Theoretical Reflection Week 5

 RHYTHM'S OF LIFE

Partridge aims to explore the ways in which listening to music affects the individual in everyday life. Although acknowledging that it is important to study how people relate to music, Partridge is more concerned with music and the "construction of self." (Partridge 2012)

Music can cause a person to reminisce about times gone by or be affiliated with something familiar, it can be in an individual and/or collective sense. A universal language that not only seduces the aural and emotional, it can also create a physical feeling.

Partridge discusses this with the example of dub music,  linking it to the construct of a person. The bass having a relationship with the heart pumping blood and the melodic rhythms to the rhythms of life. This assault on emotions can be created from a sound frequency too low to be heard, the sound therefore affecting the emotional and physical being rather than the aural being. Creating a new special awareness the listener can exist in.

Interestingly, this low frequency sound is also created in pipe organs, often played in a place of worship. Given the already spiritual atmosphere, this new emotional space and feeling of connectedness of music to life could easily be attributed to or even mistaken for the presence of God. The tones of the organ stimulating the same unseen euphoria experienced through dub music.

Partridge also mentions the relationship of drugs and music, amphetamines often associated with fast beats heard in jazz and cannabis use with dub. If these drugs are used to enhance the feeling created by music, and similar tones are used in dub music as well as pipe organs, it could be said that the combination of either drugs and dub music or church music and the listeners spiritual place of worship, could be endeavouring to achieve the same purpose. That of some form of spiritual enlightenment.

The role of music and "the construction of personal and social identities". (Partridge 2012) is a phenomena that impacts every music listener. Further study of the relationship between music and the 'construction of self' may reveal music to be "a language of the emotions through which we directly experience the fundamental urges that move mankind." (Cooke 1959)

References:
Partridge, Christopher.  "Popular Music, Affective Space and Meaning."  In Religion, Media and Culture:  A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 182 - 193.  London and New York:  Routledge, 2012
  
Cooke, Deryck.  "The Language of Music.", 262.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 1959 

Image References:
http://pixabay.com/en/music-note-recreation-cartoon-clef-25663/

Is Music Part of my Spirituality?

After reading "Popular Music, Affective Space and Meaning" by Christopher Partridge,I began reflecting on the music I listen to. As someone that spends much of my spare time going to live concerts, I began to wonder- was I attending these for the music or the feeling live music gives me?

I once had a conversation with someone who did not see the point in paying for a concert when listening to a Cd was cheaper. I pointed out that listening to live music creates a whole different experience than that of a Cd. Live music not only indulges the hearing senses, it also invokes what I can only describe as a spiritual awareness throughout the entire body. At this point, it becomes more than just enjoying the music. It is about indulging in the joy that blossoms throughout the body, the love pumping like blood through the veins.The experience shared with other music goers gathers energy and swells within the crowd, an almost contagious feeling that I can't help but get seduced by.

Having somewhat of an eclectic taste in music genres, this feeling can take a slightly different focus. Rage Against The Machine can be an outlet for anger and fighting for beliefs, Massive Attack may calm me and distract from the outside world and Architecture In Helsinki just makes me joyous and want to bounce around on a wave of happiness. Nevertheless, intrinsically understanding that others are feeling the same strengthens this feeling in much the same way as the 'shared experience' (Meyer 2012) of religion does to worshippers. As Meyer eloquently states in regards to religion, this shared feeling can "not only generate but also heat up and intensify religious feelings"(Meyer 2012).

Is music part of my spirituality? Increasingly, I think so. Music is such a huge part of my life, something I don't want to live without and it can support me through any mood I might have. Music effects me in the same way joyous religion effects its believers.

References:
 Meyer, Birgit.  "Religious Sensations Media, aesthetics, and the study of contemporary religion."  In Religion, Media and Culture:  A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 159 - 170.  London and New York:  Routledge, 2012

Partridge, Christopher. "Popular Music, Affective Space and Meaning.". In Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 183 - 194. London and New York: Routledge, 2012

Image References:
Philp, Bonita.  2011

Week 4 Reflection - Religion as Fashion

RELIGION AS FASHION

Sitting in Brisbane City mall people watching, I was amused with a group of three girls chatting (approx. age 16).  I noticed they all had images of religious symbols draped around their body's and bags that they were carrying.  Not only this but they were wearing symbols of different religions.  One had a cross around her neck as well as a pentagram tattooed on her hand.  Although many people inhabit more than one religion, I doubt this was the case here.
I often see people wearing various religious symbols and cant help but ask if they conform to the religion of this symbol.  Usually I ask this as almost a rhetorical question, fairly sure in my mind that they are not.  A usual answer is that of 'I like the necklace' or 'it looks pretty'.
Although not religious myself, I do find these answers to be frustrating.  Are they aware of their religious meaning?  Do they care?  Do they consider that it may offend people of this faith?
Modern media has dramatically changed the way religion is viewed and I find it slightly dis-heartening at the emmence lack of consideration given by these people to the faiths in which these symbols represent.

Image references:

http://pixabay.com/en/cross-colored-glass-ornament-995/
http://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q_what=&q=pentagram&orientation=&image_type=&rid=945688

Week 4 Reflection

HAS RELIGION SOLD OUT TO GLOBALISATION?

In modern society, religion/spirituality and capitalism/globalisation are being further and further intertwined.  The lines between a personal private religion and religion in the public domain are being blurred resulting in the erosion of the true meaning of religion.  

Corporate entities have realised the potential to make money by blurring these lines and have 're-branded' spirituality for its own benefit.  This is seen in the sale of icons, deities, buildings, jewellery and anything else that will appeal to the loss of hope felt by modern society.  This gives business a free ride to commodify spirituality without having to adhere to any belief system encompassed by any particular religion. In essence, privatising religion.

Mixing religion/spirituality with capilatism in the global arena has led to many 'new-age' and alternative religions blending modern society and choosing aspects of different religions to suit their ideals.

As if the idea of traditional religion hadnt been santised enough in modern society, politics outright abuses the mixing of these two to appeal to the masses and push their agenda (although one could argue that religion has always been political in some form, to a much lesser extent).

Will the blending of spirituality into a public domain not only futher degrade but render traditional religion irrelevant?  Or will traditional religion find a way to inject this blending with the ethics it holds close?

References:  

Carrette J and R King. 2102. Spirituality and the Re-branding of Religion. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader. 59-70. London and New York: Routledge.

Week 2 - theoretical reflection

The mediatization of Religion: A Theory of the Media as Agents of Religious Change (Hjarvard 2008), Hjarvard focuses on a number of issues such as media as conduits meaning that media determines how much and what kind of attention each religion receives. Meyer determines that media as a culture is a reflection of modern society (Meyer 2012). Media culture has become such a large and independent culture unto itself that it affects the way religion is perceived. However, media, in particular television, often favors some religions over others. Hjarvard also discusses the effect on media in terms of media in languages, the many formats used by media including the distribution of sacred and non-sacred texts, Internet, radio and television. The third issue is media as environment. Where as radio and television are more personal, the internet is more "consumer orientated" (Hjarvard 2008). Different demographics will interact with these environments in which ever way is best suited to each individual. As a result, traditional institutions are less authoritative than in bygone eras with media providing and commenting on society. This leads Hjarvard to the concept of banal religions. Originally the concept of Michael Billig in reference to Banal Nationalism (Billig 1995). Banal religion is a result of the increase in media and how individuals perceive symbols and concepts of particular religions. Although generally in agreement with Hjarvard's concept, I do have some objections to the arguments used. The understanding that "religious meanings may travel unnoticed and can be evoked independently of larger religious texts or institutions". This is not a new phenomona or the result of modern media. Practically anything can evoke religious meaning ie. nature, jewellery. The meaning that is taken out of anything is completely relative to not only the individual but also relative to what others may see. Some things ie. a cross have become so entangled with the fashion world that it may not mean anything at all to the consumer except for a fashion trinket. In table 1 of the article, 'Ways of engaging in spiritual issues', the question was sed "People may have an interest in spiritual issues, including faith, folk religion, magical experiences, life and death and so on. If you are interested in such issues, how did you engage in them during the last couple of months. The possible answers to this are not detailed enough to understand the ways in which people use religion and media. For example, one possible answer was 'watch television programmes'. But what kinds of programmes is the consumer watching? Is it through religious shows such as Hillsong? Is it through news and current affairs? Is it through a popular culture programme such as a soap? Also, there was no available answer for an individual who practices their own faith in the privacy of their own home. In conclusion, Hjarvard makes some valid and important points, however this could have been better demonstrated in the article. Works Cited Hjarvard, S. "The Mediatization of Religion: A Theory of the Media as Agents of Religious Change." Northern Lights 6, no. 1 (2008: 9-26. Meyer, B. "Religious Sensations Media, Aesetics, and the Study of Contemporary Religion.". In Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 159-170. London and New YorkRoutledge, 2012

The Dreamy Environment

Sitting amongst the paper bark trees, the sounds of the crickets, the birds are whistling a merry tune and the wind is making itself heard.  Somehow this small group doesn't seem to be talking at the usual boisterous level.  Sound is toned down and can only be heard amongst the few of us.  Silences are not uncomfortable, natural surroundings providing an alternative sound.Sleep could come so easily now and drifting away into a dream world is an enticing thought.
Entranced by the ants scurrying around, following the bridges of leaves between their destination and their home, a vehicle drives by, interrupting dreamy thought patterns and snapping these thoughts back to reality.   The vehicle seems out of place in this environment provided by nature.  It's strange, the need to 'get back to basics' somehow almost always involved returning to nature. 
What is this special relationship between humans and nature?  Is it a spiritual relationship?  A religious relationship?  Is it a relationship that can be explained scientifically?  Or perhaps all of the above? 
When lost amongst the natural environment this beautiful poem by Joyce Kilmer always comes to mind:

  

TREES

 

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed 

Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree

References:

Kilmer, Joyce. Poemhunter.com. December 12, 2011. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/trees/ (accessed March 17, 2012)

Image source:

http://pixabay.com/en/forest-spring-sunlight-freshness-3364/

Nature Reflection - Week 2

Nature can be a very powerful force.  Whether it be in creation or destruction.  The connection humans have with this unseen force is also powerful and empowering.  Sitting on a beach, watching the sunrise can invoke feelings of awe, joy and love.

http://pixabay.com/en/sequoia-trees-sequoia-california-3742/                   

Why is it, surrounded by nature in some form every day, this fleeting feeling only emerges in the rare, peaceful moments?  What is this invisible, undeniable feeling of being at one with nature, and nature at one with us?  The trees can seem more alive, the grass is greener, the air is crisper and has a certain stillness to it, even on a windy day.  Is this comparable to the emotions felt when participating in faith worshipping?

Unfortunately, modern society moves at a fast pace and it is easy to become consumed by it.  The memory of the feeling of completeness, easily forgotten.  If time is more frequently taken from busy lives to experience this enlightened sense, would society be less inclined to destroy nature and have a greater respect and need to preserve it?

http://pixabay.com/en/sequoia-trees-sequoia-california-3742/              

IMAGE REFERENCES

http://pixabay.com/en/sunrise-sun-sea-beach-sand-wave-10164/

http://pixabay.com/en/sequoia-trees-sequoia-california-3742/

Theoretical Reflection - Week 2

Meyer's theory of "Sensational Forms" (Meyer 2012) and the role media is having on shaping religious experience is important to help understand the future of religion in modern society.  According to Meyer, sensational forms and modern media have created easy accessibility for an individual to express theor religion.  Whether this be expressed in view of the public or in private, the ability to do this has created not only a connection between an individual and their God but also a connection between fellow worshippers through a "shared experience" (Meyer 2012).

Meyer discussed various types of sensational forms , including the broadcasting of Pentecostal ceremonies and its capacity to "not only generate but also heat up and intensify religious feelings".  (Meyer 2012).  However the mass production of icons and deities in its many forms i.e. paintings and physical objects, is a particularly intriguing aspect of this discussion.  The lines between the sacred and profane in modern society are blurred (McDannell 2012).  Through popular culture, many icons and deities have become fashionable commoditios rather than being used strictly for religious purposes.  This immediately raises a number of questions:

 

          1.  Will the flooding of popular icons and deities to the general market eventually

                undermine the value of common and easily available icons for purposes

                of worship?

          2.  Many icons and deities are seen in everyday life.                      

                       a)  Does this influence individuals to reinforce faith?                          

                       b)  Has this increased the number of individuals finding faith for the first                               time?                                                                                                                                                                            c)  How much does this, consciously or unconciously, influence individuals  

                             when changing faiths, if at all? 

 

By closely following the current and emerging media and watching trends and patterns, the effects of the amalgamation of religion and media in modern society will provide a greater inderstanding of the direction religion will take into the future.

 

REFERENCES 

McDannell, Colleen.  "Scrambling the Sacred and the Profane."  In Religion, Media and Culture:  A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 134 - 145.  London and New York:  Routledge, 2012

 

Meyer, Birgit.  "Religious Sensations Media, aesthetics, and the study of contemporary religion."  In Religion, Media and Culture:  A Reader, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gordon Lynch and Anna Strhan, 159 - 170.  London and New York:  Routledge, 2012