Dillon Raborn

Graduate student of Art History hoping to contribute interesting ideas present in pop culture.

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Latest Topics

arts

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The Persona in Popular Music

With many Pop musicians, what you see is what you get. Their personal lives are kept at a safe distance from their work in a very profesional, cut-and-dry fashion. And then there are the others – Prince, MF Doom, Rammstein, Die Antwoord, (to name a few off the top of my head). These artists and artist groups built what might be termed their Pop Persona; that persona is an image, and that image plays into the music itself. The artist cannot be disregarded when listening to the music, yet these artists are often able to balance such a level of involvement with the imaginary celebrity they've constructed around themselves with easy-to-access points of entry for newcomers who just want to enjoy the music. In a way, this also occurred with Andy Warhol, but we might say he was playing off of something that already existed- which means it was around even before his time.

This topic would be very hard to talk about, but I can't help but feel as though it's gone unaddressed in mass cultural discussion. I'm also unsure if this kind of topic is fitting for Artifice, but I thought I would throw it out there anyway.

I believe what you are situating here is a pop star which say Justin Bieber or Britney Spears whose personal is out there for all to see and too exploit. Whereas, pop stars like Prince and David Bowie were/ are relatively private individuals; however, they created an alter persona for the public. And perhaps the article can speak about these differences from a musical point of view and how it affects or doesn't affect the musician. – Venus Echos 9 years ago
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For other possible examples, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj have done multiple personas as well. – Emily Deibler 9 years ago
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I think I understand what you are trying to approach here, but I believe there is some unclarity in what the actual topic should be. Are you aiming to propose an exploration of music icons, versus those who are newcomers? – Arazoo Ferozan 9 years ago
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Tangentially, you could also explore how the personas of musicians in their music are inextricably projected into their personal lives? – stefancharles 9 years ago
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animation

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Zootopia and child-friendly conversations of Social ills

How has nobody tackled this yet on the Artifice?

SPOILER ALERT: There is a lot going on in Zootopia regarding minority-majority relations, "us vs. them" mentalities and exploration of stereotypes and how they're developed and reinforced. It's practically begging to be written about.

There also ought to be discussion of how, in their attempt to make the subject matter friendly to kids, Disney drops the ball with the social metaphors. For example, after some of them go savage, the carnivores in Zootopia are at one point clearly paralleled to Muslims and their treatment in the U.S.: an entire group of people is suddenly regarded as dangerous because any one of them, for unknown reasons, could "go savage" and just start hurting people (hence the stereotype of suicide bombers).

In the real world, these conditions are brought about by deeply problematic religious relations, but in the name of relating to the targeted audience Disney turns to the catch-all solution of a poisonous flower whose fluids just cause animals to lose their minds.

I should say I am currently writing an article which argues how Judy is the best feminist icon and complete female character Disney has ever created, and I do tackle some of the social commentary in regards to her arch as a child-friendly character. However, I do not go near the religious implications of the commentary. These are extremely good points, and could profit from looking at American political propaganda focusing on immigration and religious freedom. – C N Williamson 9 years ago
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Excellent topic. Zootopia (Zootropolis) is easily one of the most poignant films ever made about contemporary America and to a lesser extent the West. – Luke Stephenson 9 years ago
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Zootopia is definitely sending the message about stereotypes and minorities. Even the hate-crime of forcing a young fox into a muzzle, and displaying it as not only bullying but as stereotyping. While also showing characters like Judy's fox bully at home can change. That the stereotypes given to minorities do not define how we must live their lives. Just as Nick Wilde eventually fought against stereotypes, it is hard to do unless there is someone like Judy Hopps there to support you and fight alongside you. – epindera 9 years ago
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I disagree that Disney drops the ball with the social metaphors. I would consider how the movie portrays the dominant ideology of a culture stereotyping others, and that the hero, representing "good people" are not exempt from making assumptions or having prejudices. – rhetoricofafangirl 9 years ago
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Latest Comments

Apr 17, 2016 Dillon Raborn This was so good! I’d been thinking for a while to read Moby Dick – now I must. Thanks for this, Felipe!	Moby Dick: Ahab's Word Against the World's
Apr 16, 2016 Dillon Raborn [[ I’m totally commenting because I’m supposed to, so take this as you will. ]] This article by TheRaptorFence holds its strongest merit as a conversation starter. I’d be interested to know the opposition this article is addressing. Feels very much like it was written as a response to some recurring, nagging statement somebody made in passing that would cease haunting the author only after it was expressed somehow (which is fine: many of us argue with annoying people whose voices we continuously replay in our heads all the time). However, I believe it could benefit from a more thorough addressing of when and how this conversation on the objectivity of art has been carried out before because it would have actually required less work. For example, I anticipated several recognizable names to show up that never actually made an appearance (Abramović not being one of them, but at least she served as an example to your one of your definitions), but was particularly disappointed by the absence of Marcel Duchamp, whose “Fountain” (1917) became infamous for its brazen challenging of early 20th century American art-world culture. Also, not a single reference to The Big Lebowski, yet a quote used in the title? For shame. Should’ve incorporated that in a clever way into the article. Concluding: good conversation starter, as long as it’s started with an average-Joe.	That's Just, Like, Your Opinion, Man: An Argument that Art is Objective
Apr 27, 2014 Mr. Mantis Speechless. Very nice research!	Pacific Rim: In-depth study of the influence of Anime
Apr 20, 2014 Mr. Mantis Thanks for writing this article. Really! A lot of thoughts had been floating around my circle of friends about anime history, but non of us ever really bothered to look into it, so the research is appreciated. The 80’s and 90’s especially, aside from Cartoon network showing DBZ and Pokemo, had anime in the backdoor of television. I’m very glad you addressed the issues of sexuality in the medium. I can understand why many in the older gen. would be against this, but as you stated, it is a strong cultural divide. Also, fabulous use of sources!	The American Perception of Anime: Blood, Legs, and Language
Apr 7, 2014 Mr. Mantis I was going to comment independently, but you’ve summarized my thoughts better than I could.	Video Games & The "Just Google It" Mentality
Apr 7, 2014 Mr. Mantis “Immersion,” is absolutely the key word. Nintendo’s manuals were legendary when I was a kid. I still have Poke’Mon Yellow’s manual under my bed, with pages falling out. The staples are probably eating through the acid-filled paper, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. Swear to God I will never forget those very first hand-drawn images of the original 150. My nostalgia is leaking. ;-; Thank you so much for writing this article!	The Lost Art of the Video Game Instruction Manual
Apr 7, 2014 Mr. Mantis I have always dismissed R&M as just another filler cartoon, but I have to say this article helped along the process I have been going through for understanding that beneath their outrageous exterior Adult Swim is quite thoughtful. Anyway, thanks for the read- I’ll have to start recording the show now to see if it holds up!	Social Commentary in "Rick and Morty"