Quotes
"When scholars examine media products to uncover their "ideology," they are interested in the underlying images of society they provide. In this context, an ideology is basically a system of meaning that helps define and explain the world and that makes value judgements about that world. Ideology is also related to concepts such as worldview, belief system, and values, but is broader that those terms. It refers not only to the beliefs held about the world but also to the basic ways in which the world is defined."159/160
Ideology is how we think of the world. It's what we base our knowledge of the world on too. This quote explains how ideology can be different for everyone though. Depending on where you grew up, how you were raised, what religion you believe, and more changes your perception of how you see things in the media. That is what scholars look at. What we see in the media shapes how we view everything. Last semester when i looked at this quote all I could think about was how commercial depict certain gender roles. In all commercials for cleaning products you always find women.
"Drawn from the work of Antonio Gramsci (1971), an Italian Marxist who wrote in the 1920s and 1930s, the notion of hegemony connects questions of culture, power, and ideology. In short, Gramsci argued that ruling groups can maintain their power through force, consent, or a combination of the two. Ruling by way of force requires the use of two institutions such as the military and the police in an effort to physically coerce - or threaten coercion - so that people will remain obedient." 165
Croteau then continues to explain how the most popular examples of hegemony are ones that actually use physical force, but then says that "Gramsci's work suggests that power is wielded in a different arena - that of culture, in the realm of everyday life - where people essentially agree to current social arrangments." This goes on all the time in media. We are constantly seeing the dominant, or more powerful images when we watch TV, or see movies. We see heterosexual couples, and families. Women doing house work, men being bread winners, and so on. All these messages are telling us what life should be like, but we all know isn't the only way it should be.
"Media are involved in what Hall calls "the politics of signification," in which the media produce images of the world that give events particular meanings. Media images do not simply reflect the world, they re-present it; instead of reproducing the "reality" of the world "out there" the media engage in practices that define reality." 168
I think this quote sums up what the media really does. It wants us to see these images and think we need to be like that. The media is showing us what we should be like, and if we're not like it, then we're outcasted. Today's media is better, than before, but still gears certain things to certain people. Media targets and sells what is the "norm" (which was also discussed in the article).
I agree with you that media sort of shape the way we might think about certain things and what the "norms" should be like.
ReplyDeleteI'm just not sure that we just sit there and take it as true all the time, some and sometimes most of the time maybe yes, but also some people do try to fight back what is in the media, this is why they are also outcast.
Great point!
"We see heterosexual couples, and families. Women doing house work, men being bread winners, and so on. All these messages are telling us what life should be like, but we all know isn't the only way it should be."
ReplyDeleteLike you said, there are many of us that *do* realize that there are alternate paths to this hetero-normative trend broadcasted in the media on a daily basis. But it is so hard to fight against a system that has the upper hand.
Do we just sit and take it? No, not necessarily. I'd say it works more on the subconscious field. So to address Kenia's point, I don't think that we realize how much we are actually absorbing when looking at these images. You know that stores start playing holiday music so early because it's proven to make people start holiday shopping early? That's what I think about when talking about how the media influences our acceptance of these messages.
But you are absolutely right, people who fight this dominant ideology are often outcasts as a result. This is how dominant ideology protects itself. The system is set up in such a way that those who would contradict this dominant ideology are outcast. We are social beings! It isn't easy being on the outside! It supports people who would take the easier path of falling in line and behaving according to these scripted norms enforced by the Media (among many other enforcers like the education system, the government, etc.)
Great points, Jessica. :)