extensive and stuffy qualification that chooses the nominations and the winners for the Grammys with no help from the public. They must have an extensive list of credit nods; As well as affiliations or a place within the higher rankings of the music industry. Although the voters are affiliated with the music industry that does not guarantee that they are in touch with current music. This has been clear on many occasions when those nominated (not only in the hip-hop genre) have been overlooked despite their public success, and instead overshadowed by other nominations.
It has been said that the age as well as the race of the majority of the committee members is the source of the problem. Most voters are White males over the age of 50. With that in perspective, could you really ask them to consider Kendrick Lamar’s raw and honest album, when they can’t even relate or understand his quick and note-worthy lyrics. Among the voters bias, is their ability to control the nomination to create a national audience for the screening of the award show, however, their interior agenda to please their connections within the industry prevails as they choose the winner, regardless of society’s choice.
This then explains this year’s winner for Best Rap Album, Eminem, a Hip-Hop heavy weight with a noteworthy-presence. With the release of Marshalls Matters LP2, we begun to obsess over his thought provoking lyrics once again. However, no one can compare to J. Coles hard hitting third album, which sold millions without any pre-released singles or videos. This album showed the power of pure artistry. With lyrics like, ‘watch Iggy win a Grammy as I try to crack a smile, I’m just playing”, he challenges the cannon head on addressing the glass ceiling any of us are blind to. His public expression of outrage for our President as well as police brutality also makes him a politically controversial artist. When compared to Kendrick, the similarities of political controversy, lyrical punch lines, and alternative story telling them creates a separation between them and mainstream America. Therefore, adding more controversy to their lack of Grammy recognitions. Although Eminem has been controversial at times, his controversy only extends to the realms of sexuality and feminism, never expanding to the current problem of racism in America. Therefore the cannon is put in full affect to protect the integrity of the committee, while still satisfying their affiliations within the industry.

Schumpeter believes there is a need for leaders in the business world who are either already at the top or rising in that direction to have discourse in the “classics”, subsequently it seems this will change the unethical behaviors and practices that subsist in the business world. We can safely say Schumpeter does not believe top business leaders are well read, however unlikely that may seem let us presume for a second that is in fact the case.

If we look at many of the top CEO’s in any business space, they seem to fall into three categories. The first would be your industrialists your innovators, your Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, John D Rockefeller, J.P Morgan. These individuals revolutionized their respective industries in a way that forced others to recognize their importance and contributions within and outside industry. The second type is the “puppet”. individuals installed to their position at the discretion of shareholders and their interests. The third is the CEO of pedigree; the individual who exhibits all the traits required to excel at the task of being a CEO. Often these are the persons who also display psychopathic tendencies; egocentric, ruthless, lack of empathy and conscience.

Jumping back, if we apply the advice of Schumpeter and immerse these business leaders in the “classics”, what is the likely outcome on these three personality types? The revolutionary industrialist would no doubt benefit and society as well, but it is also very likely these type of individuals have taken it upon themselves to read material that may aid them on their own time, prior to Schumpeter’s mandate. On the second type[puppet], immersed as they may be in great literature, it may be beyond their reach to apply what they have learned given their circumstances. On to the third personality type, given their ingrained personality type, this type of individual might nitpick and hold onto only knowledge that furthers their individual ambitions.

So then what should be proposed instead of Schumpeter’s classics mandate?
I do not deny the importance and power of great classic literature in nurturing and fostering virtuous minds. But I believe experience is also as powerful of a tool in aiding the development of character. Experiencing and seeing 3rd world poverty first-hand, partaking in psychedelics, and meditating have probably been the three most transformative experiences of my life. There might be a similar need of business leaders to live through the effects of their policies on “the other end”, eg: Steve Jobs first hand seeing the squalor and conditions of those working at iphone factories, Cargill CEO’s seeing first hand the effect of GMO and subsidized American wheat on the livelihood of the subsistence farmer, Real Estate moguls seeing the conditions of slaver-labor in UAE and other infrastructure heavy focused economies.

Another common example of dissipation in empathy can be widely seen on online forums and chatboards. The Anonymous nature and physical distance of these web-boards seems help people dissociate themselves from a certain human element that would otherwise restrict from making outlandish,cruel, and even psychotic comments.

So here my psuedo-scientific theory on leader personality types, the effect of distance on individual empathy, and the power of experience!

Tags: February 3 2015, Mandeep Singh, Schumpeter "Philosopher Kings" online