Progression Packet

#3
Pop Culture and Social Media

Miguel Noh
ENGLISH 114A

Progression #3
Pop Culture and Social Media
Pop culture is synonymous with social media. They coexist together, now to the point
that every artist has a Facebook page, a twitter account, and an Instagram page for people to
follow. Additionally, brands such as Levis, Nike, Coca-Cola, and even Hershey have similar
accounts to advertise and send their message to mainstream America. Thus, we will be looking at
social media and pop culture and the interaction within both and also their separate interactions.
Your objective will be to create a website informing visitors of a certain aspect of pop
culture and/or social media. Then you will create an argumentative essay stating your
position on the topic (more on topic selection to follow).
While pop culture encompasses many different aspects, you are asked to concentrated on
one aspect of pop culture and scrutinize it. Such topics of exploration can be seen as the
representation of the female/male body, the integration of culture or minorities, the lack of
representation of a certain community, or any other subject that might interest you. Additionally,
you can also look at social media and scrutinize it. Is social media social? What does it mean to
be in. or can we escape social media? Does social media reduce or increase our human to
human interaction? While these are some possible themes for exploration, you are not solely
bound to these themes; you can choose a different topic or theme to work with, as long as it deals
with pop culture and/or social media. While the topic is broad, you can also see me during office
hours to help you find an area of interest that you can explore.
To assist you on this journey, three exercises will be given to you in order to understand
the complexity of the issues at hand, and to help you create an argument. The following exercise
are to help you gather information and do research on both sides of the argument (exercise 1);
evaluate sources, and see how an argument is created through the use of rhetoric and rhetorical
devices (Exercise 2); and help you state your point and side of the argument through the creation
of a webpage (Exercise 3).
Exercise 1C: Collection of Sources

________/25 points

In the last progression, we learn how to gather information and do research on certain
topics. For this exercise you will create a chart addressing the topic of your choosing,
and showcase both sides of the argument that you have selected. Additionally, you
must respond to all the arguments that you present. The sources must be found
through the CSUN Librarys database, and through the assigned readings. While I am not
asking you to pic a side on the argument yet, it is important to understand both sides of
the topic in order to make a good decision on what side appeals to you most. The chart
must contain viable and intelligent arguments from both sides of the topic.
Lastly, this chart must be uploaded to your classroom website.
This exercise is design for you to gather sources, and understand the argument within the
source.
*See Appendix A

Exercise 2C: Evaluating Sources

________/25 points

Choose 3 sources (2 you must be found through research using the CSUN Librarys
Database, and 1 provided in the readings, OR 1 from another medium), and evaluate the
argument. You must understand the thesis of the argument, and how the author is creating
the argument, what rhetorical moves are being used? Is there a bias? Do you agree or
disagree with the argument. In this exercise you should focus on the creation of the
argument, that is to say how the author creates the argument and what rhetorical moves
are used.
This exercise is to help you understand how arguments are created, and help you evaluate
sources of arguments.
Lastly, you must upload this exercise to your class website
*See Appendix B as a resource
Exercise 3C: Web Design

________/25 points

Create a Website (1) introducing your topic, (2) providing an argument, and (3)
providing sources for your topic. The website can include videos, pictures, memes,
songs, lyric, poems, or any other form of rhetoric that helps create and argument for, or
against, your topic. Please treat these multi modal pieces in your website, as we treat
quotes on an essay. That is, you must comment on the multimedia components by
introducing, stating what it does, and evaluating the component. I am looking for a
website contain most of the information that you will be addressing on your essay.
Please note, that this exercise is to help you organize the website in a similar format that
you might organize your essay (two different genres)in essence, treat this as a draft for
your essay. As a draft, it should contain a thesis, sources, and examples as well.

Final Essay

________/175 points

We have been questioning and scrutinizing different topics and themes regarding pop
culture and of social media, as well as their rhetorical situations. We have learned how pop
culture interacts with social media, and how we are part of that interaction as well. In a 10001250 word essay, you are to argue a side of a topic of your choosing regarding pop culture and/or
social media. In particular, you are to introduce both sides of the argument, and through the use
of rhetoric and rhetorical devices, create and argument for your topic where you defend your
stance on such topic. Possible themes and topics can be any of the previous themes and topics
that we have dealt with in class, such as gender, sexuality, misrepresentation, marginalization,
identity and identity formation, culture, or power dynamics, but you are not bound to these. You
must include at least 1 source that you have read in class, and at least 2 sources found through
the CSUN Library, or through its database.
Prompt: Having chosen your selective topic dealing with pop culture
and/or social media, argue your position for or against said topic. To
what extent is this manifested in our culture and/or society?

Essay 3 draft:

________/50 points

*In Class Peer Review Essay #3

________/25 points

*Final Draft of Essay #3

________/100 points

Total Points for Progression #1:

________/250 points

Appendix

Appendix A: Collection of Sources Chart (Sample)

Topic: Nicky Minaj Representation of the Female Body

Argument: Does Nicky Minaj represents the female body in a positive way?
For the Argument
1. Fashion and Beauty blogger Georgina Jones, states
that Minaj is speaking out against the inherent
sexualization of female artists and the assumption
that her fame has been brought about due to sexual
favors, and not due to her incredible talent." This can
be seen in her video Only where Minaj
consistently, and overtly, sexualizes the female body
to make a point that women are continuously
fetishize in mainstream America.
2. Anaconda Video showcases womens
empowerment though the lyrics. While explicit, she is
in control of her sexuality, and uses her sexuality as a
form to get material items. The Lyric Pussy put his
ass to sleep, now he calling me Nyquil, Showcases
how she is in charge of her sexuality and uses it to
metaphorically put men to sleep. This can be seen as
a form that they are in a passive state, while she is in
an active state and awake.
3. Minaj representation of women is an extreme form
of the female body. Much like drag queens celebrate
femininity, so does Minaj. In the article Black
Women On-Screen as Future Texts: A New Look at
Black Pop Culture Representations, Nina Cartier
states that the Minaj we know and love today
realized that the one power of black women was
indeed sex, in every trope that has represented them
in the media. So, she played her own sexuality to the
hilt, with rumored butt implants, fantastic makeup,
outrageous fake hairstyles, and a signature Barbie
pink as her trademark (154). Thus, Minaj uses the
overtly sexualized images of the female body to
empower such bodyshe self sexualize her body
before anyone else can do it. Thus, she is in control
of her body, and preaches to other women to do the
same

Against the argument

1. While Minaj continuously promotes the idea of
liberation, she is not liberating women and womens
sexuality, but placing black women and their figure into a
single and unilateral thought of the curvy black women.
She subjugates all women, not only of color, to
continuously follow a single view of beauty by stating in
her Anaconda video to F-- them skinny bitches/F-them skinny bitches in the club (70-71). Thus, she only
promotes BBW and degrades everyone other women who
does not follow suit.
2. Cartier further states that while Minaj is continuously
changing the presence of the black female body,
consumers should no longer buy into her idea of
liberation. While we, as consumers, first bought into
Minajs alter egos and representation of women, we did so
because she eschewed the game of respectability
altogether and casting the tropes of black female
representation aside (154). Minaj public renounce using
the female bodythe black female bodyin a way to
exploit it. However, she continuously uses the black
female body in her videos in an overtly sexualize way that
disrespects many viewers who associate with the feminine.
This can be seen in videos such as Only, Anaconda,
and her live performance in Paris of Truffle Butter.
3. Blogger Tiffanie Brayton, states in her article The Real
Problem with Nicki Minajs Anaconda Cover Art & Her
Black Jezebel Brand, that Minaj promotes the idea of
the black, over-sexed women. Also, this image is rooted
in White supremacist, patriarchal ideas developed when
Europeans first encountered African tribal women and in
Americas history where White slave holders blamed Black
hypersexuality for the rape of women slaves (Brayton).
Because Minaj represents the female body in such
sexualized way, she allows for the perpetuation of a
negative stereotype that many black women have to deal
with: the over sex-crazed, black woman.

Appendix A: Collection of Sources Chart (Worksheet)

Name:
Topic:
Argument:
For the Argument

Against the Argument

Appendix B: Evaluating Sources

PDF From Lakeland Library

Additionally, You want to make sure you understand the argument at question. To do this, please
answer the following questions in your exercise:
1. What is the author arguing? Is the author against, or for the topic? What is the authors
main point?
2. What examples does the author provide? Are there a variety of examples, or does the
author continuously use a single example?
3. What rhetorical moves is the author using to make his or her point? Are there any
rhetorical devices at play? If so, which ones?
4. is the author writing in the convention of the genre? Explain how is the author achieving
his or her goal.