Marx and Althusser efficiently surmise many of the foundational ideas that define the studies of critical media and cultural studies.
Periods of culture, and language— subculture and media—philosophy and academia— all exist within the realm of different ideologies. Ideologies are borne from the ideas of the ruling class, and they are disseminated downwards— affecting economics, media and culture. According to Althusser, the escape of these ideologies is impossible, comparable to the impossibility of finding a text unrelated to another text.
The escape of these ideologies is impossible, however the recognition that different “ideologies” and machinations is imperative to understanding the function of world’s and systems. Meta-narratives and ideologies shape the perspective of man— the most notable of these can include religious institutions such as Christianity or capitalism, and also include repressive state institutions such as the prison system.
The recognition of such institutions will likely result in a greater understanding of the ways in which those institutions function. For example, understanding the corporate underpinnings of Disney will make one less likely to simply consume content set forth by Disney as pure and innocent and exclusively designed to bring joy and whimsy to the lives of children. This is not to say that one cannot enjoy Disney, but those who consume this content can understand that the ideology it functions under is not simply as innocent as it presents itself to be.
While is it certainly disconcerting that at no time will my cognitive abilities be able to escape ideology, it is comforting to know that I can recognize it. This recognition allows me to to shift my understanding as a consumer, from a passive consumer to an “active” spectator.
Christelle,
ReplyDeleteI found this post blog to explain everything we discussed in class very well. I appreciate your summary and tie-ins to previous lessons!
What I was drawn to specifically towards the end was you proclaiming yourself as an "active spectator" in regards to consumerism. I loved the word choice because it actually pulls back to the concept of modernism as a whole. The aspect of "play", of understanding and activism. I couldn't agree more that, although ideologies are inescapable, that does not mean there needs to be a negative connotation associated with them. The systems put in place are, for the most part, produced for a reason. They all began somewhere and have grown to where they are today through the people that enforce them, those that abide by them, and even those that defy against them. Systems are meant to be broken. When they are initially introduced, there is always, to some extent, a degree of pushback, a percentage of people in disagreeance looking to challenge the new values and either fight for means of tradition or a different solution. It's crazy to see how these subcultures are constantly growing and expanding, and are always apparent regardless of the medium being talked about- be it political, educational, societal, or even just for fun, for entertainment. This pushback actually is the reason for most change in the world. As I sit here, I'm thinking of specific examples and want to do more research about this topic and see if that actually is the case but, in my opinion, as of right now, that's where I stand. We constantly are in support of underdogs and even if we disagree with those on the bottom, they get their attention through being there and demanding change. This is actually where I am going to end this comment because I want to look into this more and make it an individual post! Thank you again though for the inspiration haha!
More to come...