Please answer each of these questions in a few sentences and generate two additional questions of your own.
"Message in a Bottle"
- What is Moskowitz's thesis in this article?
- Why does the author think anomie, loneliness, and alienation are prevalent themes in Mandopop?
- What other genres does Moskowitz think have influenced the melancholy qualities of Mandopop? At the same time, how is Mandopop different from these other genres?
- Why does the author liken Mandopop songs to messages in bottles?
"Mandopop Under Siege"
- What are some of the more common critiques of Mandopop? How do critics view Mandopop in the PRC? How about in Taiwan?
- How does Moskowitz characterize critiques of Mandopop by Western academics? What does he think is problematic about these critiques?
- What are some of the musical features of Mandopop?
- Moskowitz writes of Mandopop that there is "more to the music than meets the ear." What does he mean by this?