Brandy Blackburn
Instructor Nichole Neff Gauntt
English 101-46
19 November 2012
Are you giving your children drugs?
Michael Franti and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy are rebel rockers; they write and perform music as well as support ideas that go against social norms. In the song “Television, Drug of the nation” they effectively use rhetoric to persuade their audience that this rebel rocker movement makes good sense. As this paper will show, though the rhetoric may seem radical at first the primary movement pulling the audience in is really based on looking at all mass media through a critical lens. Through this persuasion the audience finds joining the rebel rocker discourse community advantageous to independent thought and avoiding becoming a desensitized drone.
In the song “Television, Drug of the Nation” The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (DHH), led by Michael Franti, use ethos, pathos and logos to persuade their audience about the dangers of watching television. They do this very effectively using persuasive rhetoric in many forms including cause & effect analysis, expressions of goodwill, and a deep authoritative tone. “Television, Drug of the Nation” was released in 1992 on the album Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury. Despite its effective use of rhetoric the song hasn’t been well heard outside of its rebel rocker discourse community, at least not until more recent years when the community grew due to Franti musically taking on national politics in the 2008 presidential election. Not only is Franti’s subject matter part of the rebel rocker discourse community, but also the fact that he uses music as a political vessel. Timothy D. Taylor supports this case in his article, “When We Think about Music and Politics,” where Taylor strives to “deconstruct the Western separation of art and politics … [when] to most people, music and politics would seem antithetical.” In this article Taylor cites a song from the same album as “Television, Drug of the Nation,” titled “Music and Politics.”
“Although this song, like most of their songs, is entirely political, it nonetheless ends with a fairly common idea about what music is: ‘Music is the expression of emotion / Politics is the decoy of perception,’ says Franti, ending the song in a normal speaking voice. While seeming to accept the prevalent view that music is nothing but the expression of emotion . . . In practice, their music is political; but their words about their music revert to standard notions of musical meaning” (Taylor 505).
In this critique of Franti it is exhibited that he is truly a part of the rebel rocker discourse community in that he challenges norms outside as well as inside his own communities of musician and rebel by combining them. He uses his music as a political message while accepting it as an emotional outlet. This paper will serve as an examination of this musical message and the effectiveness of this piece working within its discourse community by forcing the audience to take a more critical look at mass media through warning of its dangers. Also this paper will take a critical look at Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisys’ use of logos, ethos, and pathos as effective persuasive rhetoric in their musical argument to further the mission of independent thought.
The track, “Television, Drug of the Nation,” starts out with channel surfing audio that moves through a series of commercialized sound bites. DHH tell their audience repeatedly, starting in the beginning chorus, “Television, the drug of the Nation / breeding ignorance and feeding radiation,” which lays out the entire premise of this song. They walk us through a multitude of reasons and examples of how and why television shapes our thoughts and manipulates our culture in a variety of negative ways. The song builds to the final words in lines 93, 95-96 which state, “Where imagination is sucked out of children . . . / T.V. is the only wet nurse / that would create a cripple,” followed by the chorus repeating again. The lyrics go against most popular social norms as according to Nielsen’s Television Audience Report in 2009, that the average US household has 2.5 people and 2.86 television sets. However, RL Cawker argues in his analysis of the “Television, Drug of the Nation” music video that it may be the first impression of the song and video that it is a “tirade condemning television as a medium,” the video produced to accompany the song must be viewed on a television “and therefore [the artists] cannot be condemning the medium entirely” (Cawker 61). This vantage point upholds that the piece is more about looking at all mass media through a critical lens rather than smashing your T.V. This supports the fact that DHH does use “Television, drug of the Nation” as an argument for looking at mass media more critically by using television as a means to disseminate their own message of warnings against it.
Ethos is one of the rhetorical strategies used to warn the audience of the dangers of television. Ethos is a rhetorical device that persuades using reputation, values or experience (Johnson-Sheehan and Paine 147). The use of ethos is extensive throughout “Television, drug of the Nation.” First of all the leader of DHH, song writer and performer Michael Franti, is a prominent figure in the world of activism for social justice, peace, and independent thought. In the eyes of his discourse community he has built solid credibility and proved good moral character. He uses the song “Television, Drug of the Nation” as an expression of goodwill -- a warning to his audience of the social and personal harms of television. He doesn’t specifically claim to be an “expert” on the subject, but he speaks authoritatively, which lends a strong sense of credibility.
Another use of ethos that lends credibility comes in the form of identification with the audience. This is apparent in several pieces of the song, starting with lines 1-5. Here, the opening lines that follow the first chorus are the same opening lines as the United States of Americas Pledge of Allegiance. The sentiment in the first 2 lines, “One nation / under God” are very familiar to the audience and are associated with feelings of patriotism. Then lines 3-5 show some degradation of that nation the audience has loyalty to, stating it “has turned into / one nation under the influence / of one drug.” These statements shock our patriotic value system but the rhetoric grabs the attention of its audience. Then in lines 8-10, DHH reveals that it is T.V. satellites that link us together in social unconsciousness. This statement pushes against the social comfort zone, but even skeptics connect with the effective rhetoric as the white noise static worms its way into their minds unfolding a scene from George Orwell’s 1984. Ethos is also used to pull in people already apart of the discourse community with a hook of expecting them to hold similar values of dissent of social norms and prompts them to agree easily that television is the drug that influences the masses, breeds ignorance, and creates an unconscious society where we believe whatever is on the flashing screen. At another point in the lyrics, lines 42-44, Franti points out that television is a place “where straight teeth in your mouth / are more important than the words / that come out of it.” This lyric is an identification with the audience and displays the double standard of expectations found in T.V. versus reality. The audience is on the outside of the television screen and can feel the societal hypocrisy. This hypocrisy also crosses over with logos as a statement of: if you believe this lyric, you should also believe that T.V. represents hypocrisy.
Logos is used to appeal to audiences’ beliefs, values, or common sense (Johnson-Sheehan and Paine 147). Some of the logos tactics used in “Television, Drug of the Nation” are cause and effect, anecdotes, and cost versus benefits. Cause and Effect in this piece, is centered on the terrible effects television causes to the individual and feeds into the societal structure. Some of the examples of these effects can be found in lines 11-15: “Apathetic, therapeutic, and extremely addictive / the methadone metronome pumping out 150 channels 24 hours a day . . . / still there’s nothing worth watching.” Here the artists are pointing out that T.V. is highly addictive, and soothes an emotional vacancy for some viewers by filling time.
Another use of the logos cause and effect analysis is that T.V. is the cause that fills valuable time that people should be using to educate themselves about the world. DHH argues in lines 16-21 that T.V. steals time that people in society could be using to read, “T.V. is the reason why less than 10 percent of our / Nation read books daily.” It steals time away that people could be gaining knowledge, “T.V. is the reason … / why most people think Central America / means Kansas.” It steals time that the masses could spend learning to think critically, “T.V. is the reason . . . / most people think . . . / Socialism means un-American.” Finally, it steals time our nation could spend striving to understand reality as life outside of the flashing screen, “T.V. is the reason . . . / most people think . . . / Apartheid is the new headache remedy.” These lyrics point to T.V. as the key factor in the dumbing down of America and many peoples lack of ability to understand socially constructed biases.
When it comes to the dumbing down of America, Cawker argues that these same lyrics are not claiming to “[value] books over television as a medium of accessing information,” but instead that, “[the artists] object to the use which television has been an information system which entrenches certain points of view and effectively supports the status quo” (Cawker 61). In essence, again, its not the medium of television, but the controllers of it that perpetuate the narrow information disseminated. Many of the effects of this information are stated in lines 23, 35,38-39, 88-89, 93. The sum of these effects are that T.V. shapes our mind with remote control over the masses, perpetuates the status quo, and puts dampers on imagination and search for knowledge. It directs personal thoughts and manipulates the social culture at large. The primary anecdote also perpetuates cause and effects of T.V. as persuasive rhetoric in lines 53-56 which state, “because a child watches 1500 murders before he’s / twelve years old and we wonder how we’ve created / a Jason generation that learns to laugh / rather than abhor horror.” This anecdote pulls in the audience with its home-hitting reality, listeners are thinking: have my children seen that much violence? These lyrics also exemplify the cost of T.V. desensitizing its audience to violence.
The cost and benefit analysis of logos also crosses over with pathos. Pathos is a persuasive technique “using feelings, desires, or fears to influence readers” (Johnson-Sheehan and Paine 147). This analytical cross over is found when DHH essentially says there are no benefits to television, only costs. DHH uses these costs as persuasive rhetoric in the fear of loss and pain categories. They include the loss of ability to problem solve or think independently, the cost of ignorance, loss of imagination, and the cost of being duped or coerced into purchasing things you don’t need. Cawker upholds this argument in juxtapose by articulating, “The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy are not opposed to television as a medium to disseminate information, but they are opposed to the information system which has developed as a result of a few companies controlling information we do receive through the medium.” Fundamentally, Cawker argues that instead of it being television that imposes these costs of fear of loss and pain as stated by DHH, it’s the controllers of the information disseminated through the medium that are degrading our nation through their power that is not in the peoples interest. Franti does feel that he is looking out for the peoples best interest however when he delivers the powerful lyrics in a deep authoritative tone. His tone of disgust for television drive the pathos home. The audience can’t help but to likewise be disgusted and angry over the fact that the television is controlling our social construct and trapping minds in addictive, ignorant bliss.
Going forward in the rebel rocker discourse community people will be further pushed outside of the comforts of ignorant bliss. Being a rebel rocker means going against social norms and spreading the word for others to do so also. This means moving ahead with an open mind and seeking valuable knowledge that breeds independent thought. As DHH has displayed by using music as a political vessel as well as T.V. as a medium to spread their message, those within this discourse community should not only challenge other discourse communities, but challenge what comes from within.
Works Cited
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, The Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury. New York: 4th & B’Way Records, 1992. MP3 downloaded July 2010.
Taylor, Timothy D. “When We Think about Music and Politics: The Case of Kevin Volans.”
Perspectives of New Music. 1995;Vol. 33, No. 1/2: 504-536. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
Neilsenwire. "More than Half the Homes in U.S. Have Three or More TVs." neilsen.com 20 July 2009. Web. 12 Dec 2012.
Cawker, RL. "The Representation Of Television In ‘Drug Of The Nation’." Critical Arts: A South-North Journal Of Cultural & Media Studies. 1994;8.1/2: 56-65. Humanities International Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
Johnson-Sheehan, Richard and Paine, Charles. “Writing Today,Third Custom Edition for UNM.” Prentice Hall. 2013. Print.
Television The Drug Of The Nation Lyrics
- One nation
- under God
3. has turned into
4. one nation under the influence
5. of one drug
[chorus:]
6. Television, the drug of the Nation
7. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
(2x)
8. T.V., it
9. satellite links
10. our United States of Unconsciousness
11. Apathetic therapeutic and extremely addictive
12. The methadone metronome pumping out
13. 150 channels 24 hours a day
14. you can flip through all of them
15. and still there's nothing worth watching
16. T.V. is the reason why less than 10 per cent of our
17. Nation reads books daily
18. Why most people think Central Amerika
19. means Kansas
20. Socialism means unamerican
21. and Apartheid is a new headache remedy
22. absorbed in it's world it's so hard to find us
23. It shapes our mind the most
24. maybe the mother of our Nation
25. should remind us
26. that we're sitting too close to...
[Chorus:]
27. Television, the drug of the Nation
28. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
(2x)
29. T.V. is
30. the stomping ground for political candidates
31. Where bears in the woods
32. are chased by Grecian Formula'd
33. bald eagles
34. T.V. is mechanized politic's
35. remote control over the masses
36. co-sponsored by environmentally safe gases
37. watch for the PBS special
38. It's the perpetuation of the two party system
39. where image takes precedence over wisdom
40. Where sound bite politics are served to
41. the fastfood culture
42. Where straight teeth in your mouth
43. are more important than the words
44. that come out of it
45. Race baiting is the way to get selected
46. Willie Horton or
47. Will he not get elected on...
[Chorus:]
48. Television, the drug of the Nation
49. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
(2x)
50. T.V., is it the reflector or the director ?
51. Does it imitate us
52. or do we imitate it
53. because a child watches 1500 murders before he's
54. twelve years old and we wonder why we've created
55. a Jason generation that learns to laugh
56. rather than to abhor the horror
57. T.V. is the place where
58. armchair generals and quarterbacks can
59. experience first hand
60. the excitement of warfare
61. as the theme song is sung in the background
62. Sugar sweet sitcoms
63. that leave us with a bad actor taste while
64. pop stars metamorphosize into soda pop stars
65. You saw the video
66. You heard the soundtrack
67. Well now go buy the soft drink
68. Well, the onla cola that I support
69. would be a union C.O.L.A.(Cost Of Living Allowance)
70. On television
[Chorus:]
71. Television, the drug of the Nation
72. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
(2x)
73. Back again, 'New and improved'
74. We return to our irregularly programmed schedule
75. hidden cleverly between heavy breasted
76. beer and car commercials
77. CNNESPNABCTNT but mostly B.S.
78. Where oxymoronic language like
79. 'virtually spotless', 'fresh frozen'
80. 'light yet filling' and 'military intelligence'
81. have become standard
82. T.V. is the place where phrases are redefined
83. like 'recession' to 'necessary downturn'
84. 'Crude oil' on a beach to 'mousse'
85. 'Civilian death' to 'collateral damages'
86. and being killed by your own Army
87. is now called 'friendly fire'
88. T.V. is the place where the pursuit
89. of happiness has become the pursuit of
90. trivia
91. Where toothpaste and cars have become
92. sex objects
93. Where imagination is sucked out of children
94. by a cathode ray nipple
95. T.V. is the only wet nurse
96. that would create a cripple
[Chorus:]
97. Television, the drug of the Nation
98. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
(4x)
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