Tag: Dirty Computer

Embracing all of humanity

Taylor W.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” and Janelle Monae’s album “Dirty Computer” both deal with themes of identity and resistance to a marginalized system. Presenting themselves as “the other” or those who do not conform to societies standard instead making their own path, by finding strength in their differences. These standards being classified by human vs. machine, gender, and race. To them these are held in place to oppress the marginalized groups. Haraways cyborg symbolizes the resistance and Monae’s “Dirty computer” reflects on the struggle of those who resist societal expectations. These works offer empowerment to those who believe embracing ones own self identity rather than uniformity. 

 In Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” she portrays the cyborg as a hybrid human/machine that blurs the line between societal norms. The cyborg being part human and part machine is transcending human capabilities and not limiting . Her cyborg challenges the idea that technology is dehumanizing people but rather expand our human abilities. She also challenges the idea that Ai is negative/corrupting/impure. She aligns with the idea that technology is good/helpful because only propels the human race further. For example advancements in technology has led humans to making scientific breakthroughs so that we can live long lives . In Monae’s song Dirty computer it is a metaphor for someone who is impure based on societies standards. By rejecting the idea of purity she exemplifies that people shouldn’t have to fit into categories for identity. This song celebrates the uniqueness and power people hold when the diverge from these standards set by society. Throughout the album is like a journey of acceptance, by embracing the “dirty” she explains this is what make being a human so beautiful. We are able to be multifaceted so many different forms like technology. In Monae’s song “Django Jane” she is celebrating her Afrofuturistic nature and how far she’s come against the system of oppression  because of her resilience. 

Moving Past Restricting Norms to a Post-gender World

Katie H.
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Restricted Identity vs Fluid Identity (Katz-Wise, 2020)

Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” depicts a world that moves past limiting dualisms to a world that is post-gender. In this post-gender world, identity is fluid rather than restricted. Several of Haraway’s ideas can be seen in Janelle Monae’s album Dirty Computer.

Track 14, “Americans,” in Dirty Computer is a call for a post-gender world that is more just, more equitable, and where identity is fluid. The song touches on race, gender, and sexuality. It depicts a wish to move past traditional norms for a more just society where identity is fluid and not restricted to categorical norms. Some lyrics from the album include “I like my woman in the kitchen,” “A pretty young thang, she can wash my clothes / But she’ll never ever wear my pants,” “You see my color before my vision / Sometimes I wonder if you were blind / Would it help you make a better decision,” “Until same-gender loving people can be who they are / This is not my America,” and “Until black people can come home from a police stop without being shot in the head / This is not my America” (Monae, 2018). In the song “Americans,” Monae discusses the male/female dualism and the gender norms that come with it among other norms like race and sexuality. Females are expected to cook and clean, while men get to “wear the pants” in the relationship. Both Haraway and Monae want to move past these traditional norms to a more equitable society where identity can be fluid and is not forced to be confined to rigid traditional structures.

Track 10, “I Like That,” in Dirty Computer depicts an individual embracing a fluid identity and breaking away from traditional norms, which aligns with Haraway’s vision for a post-gender world where fluid identity thrives breaking past restricting society. Lyrics include “I’m always left of center and that’s right where I belong / I’m the random minor note you hear in major songs” “I don’t really give a **** if I was just the only one,” and “I never like to follow, follow all around” (Monae, 2018). Monae’s lyrics in “I Like That” depicts someone moving away from traditional norms instead of following them. Both Haraway and Monae picture a world where identity is fluid instead of being restricted to traditional norms, which leads to a more equitable and fair world.

References:

Katz-Wise, S. L. (2020, December 3). Gender fluidity: What it means and why support matters. Harvard Health Blog; Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gender-fluidity-what-it-means-and-why-support-matters-2020120321544

Monae, J. (2018). Dirty Computer [Album]. Wondaland; Bad Boy; Atlantic.

Cyborgs to Dirty Computers: The Fluidity of Identity

Devin P.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In 1985, Donna Haraway shook academia with her theory of identity as fluid, something that transcends rigid gender roles, in her work Cyborg Manifesto. Haraway envisioned a future where individuals are allowed to exist beyond the binary categories of the past—a future where boundaries between human and machine, male and female, have withered away into obscurity. Fast forward to the present, Janelle Monáe’s album Dirty Computer tackles similar themes. Through her work, she paints a dystopia where individuals are marginalized and persecuted for differing from the norm. Monáe brings Haraway’s future into the context of modern-day struggles, including gender, race, and self-expression.

In Dirty Computer, Monáe portrays a future where society controls and punishes those who don’t conform to traditional expectations. The record’s central metaphor, a “dirty computer,” refers to individuals whose identities, intentions, and deeds are perceived as “glitches” in an otherwise perfect system. This bolsters Haraway’s argument that human identity should be malleable and that prejudices related to race and gender should be dismantled. Songs that challenge the listener to reject cultural restrictions on identity and embrace personal freedom include “Make Me Feel,” an anthem of LGBT empowerment, and “Pynk,” which celebrates the complexity of womanhood.

Monáe’s depiction of nonconformity in Dirty Computer is akin to Haraway’s analysis of systems of oppression. In the same manner as Haraway criticizes capitalism, sexism, and established power structures in Cyborg Manifesto, Monáe’s record challenges the mechanisms that aim to regulate identity. She bravely asserts her right to exist on her own terms as she tackles the intersections of race, gender, and power in songs like “Django Jane” and “Screwed.” Like Haraway’s cyborg, who stands for resistance against institutions that push conformity, Monáe’s music stresses the strength of self-definition in a world that seeks to eradicate difference.

Through her work, Janelle Monáe re-envisions and modernizes Haraway’s ideas for a new generation. Her accentuation of fluid identity, her critique of oppressive systems, and her denial of societal norms result in a work that is a modern embodiment of the essence of the cyborg. Much like Haraway’s manifesto, Monáe’s album demands a future where identity has boundaries that have long since dissolved, and instead, are as fluid and dynamic as we choose.