Culture Zine by Nick Chadzelek

NICK CHADZELEK AP114i

C U L T U R E 1

DEFINITION OF THE WORD CULTURE It goes without saying that “culture” is a confusing word, this year or any year. The problem is that “culture” is more than the sum of its definitions. If anything, its value as a word depends on the tension between them. “Culture” has three divergent meanings: there’s culture as a process of individual enrichment, as when we say that someone is “cultured”; culture as a group’s “particular way of life,” as when we talk about French culture, company culture, or multiculturalism; and culture as an activity, pursued by means of the museums, concerts, books, and movies that might be encouraged by a Ministry of Culture. These three senses of culture are actually quite different, and they compete with one another. Each time we use the word “culture,” we incline toward one or another of its aspects: toward the “culture” that’s imbibed through osmosis or the “culture” that’s learned at museums, toward the “culture” that makes you a better a person or the “culture” that just inducts you into a group. Joshua Rothman | The New Yorker

In order to fully understand how, and to get a better insight into how our youth affects our conception and culture and thigns we find appealing, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at my own family and their history. What‘s even more interesting about that is to see how tremendously different my grandfathers early childhood and youth proceeded compared to mine or my parent‘s. So on the next pages you‘ll find a summarization of events that took place during their youth and how ‘growing up‘ has eventually changed throughout history.

GROWING UP DURING

USING MY GRANDPARENTS AS AN EXAMPLE 5

My grandparents were born in West Germany in 1933, the year when the NSDAP, Hitler‘s party, came to power. As a result, they lived through their first twelve years of life under totalitarian, heavily racist and ideological circumstances under which there was no space for self-realization and Freedom of thoughts and speed. When the end of the war and thus ultimately the fall of Nazi Germany was imminent, my grandfather along with his brothers, were transported to the East German Reich border in what is now the Czech Republic by my strictly Nazi great-grandmother in 1945 as part of the ‚Kinderlandverschickung‘ (a program of the National Socialists with which schoolchildren and mothers joined in from October 1940 small children from the German cities threatened by the air war were accommodated in less endangered areas in the longer term). What had been advertised as a shelter for children quickly turned out to be a training camp of the Waffen-SS, in which children and adolescents were to be trained as frontline soldiers, in order to counteract the uprising advance of the Russians. Miraculously my grandfather, who was only twelve years old at the time, and his two younger brothers managed to escape from the camp and so they made their way home on foot through the collapsing German Reich.

Of the 80 HJ boys who were accommodated with my grandfather in the Waffen-SS camp, all of them were sent to the front shortly before the end of the war, except for my grandfather and his two brothers. None of them survived this massacre. So they had not only been robbed of their entire childhood and pumped full of hatred of others, no, they had also been let to die for such a tricky ideology. The youngest being just ten years old, the oldest sixteen. Making me aware of how much suffering my grandparents experienced in their early childhood always brings me back to the bottom of the facts and makes me thankful for my carefree life so far. In conversations with my grandfather it is still sometimes very noticeable what scars these experiences have left in an entire generation of folks and how those exact scars have had a lasting impact on and influenced - the attitudes and views of one‘s own life. But it makes me all the more aware that there have been some grievances regarding racism and National Socialism within my family history. And in large quantities indeed. But even though this is no longer the case nowadays at all, I still find it extremely important to occasionally recall the things and events of the past so as not to forget them, but more importantly: to learn from them.

War is the most destructive and pitiless of all human activities. And yet the experience of war has a profound and strangely compelling effect on those who fight. Combat kills, maims, and terrifies, but it can also reveal the power of brotherhood and a selfless sense of purpose. It’s an experience that changes soldiers, and those changes last a lifetime. Most who join the military and go to war are young—18, 19 years old—and many have never been away from home. They have little experience of the world, let alone war, death, and killing. For them, and for all soldiers, combat is a complex mix of emotions that define the experience of war and shape the experience of coming home. There are different ways in which human beings conceptualize reality and determine who we are, the nature of the world in which we live, and the effects of these conceptions on our feelings and behavior. Modern concepts hold the view that the “truth” of reality is not ultimately discoverable and there is no “right” way to organize our impressions about the world but rather there are a number of more or less useful ways to solve specific problems. We habitually organize our perceptions of reality in a variety of ways, with the ability to shift from one way to another without necessarily being aware that we are doing so. When we go to war, our perception of reality (of what we are and what is happening around us) is quite different from our common perception in peacetime. This shift of cognition makes war much more difficult to prevent or to stop. There are probably three key ideas that mark societies that have started to change or have experienced a shift in cognition already. First, there is a particular enemy that embodies evil; if it were defeated, then the world would become paradise. Second, taking action against that enemy is a path of glory and leads to legendary heights of existence. Third, anyone who does not agree with this publicly accepted opinion (wisdom) is considered a traitor.

Since we already dealt with my grandparent’s childhood and how historical events such as war can shift the mindset of a whole entire generation, let’s get straight into my parent’s childhood and how they grew up compared to their parents. It goes without saying that the 70’s and 80’s, in which my parents grew up differ tremendously from the times my grandparents used to spend their childhood. But that’s why a comparison between those is very interesting and indeed needed for a full understanding of my families life-path.

GROWING UP IN A

USING MY PARENTS AS AN EXAMPLE

My parents were both born in the mid-1960s, about 20 years after the war had ended. They spent their childhood and youth in the 70s and 80s, a time that was characterized by self-fulfillment and the desire for world peace. After a long period of great grievances and calamities, the 70s and 80s also look like a ray of hope into a new, promising future. It is precisely these ideas and personal attitudes that have shaped my parents and so they still tell about how beautiful and exciting the 80s were for them. However, my parents lived in a Germany that is hard to imagine for my understanding of freedom today: a Germany that was divided with a wall in the middle and which was separated into two completely different political systems. Like me today, my parents grew up in West Germany, which at that time was a free country based on the teachings and values of democracy. But it is just as suspect for me how different East Germany must have been during the GDR. My parents always mention the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 as the greatest historical event they witnessed themselves. What was previously unimaginable and far from any reality suddenly became reality. Little really exists in our present. How quickly we forget what we heard and saw before. The fall of the Berlin Wall is also a huge topic in the international media. Here and there, people are discussing the problems that still exist after almost 30 years of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the standard of living of the East Germans had not adjusted enough and there was a seemingly insurmountable gap between the East and West economies. And there were still so many invisible walls in our heads. The long-planned protocol of the celebrations in the renovated heart of Berlin is also reported. But the moving scenes that are circulating around the world in newspapers and on television today prove that not only a wall was torn down. No. The control of a security apparatus on the turnpike was overthrown by ordinary citizens and families reunited on the evening of November 9, 1989 after 28 years of separation. One saw in the eyes of the citizens that long-cherished wishes came true that evening. But you also saw a certainty and anger in those eyes that told me that the time was ripe for change. That freedom of expression and travel could have been enforced against the regime by other means. But what are people doing today who are fighting injustice and oppression and there are no visible walls to break down and overrun? Many invisible walls still exist: be it between cultures, between rich and poor, between feelings, but also those that restrict freedom of movement and expression. All the commitment of these brave people has no consequences and is ignored. I wish all walls could be made as cold as the Berlin Wall 30 years ago. Just to remind us and to resist forgetting. Because without realizing it, we are gradually enclosed by invisible walls.

GROWING UP IN THE

Now that we’ve already taken a look at my grandparents and parents and what kind of historical events they lived through in their youth I think it’s important to highlight my personal story within the 21st century. The beginning of the 21st century has been marked by the rise of a global economy and Third World consumerism, deepening global concern over terrorism and an increase in private enterprise. Effects of global warming and rising sea levels continued, with eight islands disappearing between 2007 and 2014. The Arab Spring of the early 2010s led to mixed outcomes in the Arab world, resulting in several civil wars and governments overthrown. The United States remains the only global superpower. Most member states of the European Union introduced a common currency, the Euro, and the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, leading to socioeconomic disruption.

The memories of my childhood are simply marked by positive things. But I think that the word „freedom“ would describe my entire childhood in the best possible way. Apart from the everyday duties that each of us has to fulfill, there had never been any real concerns for me. And because I know quite precisely how my grandparents ‚and parents‘ childhood took place compared to mine, I am very grateful for this relaxed childhood and have learned to appreciate it. I was never a high-flyer at school, but I was never one of the worst either. I was just a normal boy who pursued his hobbies next to school and got along well with everyone. I started playing the guitar when I was three, followed by the electric guitar at 8 and the piano at 10. Music has always played a big role in my family. My mother is a gifted singer who used to give music lessons alongside her regular job and sang in the choir once a week. My father had also learned to play the piano and organ very early, even if he had stopped at some point out of boredom and so it happened that my little brother was put on the drums at the age of three so that he too would learn an instrument of his likeness. In retrospect, I am very grateful for the musical upbringing of my parents, as it not only explained and understood the meaning of good music, it also made music one of my greatest inspirations when I approach my work.

When I was 10 I recognized my love for film. I had my parents give me a digital camera at an early age and so I always had my camera with me to capture everything around me. So I started to write my own scripts and then film them with my friends. I always enjoyed taking on as many tasks as possible because I was very fascinated and inspired by the whole world of film. In the eighth grade we even managed to achieve first place as part of the youth foreign language competition with a film that we had considered and produced. From that point on, it was clear to me that I would find my later career within the creative industry and hopefully succeed there. What always fascinated me the most and also had a lasting impact was how much work has to be put into a film script to tell a coherent and interesting story as a result.

And it is just as important to pay attention to the smallest details as these can be decisive for the success or failure of a film. But not only the story of a film is interesting, but also its cinematographic opening. Image composition is just as important for a director as it is for a photographer and ultimately a Brander. And so I quickly developed a relatively good eye for picture composition and how pictures and videos can tell a story as well as a script or a book. I therefore also believe that my affinity for film ultimately inspired me to enroll in the Fashion & Branding course and hopefully pursue such a career. In the branding profession, I particularly see the opportunity for me to combine my various hobbies such as music, film, photography and concept development (which of course is also part of the process of creating a film) and that is exactly what I have longed for .

I never would‘ve dreamed of actually being an AMFI student one day and I find it all the more strange that I am already at the end of my first year. Nevertheless, I can say that the decision to move to a big city like Amsterdam on my own and pursue my dream was definitely the right one. Even though my first year was marked by some problems and complications (the best example here is probably the global corona pandemic that affects each one of us), I believe that these circumstances only have strengthened my will to set foot in the industry, grasping to be successful and having a lasting effect only have strengthened. But it also lets me look back at my parents and grandparents‘ past. This is probably the first major historical event that I have experienced in my twenty years of life and I can already see how it has changed me and my mindset thus far. I have become much more grounded, have learned to appreciate the closeness to my family and loved ones, but this time also shows me how vulnerable we all and our world really are. Furthermore, I firmly believe that we will learn a lot from this global crisis and that we will fundamentally rethink our actions with each other and with our planet. It remains to be seen what 2020 will bring us and how our world will change.

WHA INSP 24

AT PIRES ME? 25

H I P H O P

In recent years, controversy surrounding rap music has been in the forefront of the American media. From the hype of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry that shadowed the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. to the demonization of modem music in the wake of school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, it seems that political and media groups have been quick to place blame on rap for a seeming trend in youth violence. however, though critics are quick to point out the violent lyrics of some rappers, they are missing the point of rap‘s message. Rap, like other forms of music, cannot be understood unless it is studied without the frame of its historical and social context. Today‘s rap music reflects its origin in the hip-hop culture of young, urban, working-class African-Americans, its roots in the African oral tradition, its function as the voice of an otherwise underrepresented group, and, as its popularity has grown, its commercialization and appropriation by the music industry.

The local popularity of the rhythmic music served by DJs at dance parties and clubs, combined with an increase in „b-boys“--breakdancers--and graffiti artists and the growing importance of MCs, created a distinctive culture known as hip-hop. For the most part, hip-hop culture was defined and embraced by young, urban, working-class African-Americans. Hip-hop music originated from a combination of traditionally AfricanAmerican forms of music--including jazz, soul, gospel, and reggae. It was created by working-class African-Americans, who, like Herc, took advantage of available tools--vinyl records and turntables--to invent a new form of music that both expressed and shaped the culture of black New York City youth in the 1970s. Violence in rap, and in other forms of self-expression, is the manifestation of a feeling of hopelessness and discontent in America‘s working class, especially working-class minority communities. By pointing to rap as the cause of violence, politicians attempt to erase from the consciousness of their constituents the history of oppression that has given birth to hip-hop culture. Additionally, some rappers defend the presence of violence in their lyrics as the manifestation of American history and culture. Journalist Michael Saunders writes: „The violence and misogyny and lustful materialism

that characterize some rap songs are as deeply American as the hokey music that rappers appropriate. The fact is, this country was in love with outlaws and crime and violence long before hip-hop.“ Specifically, the African-American experience has been shaped by the legacies of slavery, segregation, and economic and political subjugation, and has been marked by institutions and incidents of violence. Rapper Chuck D thinks that much of the violence and nihilism in rap music is the legacy of the hate that minorities have faced in the United States: „We [African-Americans] were a product of what hate produced. We were taught to hate ourselves, so a lot of [intraracial conflict] is breemed off of ignorance.“ Instead, those who truly wish to put an end to the problems expressed by some rappers in their lyrics and lifestyles, must focus on providing services and opportunities that will combat the feeling of nihilism in many of America‘s communities today. Social services must be supported, expanded, and reorganized to more effectively administer programs for those who have been economically and politically disadvantaged. It is necessary to address the basic needs of the urban working class--affordable housing, health care, and food--before there can be any attempts to eliminate violence in America‘s cities.

In order to preserve rap‘s cultural function and, simultaneously, to promote artistic and commercial progress, the communities that have traditionally been the ones making the music should be the ones that control its production and distribution. Hip-hop must be recognized as a musical form and not merely a commercial trend. Hip-hop, including its history, its forms, and its social importance, should be taught in school music curriculum alongside classical music, folk music, and jazz. The inclusion of rap in music education programs may also allow students and teachers to have an open discourse on related issues such as the relationship between rap and gangs, the presence of violence, misogyny, and homophobia in some rap songs, and the debate over musical rating and advisory systems. Hip-hop should be embraced in public school music programs as an American innovation and a way to relate student interests with curriculum. Additionally, rap could be integrated into English and language arts curriculum as a form of both poetry and drama. Allowing students to write and perform their own rap encourages them to think critically, to practice writing in the narrative form, to increase vocabulary, and to develop an understanding of rhyme and rhythm. Inner-city youth organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Club or the YMCA, can implement programs that promote an interest in hip-hop music. These organizations give youth the discipline, self-confidence, leadership, and other tools necessary for success in the music industry. They may be able to work with local radio and television stations and record labels--especially those started and owned by African-Americans, such as Def Jam and Bad Boy--to provide opportunities for internships, tours, and job shadow days that give youth experience in the music industry.

They may allow youth to organize, promote, and perform in hip-hop concerts held regularly at the club. Involving youth at all levels of planning provides valuable experience that empowers them in the music industry and other facets of business36. Ultimately, by allowing youth to see and experience the way that hip-hop is shaped, negatively and positively, by the business of the music industry, they have the knowledge to make informed musical decisions and, possibly, to make change in the workings of the music industry. In conclusion, despite the blame placed on rap for the prominence of violence in American society, hip-hop music is a symptom of cultural violence, not the cause. In order to understand hip-hop, it is necessary to look at it as the product of a set of historical,

political, and economic circumstances and to study the role it has served as voice for those subjugated by systematic political and economic oppression. If the issue of violence in rap music is to be effectively addressed, the root of the problem--disparity in resources and opportunities for urban minorities-must be aggressively dealt with. Rap music is a form of resistance to the systems of subjugation that have created class discrepancies in the United States. In order to put an end to violence, we must focus on alleviating the burden of the inner-city working class. In order to put an end to the cycle of nihilism present in the contemporary culture of inner-city minority youth, we must provide them with the resources and opportunities to view the future with hope

R A V E

Rave culture in the United States is currently stereotyped with images of young adults wearing skin tight outfits and glow in the dark accessories. The individuals in the subculture are seen from the dominant culture as partygoers who are heavily drugged and high during the raves. That said, the rave culture originally came to the United States in the 1980s after becoming more known in the UK first. During the 1980s, “Ravers” differentiated themselves from other music based parties at the time by participating in a new sense of community not previously made before. Ravers made their subculture stand apart from other subcultures by forming a community around what actually happens at the rave. Peace, Love, Unity, Respect (PLUR) was an ideology in the rave culture that promoted a “safe” sense to the community during the raves. Essentially, PLUR acted as the set of principles ravers were expected to follow. These principles include treating fellow ravers with respect by not giving them drugs they did not want, showing love to fellow ravers and abstaining from fighting during the raves, and overall ensuring the safety of ravers.

Additionally, raves have colorful aspects to them in spite of the warehouses they were usually placed in. Raves included light shows with strobe lights that enabled ravers doing drugs to experience different highs and more “trips” on the drugs. Fog machines, visual effects, and heavy bass sounds are also large parts of the raves that make dancing with fellow ravers different than dancing at a typical concert or party. Additionally, raves have the presence of multiple DJs playing music in different areas of where the rave is held, as opposed to other concerts having only one musician at a time.

Rave culture originated out of young individuals who liked atypical music– heavy beats and bass made electronically as opposed to from instruments like guitars. While the working class definitely was a big part in raves originally, the introduction of various drugs at raves also brought in higher class youth being deviant from their parents and lower class youth coming to have fun. This aspect of the rave culture also brought in more of the deviant stereotype from the dominant culture.

Today, rave culture can be argued as being an extinct culture in the United States (Anderson 2009). That said, today we see that mainly young adults and teens still attend EDM concerts together with either local DJs for smaller events or more popular DJs for larger raves. Festivals such as Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) and Electric Forest have even brought in a larger group of ravers in most recent times. While EDC started in a warehouse in the 1990s, as time went on and rave culture began to adopt more colorful and flashy components to it that ultimately drew in enough people to warrant an even larger space to throw massive concerts over the span of two to three days. Electric Forest, on the other hand, is a much more intense festival where ravers spend two weekends with one another hearing different DJs play music throughout the weekend.

As previously noted, PLUR is a theoretical system put in place to protect all individuals at raves. Ravers feel a solidarity with one another, and that solidarity extends to drug use. As PLUR instructs, ravers are meant to protect other ravers and show respect at all times, which in turn would provide a type of community that allowed for drug use without the worry of any consequences. While not every raver uses drugs, those that do fall back on this PLUR ethos in order to do so. Ravers using ecstasy say it helps them participate in raves longer and engage with other ravers in a more positive light (Kavanaugh and Anderson 2008). Additionally, these same ravers note the psychedelic and stimulant effects of ecstasy. Thus, ecstasy itself seems to promote a solidarity aspect of rave culture with individuals experiencing the same effects as those around them. Although drug usage in raves encouraged a type of solidarity within the rave subculture, moral panic followed. While there is not one comprehensive list of all of different types of drugs, ecstasy has been the most commonly used drug at raves. Between 1995 and 2002 the U.S. experienced a surge in documented drug-related emergency room visits along with an overall increase in ecstasy usage (Kavanaugh and Anderson 2008). These findings were also supported by demographic research that confirmed ecstasy and overall drug use was most common in the rave subculture (Kavanaugh and Anderson 2008). Because the use of drugs as a whole leads to major psychological problems, many forms of media vilified rave culture as a whole. Thus, moral panic against rave culture targets mostly the drug use of some ravers as opposed to what raving meant for all ravers.