Violence, Corruption, and Wealth in American Popular Culture

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Today's society is no stranger to violence and corruption. We see it in our streets, on our television and movie screens, and we hear it in music. However, a clearer connection is being made between this corruption and wealth. Our culture is beginning to associate dishonesty and criminal acts with money and material goods. Images of wealth and fame through murder and mayhem are pounded into Americans' heads through a the story-lines of Mafia movies and the lyrics of popular music idols. Producers are thriving on our two biggest cravings: money and violence. In the novel The Great Gatsby, corruption is a main theme and is used as a gateway to wealth and fame. As the plot unfolds, the main characters get caught in a tangled web of adulterous affairs coupled with underhanded schemes and mischief which as they become richer and further their personal social status. Music reflects the times. In the 60's and 70's, musicians preached peace and empathy towards the human race. In the 80's music was a form of rebellion. Today, music has manifested itself into many different forms, one being "hip hop" more commonly known as "rap". In the early 80's, rap was about break-dancing and graffiti. Now, as we approach the year 2000, hip hop has become the most listened-to form of music nation-wide and many rap artists have adopted the new title of "pop-artists", pop. meaning "popular culture". A hip hop single recently took the number 1 spot on the Billboard charts for most sales recorded. The problem here is the message many rappers are telling the world. From the beginning, rappers have flaunted their money with the expensive cars seen in their videos and the thick gold chains they wear in public, not to mention the numerous references made to wealth in their lyrics. However, many rappers are telling tales of violence and wealth as one. In fact, there are more than 10 hip hop songs actually entitled "Crime Pays". In the chart topping single, "Money, Power, Respect", Yonkers based rapper DMX raps "hit him up/ split him up/ shut him up/ then watch him come/ get him up…CLICK, step back like I did work", portraying a beating, then murder, the "CLICK" being the sound made by the trigger of a gun. The chorus then goes on to proclaim "Money, Power, Respect,... ... middle of paper ... ... quickly swept up in the corruption going on around him. In this book, nearly every character uses corruption as a tool for getting what they want and the only person who doesn't, Wilson, is left behind with nothing, as his wife who he is devoted to is struck down and killed just after he finds out she has been having an affair. A passage from page 180 describing Tom and Daisy reads "They were careless, Tom and Daisy, they smashed up things and creatures then retreated back into their money or vast carelessness, or whatever it is that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made." This quote in essence describes the entire book and our culture. People will do whatever they believe is necessary to further themselves, then leave the mess for someone else to clean up, as long as they are happy. It doesn't matter what means the use to rise to the top, whether it be corruption, crime, violence, etc. Whatever means necessary. This mentality will keep spreading unless we somehow put a stop to it. As long as violence and corruption are portrayed as building blocks to wealth and power, people will use these tactics to improve their status in society.

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