"On the contrary, ideology by definition thrives beneath consciousness. It is here, at the level of 'normal common sense', that ideological frames of reference are most firmly sedimented and most effective, because it is here that their ideological nature is most effectively concealed." --Dick Hebridge
Ideology is a system of ideas and ideals that exist within a culture or society. Ideology is typically not something that people are consciously aware of unless it is something that they have taken the time to study; even then, it often functions in many ways that we are unaware of. For this reason, Hebridge describes ideology as thriving "beneath consciousness". What he means by this is that it functions optimally when the individuals operating within it are not aware that they are doing so. Therefore when ideology is seen as simply "common sense", it is its most powerful because it is hidden.
For example, America operates within the ideology of a meritocracy. A meritocracy is a society in which individuals obtain success based on merit--or based on how talented and hardworking on, essentially how much they deserve it. For several years, America was widely accepted as a meritocracy and, to a certain extent, it still is today. Believing that America is a meritocracy also leads individuals to believing that the way America operates is fair--people rise to the top based on their merit. It is common sense, isn't it? How could a system possibly be more fair? With the mindset that America is a meritocracy and thus a just system, the American ideology absolutely thrives because nobody questions it. It is second nature to us, operating beneath consciousness.
However, in recent years people have started to question the ideology of America being a meritocracy. They have begun to ask questions such as: If America is a meritocracy, why don't all talented and hardworking people make it to the top? Why do some of them fail and others succeed? Why are there extremely wealthy and successful people who neither work hard nor have talent? Is there more to success in America than just hard work and talent? These kinds of questions question the ideology and point out that it is not just common sense and as more people begin to ask them, the ideology begins to fall apart because it could never truthfully answer those questions.
Ideology is a system of ideas and ideals that exist within a culture or society. Ideology is typically not something that people are consciously aware of unless it is something that they have taken the time to study; even then, it often functions in many ways that we are unaware of. For this reason, Hebridge describes ideology as thriving "beneath consciousness". What he means by this is that it functions optimally when the individuals operating within it are not aware that they are doing so. Therefore when ideology is seen as simply "common sense", it is its most powerful because it is hidden.
For example, America operates within the ideology of a meritocracy. A meritocracy is a society in which individuals obtain success based on merit--or based on how talented and hardworking on, essentially how much they deserve it. For several years, America was widely accepted as a meritocracy and, to a certain extent, it still is today. Believing that America is a meritocracy also leads individuals to believing that the way America operates is fair--people rise to the top based on their merit. It is common sense, isn't it? How could a system possibly be more fair? With the mindset that America is a meritocracy and thus a just system, the American ideology absolutely thrives because nobody questions it. It is second nature to us, operating beneath consciousness.
However, in recent years people have started to question the ideology of America being a meritocracy. They have begun to ask questions such as: If America is a meritocracy, why don't all talented and hardworking people make it to the top? Why do some of them fail and others succeed? Why are there extremely wealthy and successful people who neither work hard nor have talent? Is there more to success in America than just hard work and talent? These kinds of questions question the ideology and point out that it is not just common sense and as more people begin to ask them, the ideology begins to fall apart because it could never truthfully answer those questions.
I really liked your example of America being a meritocracy. It's amazing how we glide through the system without questioning ourselves why is this this way? This is just the way we have been taught things are and should stay as.
ReplyDeleteIt being subconscious I think grounds Hebdige's explanation of subcultures being the break from the master narrative. They represent an a deviant ideology and are therefore either suppressed or commodified to fit the accepted harmony of things. I think you also brush over a key point of ideology; it only exists if at least one person believes it and acts accordingly.