I attended the Playlist of Life table talk because I thought the concept seemed fun, and I was interested to see the effects that music has on other people’s lives. I’m not going to lie, I was also hoping to get in on some new playlists for my own leisure, although this was not as successful as I had hoped.

As with any passionate topic, people have very strong opinions. When the conversation turned to Kanye West, I was instantly provoked. I have strong negative feelings for West, as I feel he is not using his power or platform well. To be in the public eye comes with great responsibilities; what you say and do sets a precedent for who you are and can inspire others to do the same. West, in my opinion, has failed to uphold his duty of responsibility. To politically support someone who is against all forms of diversity is mind-boggling to me. And while I certainly see through his lies and deceit, I know that there are others who do not. There are people who listen to his music and take his word for certain. This is a dangerous precent, as he is not the best role model.

What I find specifically troubling is that people can set aside who he is as a person and still buy his music. When we, as consumers, buy, listen, or talk about a song or product, we are spreading fame and supporting what we are referring to. I cannot bring myself to do this for West’s music, and find it morally challenging that others are okay with it.

What started as a conversation about someone reconnecting with their roots through music turned into a full blown political conversation about the responsibilities creators and consumers have. Separating art from the creator has become a controversial topic in current times, especially with the documentary about Michael Jackson.

Listening to artists like Chris Brown means that they continue to get away with abusing their power. As a society, we justify excusing people’s behaviors because of their talents and while there is public outrage, it is rare that enough people care to really economically cripple those abusers. It has taken over two decades to finally get justice for R. Kelly’s victims. Chris Brown is still relevant and making money. It is almost impossible to separate the artist from their art.

People convinced me that it isn’t as black and white, that the responsibility can’t be put entirely on consumers to make sure that creators that abuse their positions of power are brought to justice. However, consumers do have a responsibility to ensure that the art they are supporting does not contribute to causes that they do not believe in. I find Kanye’s popularity a problem because it legitimizes him as an authority figure and validates his beliefs. There are people that blindly believe whatever their idols believe and while artists shouldn’t not state their political beliefs, they should consider their audiences and be responsible with what they are sharing on social media. Kanye does not belong in the same category as Michael Jackson or R. Kelly, but I do worry about the effects of his very public political stance.

Popularity should not be confused with authority. I do think that people should take into consideration what the impact of  supporting an artists’ work. Even if I love someone’s music, I would not be able to listen to it if it meant supporting someone whose actions I find problematic.

Attending the Playlist of Life event was certainly interesting on account of the directions taken by the conversation. It is really fascinating to observe where we begin to find things as indissociable, as necessarily bound (as in Kanye and the question of politics/religion). The central question seemed to circle around the extent to which the political and ethical exert themselves over different aspects of the aesthetic. Is there anything outside this political question? Do we have a definitive moral/ethical imperative to talk about the political in all spaces?  (I certainly have my own thoughts about these questions, especially coming from French and German theoretical traditions, but these are questions that are becoming unavoidable that I think we all have to ask ourselves.) While it is certain that we could have spent the time listing out our favorite music at this moment (i.e., The Velvet Underground, The Magnetic Fields, etc.) ad infinitum and that might have been more comfortable for us, I think we should be able to find a great deal of value in the topics discussed and the views discussed whether we agree with them or not. In exposing ourselves to views we don’t agree with as in this discussion/debate, I think we affirm our responsibility to attend to the views of others and to understand the meaning(s) of our own views. The most important and significant experiences, I think, expose us to what is unknown or uncomfortable, which is perhaps not to distant. It seems fitting, then, that music, the playlist of life, is always a matter of survival.

Most of the events that I have attended thus far have been table talks, largely because I enjoy the intimacy of conversation with such a small group and the typically open atmosphere they provide for sharing thoughts and asking questions without judgement. That being said, I did not receive a similar feeling of positivity for this particular event, and actually found myself not enjoying it nearly as much as the ones I have gone to in the past. With the topic being the Playlist of Life, I assumed that conversation would be largely light-hearted and I was excited for some meaningful song recommendations and to hear how music has affected others in the Rose House community. However, this was not the case at all. Instead, the conversation began with one scholar mentioning Kanye’s new album (one I wasn’t familiar with at all at that point) which sent the entire room into a rather heated discussion on controversy. I felt as if the discussion veered entirely off of the original course, even going as far as to make me uncomfortable as two scholars exchanged loud points back and forth (some as alarming as claims in support of a totalitarian regime in the U.S. with extreme censorship and a mandate for citizens to vote– a bit contradictory of an argument, if you really think about it). As a government major I love academic discourse and thrive off of debate, but the nearly hostile altercations that took place during this table talk were not something that I had been expecting nor looking for when I decided to attend. The fact that discussions remained ten times more civil for the much more controversial (in my opinion) topics such as the electoral campaign, impeachment, and eugenics, came as a bit of a surprise for me. We never did quite move past that first Kanye album conversation starter, and so I didn’t find much insight into the musical leanings of my fellow Rose Scholars nor get the recommendations I was hoping for. For future table talks, I think I will be more careful not to assume any direction for the conversation based on the given topic alone.

Our discussion started off listing all of their favorite songs. We talked about music that fits into our lives. One person mentioned that Soca reminds her of her family. That made me thinking about the type of music that I like, which is in correlation to my culture. Someone shouted out Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is you.” Many people immediately disagreed about listening to Christmas music for Thanksgiving, and one reason was that they felt by Christmas, you would get tired of that type of music, making it feel less like Christmas. Quickly our discussion shifted to talking about Kanye’s music. There was a pretty heated discussion about his music and his credibility. There was a political aspect that was discussed alongside his music, as well as how his religion fits into his music. Overall, it was great to see how different types of music fit into people’s lives.

I thought that this table talk would be a discussion of our favorite music, artists and albums. It started off that way, but quickly moved into a debate about a certain controversial musical artist: Kanye West. I believe Kanye West is not a good person, and thus I refuse to support any of his music. He actively supports President Trump and continuously shows he does not care about or respect women. He rudely interrupted Taylor Swift at an award show in 2009, physically removing the microphone from her hand and announcing Beyonce should have won instead. Then in 2016, he wrote a song called “Famous” where he degrades Taylor Swift further saying that he “made her famous” and that “they might still have sex,” and in the music video, he depicts her naked body in bed, without her permission. A few people in the discussion brought up that Kanye is a devote Christian, but that in no way excuses any of his actions. The debate comes down to separating the music from the person, and I believe that the music cannot be separated from the person; in supporting someone’s music, you are effectively supporting them by giving them money, fame, and success. And artists that continuously prove themselves to be bad people do not deserve money, fame, and success.

Although we set out to talk about songs that characterized significant times in our lives, last week’s Table Talk focused on Kanye West’s new album, Jesus is King. As a member of many Christian circles here on campus, I have heard his name come up time and time again throughout that week. Even though the table talk helped me see the situation from a different perspective, I couldn’t help but consider Kanye West as a human being. When a celebrity like Chance the Rapper or Justin Bieber pronounces their faith, I can’t help but think that they are just like me.

From my perspective, a Christian:

1. is saved from receiving the punishment of every wrong deed and thought,
2. is saved not because he is special and perfect…
3. but because he knows that he does a lot wrong,
4. knows that those wrongdoings keep him from a loving God,
5. wanted to turn from those wrongdoings,
6. wanted to have a relationship with the loving Father God,
7. recognized that the only way for that is to be perfect,
8. recognized that God has provided a way for that,
   1. He sent his eternal son Jesus, who is also God, to earth,
   2. Jesus is perfect,
   3. Jesus took on the punishments for all the person’s wrongs in the person’s place,
   4. Jesus rose from the dead and is now sitting with Father God showing that,
      1. He’s God,
      2. the person will live after death as well, and
      3. so that the Christian can live a new life on earth.
9. accepted God’s solution to the problem
10. can now live a life where the Spirit of God, who is also God, makes him more and more like Jesus until the day he dies and goes to Father God. (This implies that he can’t make himself better in the same way that he could not save himself)

This is who Kanye West is to me, a Christian. God Himself has shown mercy on Kanye, has eternally forgiven for his wrongs, and is making Kanye like Himself and for Himself.

(Warning: Do not skim!) “If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:8).

As my last prelim (before finals) approaches, I set up my study schedule and dread the upcoming days. Studying can be very draining, but, the playlist I listen to, somehow gives me the motivation and energy to prepare for the prelim. Sometimes when I drink coffee, I still have a hard time focusing on what needs to be done, but when I put on my headphones and crank the volume up, I suddenly feel hyper-focused. Recently, I have opted to listen to more classical music playlists. The calming music helps relax my mind. I often feel overwhelmed by how much I need to do, but listening to music has helped me hone in on one task at a time. Listening to music is a study habit that has been with me since the start of high school.  Without music, I honestly feel that my school work would be much more dull and tedious.

From the discussion, I found it very interesting to hear what music means to everyone. A good point that came up was: should we separate an artist from his/her music? For me, I find it hard to separate Kanye’s personal life and his beliefs from his music. Whenever I listen to his music, I can’t help but think about what he stands for and his beliefs. I feel that I am supporting an artist, as a person, when I listen to their music, which is why I consciously choose what kind of music I listen to.

If you are struggling to study, it might be worth playing some music in the background.

The table talk on Monday soon turned from the topic of the music that fuels our lives to a discussion on Kanye West. Throughout his span as an artist, you can say that he’s had his ups and downs. From controversial comments to starting a church, Kanye West has been all over the place. But the question is: has he done enough to be truly respected artist? While Kanye may say crazy things that many of us don’t believe, there is a fraction of people who take what he says to heart. So when he decided to move from hip-hop to gospel, I wondered if his fans would follow with him and if what he says will have an actual impact. Many of us ended up confused because we don’t know what his next steps will be. Will he continue going down a religious path or will he transition back into rap? Will he continue to support Trump or will he consider switching to a party that is more encouraging of diversity? These questions make it hard to decide if Kanye can really be respected. Some of the words that have come out of his mouth have been harsh and aggressive, but if he really is turning over a new leaf, I think people will be able to take him much more seriously. However, if his unwavering support for the Trump Administration continues, it will be hard for a lot of the younger generation to take his side. So overall, I don’t know if Kanye West is a respected musician. I admire his work and enjoy listening to his music, but it’s hard to separate his work from his personal beliefs. If Kanye can prove that he has changed and if he can garner interest from the millennial and gen Z groups, then, yes, I do believe that he will be regarded in a different light.

On Monday, I was able to attend the Table Talk centering around the Playlists of Our Lives. Music has been a major constant in my life. While my genre tastes are broad, as are my artist preferences, the significance of music has never varied. For me, music is more than just noise that makes the walk to class more bearable–which it does. Music is associated in memories. Songs, to me, signify and even help define moments in my every day life. Music acts as a soundtrack to my seemingly mundane life–songs transport me back to specific time periods or even particular days or conversations or people. This is partially why I had a challenging opinion when the discussion moved away from the significance/relevance of music in our lives to a broader conversation of the separation of art and the artists that create it. Should people stop listening to Chris Brown because of the abuse inflicts upon women? Are artists, in this case musicians, given more lenience in public reaction to criminal offenses? The issue I grapple with lies with relevance of music itself in my life. Michael Jackson, for instance, was discussed as one such case. As a kid, I absolutely adored MJ–I could quote the entire Thriller album by the age of 8 (I, of course, did not understand the majority of the lyrics). To me, I associate the music of Jackson to car rides with my parents, I associate it to learning how to moon walk on pointe shoes, I associate it with dancing to “Thriller” in the living room with my brother. The music, to me, is less about the artist and more about the memories created around it. So while the artist may be an awful person (and I, in no way condone any form of criminal offense), to me, the artist is partially separate from the art.

Regardless of the interesting and challenging subject shift, the table talk was informative and intriguing. It was reflective and overall neat to hear how others incorporate music in their lives. Also, if you are confused by the title, Kanye West was heavily discussed in the talk, as he was the catalyst to the conversation around separation between art and artists. I am still confused as to what his actual name is.

Sometimes knowing details about an artist clarifies things. As a classical musician, I’ve been fully exposed to the value of getting to know composers through program notes. When I would go to see the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra play, I would read through the notes on each piece. As I got older, I would even write some for orchestras I was in. A typical program note would include plenty of discussion of the art, but also a description of the composer’s personality and the circumstances of their life at the time they wrote the piece. The fact that Tchaikovsky died shortly after finishing his Sixth Symphony, the Pathetique, seems painfully relevant to its sadness. Bartok’s background as an ethnomusicologist adds context to his Romanian Folk Dances. Information about who the artist behind the art is can help fulfill the work and— perhaps— help elucidate its meaning.

But what happens when the artist’s actions, personality, or beliefs taint the art in some way? This question came up at the Table Talk “Playlist of Life.” Can (and should) someone support Kanye West if they find opinions he’s espoused publicly reprehensible? What about Chris Brown, who was arrested for assaulting Rihanna, his girlfriend at the time? Should we judge art by its quality alone, or does our approval of its creator matter?

This same issue comes up in classical music sometimes. Sergei Prokofiev wrote a virtuosic range of music, from atonal, technical pieces to heartbreaking melodic works (and some compositions that encompassed both styles). Yet by all accounts, he was a narcissist and cruelly bullied his fellow music students when he studied at a conservatory. Richard Wagner, a 19th century German composer, is widely regarded as a genius. His music is powerful and beautiful. Yet he was quite anti-semitic.

Their music does not overtly reflect the flaws in these composers. They are explorations of the human mind and soul, and on their own, they are beautiful. I listen to Prokofiev and Wagner’s music and enjoy it. The art, I believe, is praiseworthy. And the artists? Perhaps in the capacity of composers, they are worthy of applause. Perhaps in the capacity of people, not so much. Where the line between creator and personality exists is difficult to say.

This question is further complicated in artists that are alive today. To support their art as consumers and fans is to support the person. I’m not sure where our responsibility as consumers of art lies, but it’s an interesting question to consider.

Last night I attended a Table Talk on a “Playlist of Life” where we were to discuss the music we listen to and how and why it is meaningful to us. The beginning of the discussion yielded some interesting perspectives on music. GRF Ferra explained how the music she listens to makes her feel connected to her Jamaican culture and to her family, and another student mentioned that she likes to listen to artists’ interviews about their music to understand the inspiration behind the songs that they create. Both of these perspectives on music were new to me, and I was impressed by the level of meaning that music brings to people in such a variety of ways as, personally, I like to listen to music seasonally; there are certain songs I listen to regularly for each season of the year. It’s interesting to me how we all have such different connections to music with such diverse and unique perceptions of its meaning.

The conversation then turned into an enthralling debate about art in general, and whether or not it makes sense to separate an artist from his or her art. For instance, some expressed that they could not listen to Chris Brown because of the abusive things he has done in the past and the way he continues to enjoy high levels of popularity nonetheless. We heavily discussed Kanye West’s new gothic rap album and whether or not he as an artist can be taken seriously. We conversed about Michael Jackson, and how despite some of the wrong things he has done, some of us grew up on his music, which adds personal meaning to his songs for many of us. The conversation moved towards other artists and academics, such as how a renowned philosopher was a Nazi, and whether or not that means we shouldn’t continue to study and admire his work. All in all, this Table Talk was certainly an interesting one, and I enjoyed listening to people’s different perspectives on music and art.

On Monday night, I had the opportunity to join the Table Talk facilitated by GRF Ferra. The talk was about which playlist best defined our life and why. Ferra got this idea after listening to the NPR podcast Code Switch. During the discussion, we talked about Kanye West, and how his music should fit his personality. We went into deep thoughts of whether we should the music by what the singer has done throughout his life. We also talked about Micheal Jackson, and how his music reminds of our childhood. One student pointed out we should be blind by what singers have done throughout his life. When we listen to Micheal Jackson’s music, it reminds of our childhood. We don’t think about what he has done, but we enjoyed the moments of the music. I felt that this discussion has opened my eyes to something that I have never thought about. I have never thought to associate the music with the singer’s life, what I did in the past is just enjoying listening to their music. This table talk has given rise new perspectives that I should also learn more about the singer’s background while I am listening to their music.