Last month I wrote a post called Genrefication.
Genrefication is a word I made up.
Here is my definition:
Genrefication -The process of categorizing all creative content.
Here is a little of what I said in the previous post.
Everything has to fit in to a genre-every song, every movie, every book, every recipe, every painting, political idea or spiritual thought, philosophy, science-it has to be categorized or, it doesn’t exist. Whatever you do, whatever you create, whatever you think or believe, has to fit in to a set of parameters.
Like Willie Dixon said; It’s a lie.
This genrefication, categorization; it allows people to promote things and allows people to dismiss things.
Here is the Willie Dixon quote I was referring to.
Well you see, people have always tried to do the blues like they did black people. They tried to put them in a condition where they couldn’t move. The world tried to say the blues is only a twelve bar music and can’t go no further, but that’s a lie.
Those are very powerful words. In essence, Mr. Dixon is saying that when you put conditions or parameters on the blues, saying that if it is not a 12 bar structure, it isn’t blues; that is tantamount to slavery.
This notion of categorizing all things creative; it stifles creativity. It cuts creativity to the quick. If everything creative has to fit in a box, a set of parameters, an insipid genre, that means very simply; there will be no new ideas.
Genrefication is anti-creativity.
This notion of categorizing all things creative; it was started by salesmen. If you can put something in a box, it makes it easier to sell. Creative content is also known as “intellectual property”, it isn’t something that you can hold in your hand, it is abstract. You can’t put thought into a physical box so, instead you put it in a genre. For it to fit inside the genre, it has to be like other things in that genre. If it isn’t like something else-it won’t fit in the box.
If the salesman doesn’t understand a piece of intellectual property, or doesn’t want to invest the effort it takes to understand the intellectual property, he isn’t going to sell the intellectual property.
Genrefication was borne of stupidity and laziness.
So, the salesman requires that all new intellectual property be like something else. No new thought allowed, creative people. Everything must be derivative or, we won’t have anything to do with it.
That is putting people in a condition where they can’t move freely. It is a restriction of freedom.
Genrefication is a restriction of freedom.
Genrefication is a restriction of thought.
Like I said, this whole thing is a tool for salesman. Marketers embrace genrefication.
The following quotes are from a McDonald’s press release.
McDonald’s invites American families to pick which new “American Idol” Happy Meal toy will become America’s favorite Happy Meal superstar. Inspired by one of the nation’s most popular television shows, the new “American Idol” Happy Meal provides young guests with one of eight musical toys, each representing a favorite music genre, available with the purchase of a Happy Meal at participating McDonald’s restaurants, while supplies last.
These marketing people want to get your kids started on this genrefication early. They want to train your kids to get used to restriction of thought at an early age.
From today through May 8, McDonald’s customers can visit http://www.happymeal.com to choose their favorite new “American Idol”-inspired Happy Meal toy. Both fun and hip, the McDonald’s new Happy Meal toy collection showcases various music personalities. Each toy plays a tune within the genre of the music their character represents: groove to disco songs with Disco Dave, line dance with Country Clay, rock out with Rockin’ Riley or vibe to the beat with Lil’ Hip Hop. Make a melody with Hippie Harmony, sing along with New Wave Nigel, jam with Soulful Selma or kick it with Punky Pete! America’s favorite “American Idol” Happy Meal toy will be announced during the week of May 5 at http://www.happymeal.com.
Your kids can now enjoy a happy meal and, at the same time, begin to engage in the practice of stereotyping creative thought.
Genrefication is a way to apply stereotypes to intellectual property.
Encouraging creative people to make their works fit a set of parameters or requirements, is encouraging creative thought to fit a stereotype.
Genrefication is thought stereotyping.
“McDonald’s and ‘American Idol’ are celebrating all kinds of music styles that each member of the family — kids of all ages — can connect with through the fun of these ‘American Idol’-inspired Happy Meal toys,” said Rebecca Anderson, Manager of Family Marketing for McDonald’s USA. “We strive to bring exciting and enjoyable experiences as well as quality food choices to families. The new ‘American Idol’ Happy Meal collection is the perfect fit for our customers.”
It’s the perfect fit! It’s all one big happy fucking smiley face.
Why is McDonald’s doing this? Why are they encouraging your kids to put thought in to a box?
Are they just evil bastards?
Simmer down now, just because the people at McDonald’s, FremantleMedia Enterprises and 19 Entertainment are promoting the idea of reducing creative thought to your children and, therefore discouraging future creative thought, that doesn’t make them all evil bastards.
For the people at McDonald’s, FremantleMedia Enterprises and 19 Entertainment to be truly evil bastards, they would have to be actively trying to destroy your children’s future abilities to think creatively, with evil intent.
No, they are just trying to sell stuff. They are salesmen and marketing people. The practice of putting everything into boxes or genres came before these hucksters were in diapers. Salesmen and marketing people are going to take the path of least resistance. Hey, if something works, stick with it; right? Like I said before, this genrefication allows salesmen and marketing people the luxuries of laziness and stupidity.
Genrefication is pervasive. It’s every where you look and people are so used to it, they don’t even notice that it’s restrictive. They don’t even realize that putting everything in boxes destroys creative thought by degrees.
Related posts
Tags: art, creative content, genre, McDonald's, philosophy, powerful words, Willie Dixon
J wrote,
Very insightful analysis! As I read this I hear “This was supposed to be the age of enlightenment…Shame, shame, shame! Ain’t nothing shaking but the foundation…”
Subliminal salesmen are urging me to buy the CD…
J’s last blog post..Music Industry Showcase
Link | April 11th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Pribek wrote,
purely coincidental I’m sure, J
Link | April 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Pat wrote,
…is it me that is mental, or is it my surroundings touting frontotempora dementia?
Pat’s last blog post..Federico Fellini - Amarcord
Link | April 11th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Pat wrote,
My initial Literature review on genrefication — could be closely linked to key words genre fecundation derivative
Striking similarities:
“Desolating my culture fecundated me. Thereafter, it seemed to me that “language games” implied [that]…. The proper of philosophy is not to have a proper genre. …Jean-François Lyotard was born in Vincennes, France, on August 10, 1924. His father, Jean-Pierre Lyotard, was a [get this--] sales representative.
His mother’s maiden name was Madeleine Cavalli. He was schooled at the Paris Lycées Buffon and Louis-le-Grand, and his youthful aspirations to be a Dominican monk, a painter, an historian, or a novelist… [settled with philosophy]” (http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/Lyotard.htm )
“His works can be roughly divided into three categories: early writings on phenomenology, politics, and the critique of structuralism, the intermediate libidinal philosophy, and later work on postmodernism and the differend. The majority of his work, however, is unified by a consistent view that reality consists of singular events which cannot be represented accurately by rational theory…”
Result: “Trouble ain’t over,” yet! err, still!
Pat’s last blog post..Federico Fellini - Amarcord
Link | April 11th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Pribek wrote,
“a Dominican monk, a painter, an historian, or a novelist”-or a fry cook
Link | April 12th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Sans Direction wrote,
I’m not sure. With a gun to my head, I might say that genre is far more about who the audience is than who is playing, but when I get a chance to think about it, it doesn’t work.
Bob Brozman, a man whose playing and breadth of influences I respect and whose politics I’m less enamored with, said something much more eloquently than I can about punk and thrash and metal and hardcore, but it’s all four-piece bands with heavily compressed dynamics playing loudly through huge stacks, with the similarities much more important than what few distinctions there actually are. And there, the audience is different, too, I guess.
But, in order to be able to intelligently discuss things, you need a classification system. But once you set up the boxes, it seems the coolest artists are the ones that break through them.
Sans Direction’s last blog post..The book I should be writing
Link | April 12th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Pribek wrote,
“genre is far more about who the audience is than who is playing,”
hmmm…this very easily turns into a chicken or egg discussion, Sans.
Here is something I know for fact, that I have witnessed and been part of.
If a band or an artist wishes to enter into the actual music business, it is conducive to present the act within the confines of a genre. People(fans, musicians) often seem queasy about the fact that a vital component to a successful music career is flat out marketing and promotion.
People that engage in marketing and promotion of music (booking agents, managers, publicists, labels, reviewers) are not at all enthused with talented people that display genre-hopping proclivities. These sorts make their jobs more difficult.
It’s a generalization but, one that I have found to be accurate.
There are many, many times that I have seen this become a determining factor in the musical development of an artist or band. It diverts from a natural course and, makes the process more and more non-musical. In my opinion.
Link | April 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
Hey, did any of you see this audition for American Idol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgEKEYAUX2c
?
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Nello and Orso weigh in on Penguins: UPDATE !!
Link | April 29th, 2008 at 10:16 am