Thesis writing sample

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

THE POWER OF ONE: How Can The Power Of One Individual, One Cause, Or One Historical Act Be Mightier Than The Mass Messaging Designed And Implemented By Capital Driven Corporations And Socio-Political Agendas

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Division of Fine Arts College of Arts and Sciences of HOWARD UNIVERSITY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Department of Art by Geneviève Aiyana Nixon Washington, D.C. April 2014 ii

ABSTRACT This thesis and art installation is based off of the action and result of one. “One� meaning: one God, one love, one voice, one choice, one action, one reaction and one moment in time that can change the global community forever. The ultimate goal is to conjure emotion that challenges the viewer to take action, first by self-examining their own beliefs and then questioning their position and/or actions as a member of society and the global community. Ultimately, stimulating a ripple effect among society.

The purpose is to create the internal conversations that we have with ourselves that can have a direct impact on who we are as individuals and what we self-identify with as a result of the various messages fed to us by society, particularly mass media. It is an examination of how ONE person, one election, one terrorist attack, one war, one birth, one death, and other actions by one person can effect a group of people, causing a cultural reaction that can have a massive effect on history and it’s impact on the global society as a whole.

As a television and film producer, photographer, marketing and brand specialist, social-media strategist and activist, and visual artist, I have been submerged into entertainment and marketing strategies with the sole purpose of influencing the masses to formulate an idea or trend, take action, and then spread the word so others can follow in their actions.

Commonly, a person, group of people, stereotype, or cultural identity is exploited with the intention to cause a reaction. Depending on the source or reason for the message, v

determines if it is negative or positive. In turn, the neglect of the responsibility towards the effect on others can leave a damaging idea or image of a group. On the other hand, a social responsibility towards the effect on others can leave a lasting positive impression.

Historically, such movements and influences, like the Civil Rights Movement, the war in Afghanistan, Occupy Wall Street, Free Troy Davis, the election of President Barack Obama, Steve Jobs with Apple, Mark Zuckerberg with Facebook, Bill Gates with the world wide web, Nelson Mandela, and Angela Davis have all been started by one person who changed global community forever. These are prime examples of how one person’s actions can change the world and the social structure of the global community.

This research subtly beckons the audience to examine their personal self-identity, self-absorption, self-denial, self-destruction, and ultimately causing them to gain selfempowerment. In turn with time causing a grand scale of global-evolution, globalmovement and global-transformation mentally, spiritually and socially. Accomplished by this research exposing the manipulation and influence of social-media and entertainment media (TV, Film, Music, Fashion, Print) as well as the societal, financial and educational social-class systems.

The purpose that comes from this thesis is broad and specific to different genders, cultures, beliefs and present day global issues. A few are: - It creates an intimate environment that causes the viewer to examine their personal beliefs.

- It creates a platform of contradiction causing the viewer to make a decision of vi

what is right from wrong according to their personal beliefs.

- When the viewer walks away, they are left with a responsibility to either act against inequalities or silently ignore and allow injustice to continue and occur around them. They will decide to leave empowered or self-serving.

This thesis is worth the creators efforts and the audience’s time for many reasons, broad and specific to different genders, cultures, beliefs and present day global issues. A few are: - It causes self-reflection - It confronts self-denial - It creates empowerment Ultimately, in the end, this end result of this thesis is a movement that has just begun. An awakening of many minds, voices and spirits. This multi-media art installation will not be used solely for the purpose of education, but enlightenment. This project will continue to develop in the hopes of traveling and creating a continuous platform for discussion. In turn, as the world evolves and breaking news occurs, the purpose and content of this thesis will grow. It is limitless. It is The Power of One Movement!

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CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

Presently the state of affairs in our global society, specifically in America breeds and is identified by media driven, idealistic, mass consumer, capitalistic sub- cultures.

Diverse fundamentals and traditions within these cultures are multi- layered. Key factors thread the fabric and tonality of these societies and it’s ethics.

Tools such as language, music, art, television, film and social-media feed these subcultures creating a unified hunger. What is key, are the designers of these tools. Two major ones are, the international billion-dollar corporations and the individuals who either create the image or consume the image. Here lies the war between man and machine. A war of self-identity and truth, against stereotypes designed to drive the masses in a pre-meditated direction. This is where the ultimate personal decision lies. In the center of it all is the power of one.

Research has shown throughout history, a direct correlation between the saturation of culture imagery infused into society’s norm and an individual’s personal identity. For example from slavery to present day, the African American has been portrayed through these various tools as, lazy, uneducated, ugly, inferior, and less than human. The role of the mammie, the slave, the help, the drug dealer, the pimp, the drug addict, the street thug, the gangster rapper, and the criminal have long been roles that have solely been slated for African Americans, to the detriment of society as a multicultural collective whole.

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These examples have been perpetuated on a larger scale through mass media messaging, like television, movies, advertising, music, and now social media. There is a learned behavior, inherited through generations and then there is the individual who rebels against the perceived norm to establish an identity or purpose of his or her own.

From slavery to social-media, individuals are either following the masses out of fear of disassociation and isolation or continuously trying to break the mold and transform societies views of particular sub-cultures and the world as a whole. This thesis will example these tools and historical examples to shine a light on the degrading mass messaging of African Americans and those individuals who have contradict these stereotypes, challenge the status quo, and ultimately impact history and change perception and self-identity on a global scale.

What has also been proven throughout history is that the power of the masses supporting a man, woman, or cause can be mightier than the negative influences of language, music, art, television, film and social-media messaging. A greater advantage is when these tools are used to birth individuality, tolerance, unity, and growth for positive change. Take the Egyptian revolution for example, after a reign of 30 years, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was the longest-serving president in the nation's history. “The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 was a diverse movement of demonstrations, marches, plaza occupations, riots, non-violent civil resistance, acts of civil disobedience and labor strikes which took place following a popular uprising that began on 25 January 2011. Millions of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious background demanded the overthrow of the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. There were also important Islamic, liberal, anti-capitalist, nationalist, and 2

feminist currents of the revolution.�i

Figure 1 A broad areal view of the Egyptian Protesters during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. https://publicintelligence.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/more-egypt-revolution6.jpg

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Figure 2 A “tweet� or status post via the social media platform Twitter that went viral showing Christian Egyptians protecting Muslims Egyptians as they pray during the Egyptian Protests; exemplifying the power of social media. http://world-realities.tumblr.com/post/12019032867/christian-or-muslim-we-are-all-egyptians

My argument is, that the power of one individual, one cause, or one historical act can be mightier than the mass messaging designed and implemented by capital driven corporations and socio-political agendas.

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All media has a dominant role in the lives of people worldwide, either connecting us or destroying us. It can be gripping, controlling and addictive for some.

It can cause many to self-identity with their pseudo-celebrity social media reality show driven personas, instead of seeking their own personal convictions and values; becoming the “insta-celeb� a slang term used to identify oneself as an instant celebrity on a short or large scale. Allowing them to be defined through consumer corporations, which fund the faces of the latest trends to follow. In turn morphing a society into likeminded individuals who are driven by corporate messaging, under the guise of being genuine, original, or obtaining a certain level of status.

But, there is a greater power than corporate executives who sell a packaged lifestyle to the masses through media outlets. That power is the power of the individual, the power of self. An individual with conviction, dedication, and a divine purpose is the most powerful tool known to man throughout history. Once that purpose is exemplified through action, and supported by the masses, global change is inevitable, be it positive or negative. Historical icons that have exemplified this power and magnified it for the greater good of the world are leaders such as, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman, and countless others who have sacrificed their lives and their families safety for justice and peace for all regardless of race, religion, or belief.

Now more than ever, there are daily decisions that must be made on a global level by people, especially those in power of influence. Personal decisions that can create conflict between sub-cultural views of what is right vs. wrong, what is popular vs.

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unpopular, and what is just vs. unjust. In turn, creating a constant internal conflict between self-interests and societal norms. In this moment of decision-making is where my interest lies. This brings to the forefront some thought provoking questions that must be addressed: 1. Can the desire and need for societies acceptance be greater than the conviction of one’s personal moral values and beliefs?

2. If given the choice would people willingly choose a popular societal norm that is knowingly destructive or stand against it, in the hopes for predicating a more positive solution to societal ills?

3. What social mass messaging are we as a culture, community and world propagating to each other?

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