Cultural decline
There is a general belief in society that culture is getting worse, and this isnt a new idea. Matthew Arnold (1869) argued that low culture was taking over, and that high cuture is in decline. Because of this, less people are exposed to high culture and the cycle continues. The cultural decline argument says theres a cycle of degradation.
However, critics argue that this is an elitist, and snobbish argument which enforces the idea that some people in society are better than others.
- High culture is refined, and improves its audience as people.
- Low culture has bad values such as swearing and violence, and general lack of respect.
- Society gets worse because nobody is being exposed to high culture, and everybody is being exposed to low culture.
- As society gets worse, low culture gets even wors and in turn, brings society down even further.
However, critics argue that this is an elitist, and snobbish argument which enforces the idea that some people in society are better than others.
MARXISM - OPPRESSION VIA CULTURE
Marxists argue that society is tricked into accepting the idea that everything in society is just fine by popular culture. Marxists from the Frankfurt School decided that the mass media was the main way of transmitting capitilist ideology. They argued that mass culture helped capitalism to oppress the working classes by destroying community and individuality. It also helps encourage acceptance of authority and discourages people from thinking for themselves. In this way, capitalism uses mass culture to prevent revolution from ever happening. Some examples the frankfurt school use are;
Marxists argue that capitalism creates a false need and commodity fetishism. Capitalism is based on selling things, and according to Frankurt School sociologists, Mass Culture encourages you to think you 'need' things which you dont need atall, for example the newest phone, ipads. Commodity Fetishism is the obsession and burning desire to own these things that you dont need, for example everyones obsession with the newest iphone. Golding and Murdock (1991) suggest people buy these products because capitalism promotes goods via the media. According to Marxists, the clever trick is that capitalism creates desires that only the capitalism can satisfy.
So, in summary;
- Hollywood films that distract ordinary people from social issues, giving them false hope of glamour and adventure.
- Newspaper horoscopes that suggest a persons life expriences are down to luck/fate.
- TV and Radio advertising that reinforce the values of capitalism.
Marxists argue that capitalism creates a false need and commodity fetishism. Capitalism is based on selling things, and according to Frankurt School sociologists, Mass Culture encourages you to think you 'need' things which you dont need atall, for example the newest phone, ipads. Commodity Fetishism is the obsession and burning desire to own these things that you dont need, for example everyones obsession with the newest iphone. Golding and Murdock (1991) suggest people buy these products because capitalism promotes goods via the media. According to Marxists, the clever trick is that capitalism creates desires that only the capitalism can satisfy.
So, in summary;
- Mass culture is used to dull the minds of the working classes.
- Mass culture promotes capitalist ideology.
- Commodity Fetishism encourages economic activity.
- The population are passive victims of mass culture.
However, not all marxists agree....
The italian thinker Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) said that the idea of a single mass culture was too simplistic. He thought that capitalism creates a big dominant culture. He called this 'Dominance Hegemony'. Gramsci believed that capitalism had to tolerate some oppositional cultures, rather than to 'stamp them out'. By allowing opposition to exist, capitalism could create the illusion that it was a fair and free system.
FEMINISM
Marxists see the mass media as promoting capitalism, Feminists argue that mass media promotes sexism and gender roles. Various research was carried out between popular culture and gender socialisation in the 70's and 80's.
- Ferguson (1983) and Robbie (1978) studied many magazines, and found they promoted traditional female roles.
- Radical Feminists such as Andrea Dworkin (1981) found that many images of women in popular culture encouraged and justified violence against women.
- More recently, feminists have argued that popular culture representations are moving toward a more empowering, and fair portrayal against female roles in society.
modernism
In sociology, modernism refers to the classical sociological approaches - functionalism (durkheim) and marxism. These two theories dont agree about everything, but ave some very similar basic beliefs about culture.
However, modernism had two opposing views of culture.
Marxists believed that culture controlling people was a bad thing. Marxists believe that culture creates false conciousness, and that culture is all set up to reinforce class structure and to distract the working classes from realising theyre being oppressed. However Durkheim saw this 'control' as a good thing - culture is a glue that holds people together. The structure and control helps keep society flowing smoothly without revolution. It socialises people into appropiate behaviour.
- They both believe that society is a structure - an organised system.
- They both beleive that social structures controlled individuals.
- They both believed in the ideas of society progressing over time.
- And finally, they both believed a scientific approach could explain society.
However, modernism had two opposing views of culture.
Marxists believed that culture controlling people was a bad thing. Marxists believe that culture creates false conciousness, and that culture is all set up to reinforce class structure and to distract the working classes from realising theyre being oppressed. However Durkheim saw this 'control' as a good thing - culture is a glue that holds people together. The structure and control helps keep society flowing smoothly without revolution. It socialises people into appropiate behaviour.
POST-MODERISM
However, postmodernists dont believe that culture helps unify society. They believe that society is increasingly diverse. Stuart Hall (1992) argues that diversity results in fragmented identities. People can construct their personalities from a range of different cultures, and layers of identity can include nationality, gender, ethnicity, and political beliefs. Hall links this with the new rise of new social movements, such as black equalitity and feminism. As a response to cultural globalisation people have constructed new identities, such as 'black british'.
TEACHING IDEAS
- Alot of information in this section - throughough powerpoints explaining the different theories, going at a pace that follows the students learning.
- Open class discussions
- Task - Devise a poster explaining the different theories. (Group or Solo)
- Task - Split into groups, give each group a theory/topic. Have to present to class.
Past exam Q;
"Assess the view that culture helps to unify society" -24 marks.
Work as a class to create an essay plan. Set as homework.
