Culture

THE NEW WAY TO LOOK AT EDUCATION

Our Razzle Dazzle Culture

CJ Westerberg, August 12, 2010 1:01 PM

richardgere.razzledazzle.jpg

"Give 'em the ole' Razzle Dazzle"   - Richard Gere in the movie "Chicago" (pix above; clip below)

"A society that is concerned about
the strength and wisdom of its culture
pays careful attention to its adolescents."
 --Ted Sizer


Razzle Dazzle has been around for a long time yet today's youth are exposed to so much more of "it".    The Moving Image Source has a fascinating six-part series titled "Razzle Dazzle," which sets the stage in the first video below, " . . .while there are many things Hollywood movies do poorly, one thing they do very well is show the effect of mass media on societies, on individual lives and on our collective perception of reality."

The next five:

 " . . .episodes looked at familiar social types --  "The Hero," "The Fraud," "The Parasite" and "The Maverick" --  and showed how people's actual personalities are shaped, sometimes distorted, by the media's need to fit everyone into predetermined narrative slots. "The Takeaway" traces all these forces back to their roots.

The media is a business, and its business is telling stories: the more simplistic the better. . . "


Videos Below:
#1 - The Pitch
#2 - The Hero
#3 - Richard Gere singing "Razzle Dazzle" in "Chicago"  (Who could resist?)





Post a Comment

The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.
John Holt, How Children Fail, 1964
Follow The Daily Riff on Follow TDR on Twitter

find us on facebook

peace.dove.joy.jpg

Peace on Earth

CJ Westerberg, 12.22.2011

Three videos: Will Ferrell, Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Jason Segel and of course, the original duo, Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Read Post | Comments

Riffing good stories

Meryl-Streep.Margaret-Thatcher.jpg

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher

CJ Westerberg, 12.20.2011

Holiday Movie Time! If you missed last night's 60 Minutes on CBS, check out Streep in this fabulous interview with Morley Safer. We also included a fun second video which was not featured on the show, Meryl's Men: How She Feels about her Co-Stars like Dustin, Jack, Kevin and Alec.

Read Post | Comments
test-taker.cartoonbox2.slate.com.gif

Holiday Reading: Thinking fast and slow

CJ Westerberg, 12.20.2011

Because it is much easier, as well as far more enjoyable, to identify and label the mistakes of others than to recognize our own.

Read Post | Comments
math.singapore.3.abstract.jpg

Singapore Math - The Most Visual Math?

CJ Westerberg, 12.19.2011

Is It Better For Problem Solving? Are Drawing & Visualization As Important As Numbers? Teacher Bill Jackson Gives Us Answers. Plus Bonus Video.

Read Post | Comments
Google-in-LEGO.jpg

Zeitgeist 2011: Year in Review

CJ Westerberg, 12.19.2011

Read Post | Comments
WhaleBreaching.jpg

School Leadership: Jumping From Good To "Great"- Jim Collins & The Top Ten

CJ Westerberg, 12.17.2011

What Jim Collins, Best-Selling Author of "Good To Great" and A School Principal Have To Say About What Leaders Students & Teachers Need Now

Read Post | Comments
boy.manbox.TED.jpg

Boy Role-Modeling: The "Man Box"

CJ Westerberg, 12.17.2011

New TEDWomen Video: Tony Porter Makes a Call to Men Everywhere

Read Post | Comments
PISA.global.math.jpg

Why Other Countries Do Better in Math

CJ Westerberg, 12.16.2011

Should Parents "Race to the Tutor"? It's not what you think. Guest post.

Read Post | Comments
algebra.obsolete.jpg

21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020

CJ Westerberg, 12.15.2011

Desks, Language Labs, Computers, Homework, Standardized Tests in College Admissions . . . .

Read Post | Comments

More Featured Posts