“The Multicultural Paradigm” and Tedx Talk by Guillermo Gómez Peña
What common themes do you see in the essay and the talk? According to Gómez Peña, what is the role of the artist in an imperfect society?
Diversity, Intersectionality, Otherness
First-Year Seminar in Critical Inquiry
In both the essay and the talk, Guillermo talks about expressing important issues concerning Mexican-Americans known as “illegal immigrants” or “aliens” or “others” through speech or powerful word choice. He uses the writing and the talk as a way to get his message across and talks about the ideals of his “world” where the artists make the rules and have everyone else follow them. He talks about how democracy cannot exist without artists and that they are outlets for the imperfect world and exist for democracy to be able to exist, even if it is not in its fullest form. Without artistry he says, there would only be “anti-intellectualism” of the elected political officials or what he calls “stooges” that he seems to think are the ones trying to create democracy for those of “us” who are too lazy to try to create a democracy ourselves and do a poor job of it. His critical thought of important problems through his “radical” art forms act as “open borders” to get people to become knowledgeable about the problems facing the world with Mexican-Americans in daily life and society. He explains how America is becoming a “second world” as people making TV commercials absorb the Latino culture but are unable to put across that same information to their viewers so people have a warped perception of what their culture and belief system is actually like. He calls America “a trouble continent” that is “accidentally called America” and repeats this phrase throughout the essay.
Although he explains that he made excuses to police so that his radical ideas did not get him into jail or asylums, he expresses his honest opinions about societal views without having to “censor” himself. Through his art he is able to be as radical as he wants, possibly even attacking white Americans’ views deliberately but in such a tasteful, creative way that he feels he can call it art. He says even though he is paid to perform these sorts of things, he wishes that everyone could be like him, that the world was run by and supported artists to try to make the world better through people thinking critically about their surroundings.
In his Ted Talk, Gómez Peña believes that artist have an important role in society and should receive more respect in the country. He believes that “democracy cannot thrive without art” and it is needed for the country to survive. Since “art reflects distorted features of power,” it is needed throughout the world. He states that “religious leaders consult [artists] opinions” to seek help with social issues. “Politicians” and other important figures in the world seek the help of artist as well. He wants to see a world of collaboration to create a “borderless community” filled with acceptance and love. He doesn’t understand why artist aren’t valued in today’s world and are “unemployed or uninsured”, since it’s such an intelligible act that needs to be shared with the world. It changes people’s lives and should be highly revered. Without it, democracy will only be run by “stooges”, which he believes is what is happening now, since “democracy is not listening to its artists”. He wants to see America as borderless and believes the country is “ever changing and temporary.” He wants to see a world full of acceptance and progression.
This talk relates to the essay written by the same man. Written 25 years after the Ted Talk, he seems more positive. He believes that the art world is “finally looking South.” He still believes that America is “troubled” and that there is a “border-culture.” He touched on this topic in the video, stating that he pictures a “borderless” world in which differences don’t matter. He doesn’t believe that America is a stagnant cultural experience. He is as “American as […] Terry Allen.” The U.S. is a “drafting of a new cultural topography,” and therefore is open to anyone. The country is a “cultural mirage” that citizens should accept with open arms. This essay and the Ted Talk both have the same concept of accepting everyone and using art to share ideas and cultures.
Gomez Pena goes into detail about hope and where he puts his hope in people in the Ted Talk. Throughout reading his testimonial you get a sense of how much hope he has by the way the testimonial is written. Pena makes it clear that “America is a troubled country, mistakenly named” and that there is a lot of progress that needs to be made before it remembers its historical self. Pena believes that artists are supposed to give others the visual to make the US society fundamentally multiracial, multilingual, and socially polarized. He uses this as the definition of art. If this is taken as the definition of art, then if paint a picture of a world where discrimination is unheard of which is the main theme of Pena’s Ted Talk.
In both the ted talk and the article, it was clear that he was hopeful for a new world. The new world consists of no dividers and no hate. He felt that art and passion would take place over wars and fights. It was apparent that he felt some way about the new country we lived in because he repeatedly stated “in a country mistakenly named America. His feelings towards the country full of hate isn’t negative but he thinks that something could be changed. The repetition of “in my world” symbolizes that he thinks something can take place and change. Art/artists can reshape the way people can conduct themselves and how they carry out actions.
In the text, “Multicultural Paradigm” by Guillermo Gomez-Pena and his Tedx Talk, I saw the common theme of cross cultural identity and hope. Pena emphasizes the need for U.S culture to come to terms with Latino-American “cultural-other” and argues that “U.S Anglo-European culture is but a mere component of a much larger cultural complex in constant metamorphosis” He assesses how Latino culture has spread through U.S. culture in “ Multicultural Paradigm”.He uses the writing as a way to get his message across and transmit his views on the future of the Americas. Pena believes that participating in “border culture,” can bring about political change by alleviating the separatism faced in present day. The role of artist in an imperfect society is to share ideas and cultures, he believes they have an important role in society and “democracy cannot thrive without art”. Moreover, Pena wants to see America as “borderless” and desires to see progression.