Sunday, January 27, 2013

Post 1: Media & Ideology


 The author Croteau’s argument suggests that Eurocentric ideologies of the western world have influenced our countries ways of existing and becoming who we are as social creatures. Croteau also argues that the media is a gateway for these ideologies to be maintained, functioning, and in power over societies civilization. Our country specifically the United States of America and transnationally have been affected by ideological practices. These ideologies control, create, and mold us into a certain type of human being. These ideologies control the way in which we should live and how we should do things be it family, educationally, or successful wise. These specific ideologies the author points out that in which how we are living and doing are based on a hegemonic practice. Also, through complex processes they socially construct civilization in a ways that are defined as classist, sexist, racist, gender roles, and oppressively. 
“When we examine the ideology of the media we are not so much interested in specific activities...the broader system of meaning of which these depictions are a part. For ideological analysis, the key is in the fit between the images and words in a specific media text and ways of thinking about, even defining, social and cultural issues” (160). What this means is the media is a gateway for our countries system of power to maintain its control and its complex ways to maintain the status quo. So through the media you will see the perpetuation of sexist, classist, racist, political, and oppressive reflections of our country and the worlds people. “We prefer to think of media texts as sites where cultural contests over meanings are waged rather than as providers of some univocal articulation of ideology” (161). We as people of our nation basically get comfortable with the ways in which we live and do things on a day to day basis. We never question what is fact and what is manipulated, controlled, and created for the benefit for those in power elite position.  For example, to discuss the main point we as people do not always question why is it that there is only majority of men in political positions and lack of women. We do not always question why females get paid less then men. We do not always question why certain roles apply to genders and why labels such as race or sexual orientation place us in more popular or oppressive positions. So whose ideas are these and since this ideology used in our country clearly oppress many of its civilians why are we taking it as fact rather than understanding its complex ways to maintain the status quo through media outlets and other institutional practices as well.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Angela!
    I really like how you addressed the fact that people tend to "get comfortable with the ways in which we live and do things on a day to day basis. We never question what is fact and what is manipulated, controlled, and created for the benefit of those in power elite position[s]"
    This is a fantastic point and one that I wholeheartedly agree with. Too often people just continue to "go with the flow" instead of questioning the flow they are so easily going with.

    See you in class,
    Andrea S.

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    1. YES YES ANDREA CORRECT! WE NEED TO RESIST AND EDUCATE OURSELVES IN ORDER TO FIGHT THE DOMINANT POWER IF NOT WE WILL REMAIN SLAVES TO OUR NATION AND NEVER ACHIEVE OUR FULL POTENTIAL AS HUMAN BEINGS

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