Critics are calling this year's election a dumbing down of democracy; USC has just surpassed Harvard with its tuition hike and discussing LMU's "Grrrls on Film" festival for TGI-FilmWeek!
Are down n’ dirty debates good for democracy?
Welcome to Election 2016, where candidates stop being nice, and start getting real.
Reality television has changed pop culture in innumerable ways. Its effects are still being debated today, even as the genre spreads to other aspects of the greater culture. Politics has certainly not been immune to it.
But this year’s presidential election cycle seems to have epitomized the reality tv-ization of the American political discourse. For evidence, look no further than last night’s GOP debate in Detroit.
Any pretense at civility amongst the remaining candidates flew out the window last night. Personal attacks were traded freely, nothing seemed off-limits, including the size of someone’s private parts.
Critics call it a dumbing down of democracy, but supporters point to the record turnout of GOP voters so far and sky-high debate ratings as proof that the American people are more engaged than ever before.
Featured Caller Comment
Larry Mantle: Does the tone of last night's debate do more harm than good, or [more] good than harm to democracy? Do you see it as something that is truly more authentic?
John in Glendale: I really think it’s done more good than harm because it’s really getting people talking about the race. Traditionally, everyone gets up [on the debate stage] and promises you everything and never delivers. I think this approach is getting people excited and now we’re going to see if it’s really going to get more people to come out and vote, whether you’re pro-Trump or anti-Trump. That’s what I think is going to happen as a result of what’s going on with this debate and last night’s debate in particular.
Larry Mantle: Do you think there’s any downside to the comparative lack of civility, or [do] you think that’s really trivial to the other positives you see coming out of it?
John in Glendale: A downside to it? Yeah, I guess so. If everyone behaved in a positive way in politics, yes. But the reality is [that] this is becoming a bit more of entertainment-- but it’s getting people involved. People are talking about this. Usually at this stage in the game, people really aren’t discussing it. Die-hard political wonks are always going to be dialed in on policies and things like that, but the general public is loving this. And people who have been disenfranchised or uninvolved are coming out of the woodwork. This is going to be one interesting nomination and one interesting election.
Note: This interview has been edited for clarity.
This story has been updated.
Guests:
Stephen Duncombe, Professor of Media and Culture at New York University and he is the author, co-author, editor, and co-editor of six books, including "Dream: Re-Imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy"
Ross Barkan, a national political reporter for The New York Observer. Disclosure: Donald Trump is the father-in-law of Jared Kushner, the publisher of Observer Media.
The reasons why USC’s tuition is now over $50k per year
For the first time ever, the University of Southern California’s tuition will exceed $50,000 a year in the 2016-17 academic year.
The $1,978 increase was announced on the website of USC’s Office of Financial Aid on Thursday and a screenshot of it quickly went viral on social media. The total estimated cost of a year of school at USC is now just shy of $70K at $69,711.
The school’s administration has yet to release specific reasons for the tuition increase, and the Daily Trojan’s op-ed team has already written a piece calling out USC for lack of transparency. USC Provost Michael Quick has said that the reality is USC is competing with the major Ivy League schools and other prestigious universities, and that comes at a cost.
Pedro Noguera, distinguished professor of education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA, said that schools that have risen quickly, like USC, have smaller endowments than others — and rely heavily on tuition.
Noguera said this tuition-driven model, however, is not sustainable.
“We’ve seen a number of universities — including the publics — have become increasingly dependent on foreign students who are willing to pay the cost as a way to try to subsidize other students,” Noguera said.
But how beneficial is it to pay such a large sum for an undergraduate education? Noguera said parents and prospective students should take into account that larger universities have very large classes taught by graduate students for freshman students.
“Are you paying for a brand in the name? Or are you actually paying for the education?” Noguera said.
B.J. from Mount Washington who went to undergrad, graduate school and worked at USC called in and said that there are intangible benefits to the school’s name — the “USC Mafia.”
“Maybe it’s because the tuition is so expensive, there’s an intense loyalty, there’s a camaraderie," B.J. said.
That camaraderie is what helps alumni get jobs after graduation, B.J. said.
While paying a high ticket price for a big-name college can potentially be a benefit later on, Noguera also said the high prices are reflective of a lack of policy guiding college tuition prices.
“Left to their own devices, universities are just raising tuition because the fact is there are people out there that can pay,” Noguera said.
And for those who can’t pay, there is aid — but according to Noguera, the amount of aid they get is a small percentage of the overall cost.
What is your experience with college tuition? Is USC's tuition hike justified? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Guest:
Pedro Noguera, distinguished professor of education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA
This story has been updated.
FilmWeek: Knight of Cups,' 'Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot,' 'Zootopia' and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell, Wade Major, and Charles Solomon review this week's new movie releases including: the latest Terrence Mallick film "Knight of Cups" with an eye on Hollywood celebrity; a warzone comedy starring Tina Fey, "Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot;" a new Disney feature "Zootopia;" and more.
TGI-FilmWeek!
Did you know FilmWeek is also a podcast? Subscribe here and get every episode downloaded right to your favorite device and never miss another review!
Critic Highlights
On "Zootopia"
Charles Solomon: There is some really nice animation [and] some excellent voice work. Jason Bateman, as the fox, is not an actor I know, but he is terrific.
Wade Major: I loved every second of this. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this...It’s not really for kids, this is very much grownup humor. There are references in here that you won’t get until you’re at least 40. What I love most about it is the minutia; the attention to detail is phenomenal.
Note: This interview has been edited for clarity.
This story has been updated.
Guests:
Wade Major, Film Critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Charles Solomon, Film Critic for KPCC and Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
Tim Cogshell, Film Critic for KPCC and Alt-Film Guide; he tweets from
‘Grrrls on Film’ Festival at LMU
Kicking off March 18, Grrrls on Film at Loyola Marymount University is a weekend-long celebration of the feminist acts of making sound and vision.
The festival and forum gathers together pioneers in movies, music, art and activism to address what has become one of the hot-button social justice issues of our time: lack of diverse representation and expression in arts and entertainment. The event borrows its name from the Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s, which fused the Do-It-Yourself credo of punk with Third Wave Feminism’s call for self-determination.
Speakers include Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne’s World), Floria Sigismondi (The Runaways), Karyn Kusama (Girlfight), and many more.
Details and how to sign up for screenings and panels can be found here.
Guests:
Evelyn McDonnell, Assistant Professor of Journalism and New Media and author of four books, including “Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways”
Sharon Mooney, filmmaker and Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Film & Television
Floria Sigismondi, Film and music video director known for "The Runaways" feature film and music videos for artists including Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake