Bjork: "Sound is the n***** of the world"

[Morphine Prince 105,627]

I understand what she's saying but she really could have used a different word. Probably used it to sound edgy and knowledgable  

Never liked her music anyway so I don't care what she has to say. 

[Jesse Pinkman 4,660]

Unnecessary 

[Haroon 49,685]

I'm failing to grasp what she meant in the slightest, and I've read it like 5 times

I always wonder how many % of the people who are SHOCKED and OFFENDED about these quotes are actually black.

​Empathy is free & open to all  

[soundwave 193]

I'm failing to grasp what she meant in the slightest, and I've read it like 5 times

​Empathy is free & open to all  

​I guess it is open to interpretation, but from what others have said in this thread I gather that she means it to say "Sound is under-appreciated within museum settings."

[Jesse Pinkman 4,660]

I'm black, and I don't understand why you guys are attacking Admin.  

He was just making an observation, or maybe I'm taking it the wrong way..

[Haroon 49,685]

​I guess it is open to interpretation, but from what others have said in this thread I gather that she means it to say "Sound is under-appreciated within museum settings."

​Oh I see, thank you! It makes way more sense now, and I'd rather she'd used your wording  

[Admin 24,441]

​Empathy is free & open to all  

I really don't think it's empathy if the only ones who are offended by this are white fanboys on Tumblr and Twitter (and Azalia Banks, probably).

[BLACKOUTbritney 22,356]

I really don't think it's empathy if the only ones who are offended by this are white fanboys on Tumblr and Twitter (and Azalia Banks, probably).

​

you're an idiot omg

[Vernier 3,786]

I'm failing to grasp what she meant in the slightest, and I've read it like 5 times

​Empathy is free & open to all  

​It's a reference to an old John Lennon song "Woman is the N* of the world" (which generated controversy too)

The song was supposed to be a feminist anthem, basically saying women are treated like crap just like N*. Bjork is trying to say "sound"/"music" is the n* of the world, because it is treated like crap and gets no respect.

She chose her words horribly and should know better than to use that word, but that's basically what she was trying to say

[Jesse Pinkman 4,660]

I really don't think it's empathy if the only ones who are offended by this are white fanboys on Tumblr and Twitter (and Azalia Banks, probably).

Even if that is the case (which I dont think it is), how is that not being empathetic?

I understand kind of what you mean, but I feel like its a bit condescending to people who care about these issues.

[Bebe 17,093]

WHAT A STUPID POST BY A STUPID LITTLE PRICK

 

[Kayla 7,595]

I always wonder how many % of the people who are SHOCKED and OFFENDED about these quotes are actually black.

If black people notoriously said "It's cool if you guys throw '******' around," I'd agree with you.
But the fact is they don't. 

Go mention "sound is the ****** of the world," or say what her phrase referenced (which you pointed out) "woman is the ****** of the world," in a black community and see what their reaction is. 

In my opinion, when it comes to the meaning those two phrases make total sense. 
The artists saying them aren't being racist, they're equating the way we treat music and the way we treat women to the way we treat black people. In a sense, they're actually being supportive of the struggles and siding WITH black people. 

Now, the way Bjork said it irks me because equating how museums treat sound to how black people were treated is bogus. Sorry the museum didn't play your song at high quality, but I don't think you can lynch lyrics, beat a melody in the streets, or enslave a tempo. If the only struggle black people faced was that their music was ignored, sure. But that was ONE of their many issues in society.
(Did you know people initially didn't listen to Elvis because they thought he was black and therefore rejected his music? Then after they realized he was white there were large groups of people who continued to reject his music because he associated with black people.)

I also feel using the word that way is cheap. It's thrown in to prove a point using a taboo word, like when people say "We are RAPING our country!" or "They're worse than the Nazis!"
No. Rape is rape, Nazis were Nazis, and we don't need to keep trying to one-up black oppression or use it to prove our own point. 

 

​She's saying that sound/music is under appreciated and not properly treated, especially in a gallery/museum environment. 

​True. 

[Admin 24,441]

Even if that is the case (which I dont think it is), how is that not being empathetic?

​Empathy is genuine caring. 90% of the people who are OUTRAGED do not really care about black people's rights, the main reason for their OUTRAGE is that it's the cool thing to do now.

Bonus fact: Bjork said the exact same thing in 2001: http://www.bjork.fr/Spin

[Jed 7,716]

If black people notoriously said "It's cool if you guys throw '******' around," I'd agree with you.But the fact is they don't. 

Go mention "sound is the ****** of the world," or say what her phrase referenced (which you pointed out) "woman is the ****** of the world," in a black community and see what their reaction is. 

I also feel using the word that way is cheap. It's thrown in to prove a point using a taboo word, like when people say "We are RAPING our country!" or "They're worse than the Nazis!"
No. Rape is rape, Nazis were Nazis, and we don't need to keep trying to one-up black oppression or use it to prove our own point. ​

​#kaylaforAdmin2016

[AM98GJ 3,086]

​Empathy is genuine caring. 90% of the people who are OUTRAGED do not really care about black people's rights, the main reason for their OUTRAGE is that it's the cool thing to do now.

Bonus fact: Bjork said the exact same thing in 2001: http://www.bjork.fr/Spin