Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to? 

She's The Man

To contact us Click HERE
Adapted from William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, She's The Man is one of my personal favorite films. A teen romantic-comedy, She's The Man is the story about a girl named Viola, played by Amanda Bynes, who's girl soccer team got cut at her high school. Therefore she pretends to be her twin brother, at the rival high school he attends and joins the soccer team. Throughout the film with the complications of almost blowing her cover, cat-fights in the bathroom, to falling for her roomate, She's The Man is a funny movie.

However as She's The Man is not a 'Christian' film, this artifact talks about evil in the empire about the sexual hierarchy. The film may not address the issue directly but it is implied. As mentioned before Viola becomes upset at the fact that her high school cut her soccer team. When Viola finds out she adresses the issue to the men's soccer coach and comes up with the idea of allowing the girls to try out for the soccer team. Hearing the idea, the soccer coach laughs and mocks the girls and saying that girls can't do anything boys can and that boys are just better than females. This scene then goes with what  Walsh and Keesmaat were trying to explain in chapter 11. Even though it says in the bible that women should be 'under' her husband, the woman is also to be set free of the hierarchy of the empire. Even though I may sound like a feminist by this point, even though I am not, I believe that there should be an equality treatment to both sexes. Some may be upset at the fact that a woman can throw a football better than a guy or that a guy can knit a scarf better than a girl, but despite the 'abnormal' examples, that doesn't mean that we should treat each other poorly. Instead we should be happy and encourage one another.



Even though women may or may not be able to do everything a male can, why do you think that women should or should not be limited to what they can do?

How important is communication?

Jude's Barbershop

To contact us Click HERE

Last weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a new barbershop. I was at work when a co-worker mentioned to me about his experience at Jude’s Barbershop. After listening to him explain his experience and the cost of the cut, I decided to give it a try. As I entered the store I was shocked to see flat screen TV’s at every station with college football on all of them. The walls were completely covered with pictures and movie clips directed towards the male gender. Another thing I noticed was they had a video game system set up for waiting customers to play.
After signing in at the front desk I waited for about 20 minutes for the next barber. When she was ready I sat down in her chair and was asked what kind of hair cut I wanted. I told the lady what I wanted and she proceeded to cut my hair while I watched a great football game. While cutting my hair she offered me a free massage and an after cut wash and rinse. This was the first time I had ever been offered those types of services at a barbershop. After she had finished with the cut and explained everything to me about all the services I was given my bill. To my surprise I only ended up spending $17 and was given a coupon for 10% off on my next visit. Upon leaving the Jude’s I decided to check into the number of locations they have in the West Michigan area. They have 13 different locations all over the West side of Michigan. They also have more plans for expansion and the barber that was cutting my hair told me that every store she has worked at has pulled in a large amount of cliental. After the service I received and the friendly guy atmosphere I would highly recommend to any guy to check out Jude’s for their next hair cut.

Plum District: Disney's Family Fun Magazine=FREE

To contact us Click HERE


Wow, the deals keep rolling out today! TODAY ONLY, Plumdistrict is offering $10 off any purchase. You can use it towards any online deal, or use it to get a FREE one year subscription to Family Fun magazine!


All you need to do is:


1) Sign up for Plum District HERE or log in.
2) Add the one year subscription to Family Fun magazine to your cart.
3) Use promo code 10TODAY to get $10 off
4) Enter your shipping information (you should NOT need to enter any credit card info)


Thanks Hip2Save

Cultural Artifact 2: PSY's 6th Album (6 甲)

To contact us Click HERE

For my second cultural artifact, I chose a Koreanalbum that includes 2012’s hottest song, Gagnamstyle:Psy’s 6甲 (6^th album). InJuly 2012, Artist Psy introduced the album after two gap years of his previousalbum. The album brought great expectation as five tracks of the total sixtracks were featured by five top Korean singers. The album and artist receivedits greatest attention, especially when Gangnamstylebecame a world famous song. Although all the songs were written in Korean,this link contains translated lyrics of the tracks for your betterunderstanding: http://www.nomorelyrics.net/psy-lyrics.html.I especially have decided to listen to Psy’ 6 album because its worldwidepopularity might blind listeners to judge apocalyptic meaning correctly.
All of the Psy’s track included “love” asits components. Songs like “Passionate Goodbye,” “What Would Have Been,” “NeverSay Goodbye,” and even “Gangnamstyle” described relationship from variousaspects. Listening to the songs and reading the lyrics, I realized that thealbum is signifying relationship and love as essential purpose of human beings.In the song “Never Say Goodbye,” for example, a relationship is descripted asongoing process of life that will always coexist with humanity (“Comedies and tragedies are all plays thathave an end, life is just an instance of those. Out of my remainingdays, I'm the youngest today. So I'm leaving to somewhere again”). Whileone of the Kingdom’s qualities definitely includes healthy relationship, someof the tracks (such as Gangnamstyle) explicitlyencourage the listeners to consider relationship based of appearances, sexualappeals, and shallowness. Ultimately, the album is both depicting and conveyingthat humans are born to belong to another sex for vacancy in relationship. Asthis relationship compromises content for most of the album’s songs, it showshow a life can be devoted to follow the empire’s concept of relationship in oursecular world.

Secular world, or the Empire, has been explicitlyrevealed in this album. Gangnamstyle isstill being loved by people around the world, reaching over one billion viewerson Youtube. However, the message that lies behind the song implies of standardsof cool guys and girls in a glittering city like Gangnam, where all the richand authoritative Koreans dwell. This sexually appealing song defines “beauty”and “sexiness.” Like the qualities stressed in the Empire, the song valuessexuality, wealth, toughness, playfulness, and irrationality of men and women.Unlike the Kingdom where beauty is found just as we are, it is polished throughvarious additional false attachments. “My first cigarette was electrifying, myfirst kiss was sweet, my first sex was intense,” arefew verses from “Seventy Seven 101.” These verses convey that enjoyment in lifecomes from what the world considers as fun. Immature listeners would absorb thelyrics and take it for themselves. In these songs, God’s Kingdom cannot befound even unfortunately.
In the song of “Blue Frog,” finally there is someappearance of God’s Kingdom. The song basically discusses of being different inthe restricted and generalized society: “I’mnot wrong, I’m just different. If you say it’s a problem, then it’s aproblem.” This verse encouragespeople to not conform to the society norms but develop ourselves according towhat has given to us. In another perspective though, the song also manifestpostmodernism that is ruling our generation, as it claims that right and wrongdepends on one’s judgment.
The album might have created regarding theseconcepts to appeal to general social norm, which reflects majority of theempire’s values. Whether the artist’s intention was to discourage or encouragethe listeners to pursue the Empire, the album has certainly impacted fragileaudience to loose judgment and discernment as it is popular in our world.
sexually appealing, sets the standard thatwhat is beauty and sexually appealing has to be wealthy, talks about beautyquality of men and women.
Gangnamstylewas thrilled all around the world with its secular danceand appeals. “what is being regarded as ‘popular’ andtransforming our lives?”
For audiences that are unable to makecertain judgments on a cultural artifact, should this album be available to allpeople? Or where should the responsibility of guiding immature audience towrongful thoughts lie to?