I Know You Want It

I created my found poem from the lyrics of the hit song “Blurred Lines” by Robert Thicke and Pharrell Williams. Both of these artists have won several awards for this song including the 2014 Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Song, Top Digital Song, Top Radio Song and Top Hit 100 Song. These lyrics have become widely known and are sang to heavily to this day, but I don’t believe all fans of the song are truly listening to what is being said by these men. In the song, Robert Thicke repeats the phrase “I know you want it” 18 times. In rape culture, this is a heavily used line and sometimes actual belief by a man when a woman is being assaulted. This is only one line of many in the song that support these disgusting acts.

In my poem, I rearranged phrases that were said in Blurred Lines to attempt to create a setting and dialogue of an assault. Although I was aware that the lyrics angered me prior to making the poem, I grew to an extreme level of uncomfort when I broke down each phrase separately. It felt like every line in the song was disrespecting and objectifying women. Phrases such as “it’s in your nature,” “must wanna get nasty,” and “you’re an animal” create implied consent from men. These lyrics will continue to be played and sang every day regardless of gender, and the support of ideas of rape culture will continue to spread as well.

Separation Still Stands

In Act II, Scene iii of A Raisin in the Sun, The Younger’s packing was interrupted by a knock at the door from a middle-aged white man representing the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. He explains to the family that the people of Clybourne Park have prepared an offer that would allow them to move elsewhere into a lower-class neighborhood. This offer was made because the people believed the Youngers’ new presence would destroy their neighborhood which has taken years to build, and all of the current residents are all white, working-class people who did not want anything to threaten the dream “the kind of community they wanted to raise their children in.” (117) As Mama said when she first told her family where she had purchased their new home, she picked the best possible place for her family for the least amount of money she could find.

     When reading this scene, I was reminded several times of current issues with racism in our country, including the campaign for President Trump’s wall. In today’s society, we continue try to keep people who are different from us separate due to fear of unknown. When Linder was speaking to the Younger’s, he referred to them several times as “you people,” (117) treating them like they were a different species than him. In the media today, you see our President referring to people from other countries as nothing more than rapists, drug dealers, and criminals in hopes of trying to convince others to keep them from coming into our country. What is often times are overlooked is simply how amazing of an opportunity we bring in our country to those of less wealth and opportunity from other places. It is easy to put blame on one specific person or group of people for problems that have been made over-time and collectively throughout history.

Linder originally said upon arrival “most of the trouble in this world exists because people don’t sit down and talk to each other,” (116) which the Younger’s also agreed with. Although he completely contradicted his statement by doing the opposite of having a genuine conversation with the family, this still holds true even in today’s society. Instead of being willing to take any credit or blame for issues in our country, we blame many problems on those who have less voice. We struggle to come together and put aside factors as simple as skin color, which continues to divide us more as a country every day. It is important to continue to be aware that opportunities should not vary for each person depending on race or social status.

Are there any other situations you can think of in today’s society that relate attempting to keep people who are “different” separate from each other?

Do you believe the Younger’s made the best decision declining the offer for a different house? Explain why or why not.

Hi, I’m Lauren!

Hey guys! My name is Lauren and I am a first-year business economics major. I am from Syracuse, New York and one of my favorite things to do is go to the SU basketball games when I’m home. I spend the majority of my free-time at school going to the gym, listening to music and hanging out with my friends but am also considering rushing this semester. One last fun fact about me is I am an absolute coffee addict and can not start my day without it! Super excited for the semester.

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