Unit 1: American Vibes (Tle G6_gr2)

What about us?

The document under study is a video clip for P!nk’s single entitled “What about us” released in 2017. In the clip, America is depicted as a broken country. People look disappointed, sad, betrayed and oppressed by the government. They seem to have a form of distrust towards the government. In fact, the pronoun “we” refers to the American people who feel lonely, unheard and left behind. On the contrary, the pronoun “you” is used to mention the American government who seems to be careless towards its people.

Through her song, P!nk wants to raise awareness on the situation. Moreover, the phrase “God Bless America” that we can hear at the beginning of the video is paradoxical, because from her video, America does not seem to be really blessed in reality : it is chaotic, destroyed and divided. Therefore, she wants to encourage people to stand up for their rights and rebel as whole. Finally, she is also addressing the government, telling them to act again by keeping their promises and fixing their mistakes.

Homework: Learn the lesson.