Critical Response For Black Visual Culture Critical Thinking Examples

The word “Black” carries more meaning and weight than one would assume. In the world of usual culture and film, this is even more so as one considers the depiction of ‘black’ and the concepts associated with the term. In most visual representations of ‘black’ one notes that the way they are depicted proposes that certain stereotypes are assumed to be the norm in ‘black’ culture. According to Larry Neal, the term ‘black aesthetics’ calls for a change in the norm of the close minded culture where the blacks go as per the depiction of the wider society. He calls on breaking this norm and developing a culture where the ideas are entirely based on the true ‘black culture’ and breaks away from the white ideas. In this case, the need for a new definition of the term ‘black’ and what it entails comes out clearly. This is not only in visual arts, but also in literature where blacks have to come out and provide a different true picture that is true to their culture. Various meanings can be drawn from songs and videos of black people or those with black people. In films, the blacks are depicted as inferior and are rarely portrayed as the superior actor who knows what it is he or she truly wants. This also applies to visual art like the video scrub where a deeper meaning about the need for change in the black society is evident.
In the music video “Scrubs’ recorded in 1999 by the popular culture group TLC, the concept of black comes out in various ways. The three women in the group are all black and they sing about not wanting a ‘scrub’. The song starts with the definition of a ‘scrub’ who they say is a man who does not have anything of his own. He sits on the passenger sit of his best friends’ ride and wants to address the girl. However, she says that she does not want a guy who is a loser and thinks he is fine. They call the guy ‘a buster’ to show that he only sits at home and wait for things to happen without his participation. He then wants to go out and expect a girl to fall for his charms yet he does not have anything to prove his self-worth as a man.
This video can be analyzed in terms of the way one views himself or herself and how others want you to behave. In this case, the singers are expressing the need for change in the definition of a guy. Being black women, it is only assume that the guy they are singing about is laos black. They define him as a loser who assumes that he is fine sitting on his friend’s ride. This shows that the ‘black’ people do not anything of their won and only relies on the white people to give them a boost instead of working for their own. They go on to sing that this ‘buster’ lives with his momma and wants to have a thing with the girl. In this sense, one can take it that the man is dependent on his mother and does not have any source of income to fend for himself. He waits for his mother to feed him, clothe him and provide a roof over his head. This is the depiction of the ‘blacks’ as people who do not have any worth and only wait for others to work hard on their behalf and then take advantage of what is not theirs.
The video aims at pointing out some of the flaws that are present within the black community and what one needs to do to change the situation. The depiction of the black people in many cases is seen as unworthy, but this is not due to the lack of respect for the community, but it is the way the community portrays itself. It lack of initiative to take charge and demand for what i right. The singers state that he sits on the passenger it of his friend’s ride; it simply means that they do not have a sense of direction or what they really want for themselves. The lack of initiative to take control and do what would help them overcome the challenges facing them is the biggest problem according to the video.
The video goes on to challenge the man to change his ways before he comes in front of the girl to ‘holla’ her. This means that the girl expects that the man will come back driving his own ride and living independently from his mother. However, to do this, the man needs to understand his situation and understand that the situation he is in is not favorable to him. Only then will he be able to make the necessary changes. However, the singers go on to say that do not want a ‘scrub’ because they assume he is a loser who does not have anything of his own. Sitting at the passenger side of the friends ride shows that the ‘blacks’ lack the initiative to take control of their lives. The one driving the car is in control; hence, he is just following what the driver is doing. TLC wants a man who lives on his own house, has his own car and is independent. The expectations of the society are that the man needs to be in control and independent. Therefore, the singers’ wants the guy to change and be a better man before he can approach them. This means that the ‘blacks’ have to change their overall view of life. They need to take control and stop being dependent on their white counterparts. Just as the black Aesthetic movements aims at achieving a new definition of the black culture where the depiction of the culture is true to the black people. This requires a new beginning where ‘blacks’ change the representation others have on them. It is not easy for one to change and redefine what others think or see in them. However, like the ‘scrub’ in this video, people do not just take what you present to them, but may want to have a deeper understanding of who you are. Therefore, they will want to know what you do, where you live and whether what you have is really yours. The blacks have been taken lightly especially due to the depiction of the media. This explains the theme of this song where a loser is not what the girls want, but a man who is independent and is worthy of standing in front of the girl.
The outfits worn by the women in the video also tells a lot about the need for change in the way p blacks perceive themselves and how others perceive them. The main outfits worn in the video are black, white, silver and blue worn during the end part of the video. One can interpret the choice of these colors as a depiction of the past and the future and the blacks and the whites. Changing the perception one has of the blacks means moving from the past to the present. Here, the blacks need to redefine what it is they truly want and what they will do to get there. The moves by the Left Eye in a blue outfit towards the end of the video are futuristic in that it seems to predict a future where the blacks are in control of their lives and those around them. The video is futuristic and shows a hope for change among the blacks, this is not only in their way of life, but also in the way they are depicted in movies and films. Left Eye raps as the song ends and challenges the man to work hard and change his way in order for him to be worthy of her attention. The challenge is similar to that of the black aesthetic movement where the call for change and control is imminent.
Black has always had a deeper meaning than one would otherwise assume. This fact is applicable in different areas including how the term black is applied in different forms of art. The term is associated with various issues including inferiority and its association with crime and an inferior culture. The need to change this perception is evident in the various efforts by African American literature writers and poets to challenge the black society to change how they are perceived through efforts that would earn them respect. The changes can only start with the community itself. TLC in their video ‘Scrub’ clearly depict what a loser is and what they think of him. Nobody wants to neither be associated with such a person nor be given the number for him o call later. They show that for one to be taken seriously he or she needs to change from the stereotyped ‘black’ and create a new personality that is true to the term black. It will entail a new identity where the ‘black’ depicted portrays a true picture of black.