Soc. 118 Media, Culture & Society Chapter 3 Monsters, Inc.: A Critical Approach to Popular Culture

Chapter 3: Overview The Foundations of a Critical Approach What is Ideology? Theoretical Roots Cultural Hegemony Advertising and Consumer Culture Video: Consuming Images The Power of Cultural Industries Trends in Media Ownership Video: AOL-Time Warner Merger Reproducing Social Inequalities Exploitation of workers Reinforcing stereotypes When Popular Culture Attacks Video: Merchants of Cool Current Themes in Cultural Hegemony

What is Ideology? Belief system World view or values Explains and justifies social arrangements Often religious, moral, or political World view or values Basic ways of defining the world Distorts and misrepresents Examine underlying messages Whose interests are served? What values are reflected? Broader system of meaning Patterns of messages Content is part of something larger Example: The American Dream

Theoretical Roots of Ideology Cultural Hegemony (Gramsci) “Cultural leadership” Power thru persuasion Popular Culture as Social Control Works on level of common sense Not critically evaluated Ideology must be reinforced Contradicts real life The Power of Propaganda Example: “War of the Worlds” Conflict Theory (Marxism) Power relations Social stratification  social inequality Domination exploitation Ruling class imposes own ideology “The ruling ideas are … the ideas of the ruling class” Represents their interests Pretends to be universal Masses have “false consciousness” If they accept ruling ideas Critics, protests, activists 4

Advertising and Consumer Culture History of consumerism U.S. capitalists in 1900s Mass production How to make business profitable? Advertising used to shape consciousness Creating buyers (and selling products) Stimulating new needs and habits Aimed at immigrants and urbanites Concept of the “good life” Buying as “great equalizer” Culture of consumerism Normalizes upper-middle class values Wealth, status Consumption = citizenship A virtue and freedom Ads tell us what to dream Lifestyle thru purchases Not all can afford Video: Consuming Images

The Power of Culture Industries: Trends in Media Ownership Media is key segment of U.S. economy Move from manufacturing to service economy Media also major export Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Early limits on monopolies Protect the “public interest” 1996 Telecommunications Act Easing restrictions or deregulation Increased # of outlets a single company can own Concentration Fewer companies own media Parent companies with subsidiaries Vast portfolios Range of formats Conglomeration Media companies part of larger corporations May have diverse businesses Example: Video clip: AOL Time/Warner Merger (2000)

The Power of Culture Industries Video Clip: AOL Time/Warner Merger

Gerald Levine—CEO Time/Warner CNN interview January 2, 2000 “Global media will be and is fast becoming the predominant business of the 21st century. So predominant, in fact, that the media business is now more important than government. It’s more important than education institutions and non-profit organizations. We’re going to need to have these corporations redefined as instruments of public service, and that may be a more efficient way to deal with society’s problems than bureaucratic governments.”

The Power of Culture Industries: Top 7 Media Companies 1. Sony Corporation Hardware and software, content 2. Time Warner 3. Walt Disney Company Theme parks, sports teams 4. Viacom MTV 5. CBS Corporation 6. General Electric Not just lightbulbs, appliances 7. News Corporation Rupert Murdoch

The Power of Culture Industries: Top 10 Websites 1. Google 2. Yahoo 3. Facebook 4. YouTube 5. MySpace 6. Microsoft Windows Live 7. MSN 8. Wikipedia 9. ebay 10. Craigslist

When Popular Culture Attacks Primary motive of popular culture and media: For-profit businesses Economic domination Information, creativity, pleasure are secondary Targeting youth New consumers Cool hunters Research next trends for mass consumption Video: Merchants of Cool

Current Themes in Cultural Hegemony Last season's fashions are so last season Planned obsolescence Shopping completes us Accumulation of goods We can all live like celebrities Keep up with the Joneses Our self-worth is determined by our looks Cultural norms of sexual attractiveness Diamonds are forever Best advertising slogan Brands matter Branding and status symbols