70'S CLASS ANGER!!
Fight for the revolution//The politics of visual arts and the media
Karl Marx philosophies, the way media portrays men, women, media and culute
AIMS
- To introduce a critical definition of ideology
- To introduce some of the basic principles of Marxist philosophy
- To explain the extent to which the media constitutes us as subjects
- To introduce 'culture jamming' and the idea of design activism
Speculate what designers can do to change the world in which we live= design activism.
Look at left-wing culture jamming design activists.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it."
- Mark, K. (1845) 'Theses on Feuerbach'.
There is no point in just thinking without combining it with action. Theory, philosophy, acting and doing- praxis; a unification of thought and action.
MARXISM IS
- A political manifesto, leading to socialism, communism and the twentieth century conflicts between
capital and labour.
- A philosophical approach to the social sciences, which focuses on the role of society in determining human behaviour, based on concepts of dialectical materialism.
Wrote about human behaviour, the world, humanity, and what it is to be human.
A philosophical method (such as Feminism, Psycho- Analysis).
Most communist countries took their roles from Marxism.
WHAT IS CAPITALISM?
- Bourgeoisie, The commodity, Proletariat.
- Control of the means of production in private hands.
- A market where labour power is bought and sold.
- The ability to make money/profit is held by a few individuals- everyone else works to make money for them. Revolves around logic of a market. Money is a signifier of dead labour.
- Production of commodities for sale.
- Use of money as a means of exchange.
- Competition/meritocracy.
At every turn you are encouraged to "knife your fellow man in the back".
People are NOT naturally greedy- this is the way that society has molded and formed us.
COMMUNIST EVOLUTION
1. Primitive Communism: as seen in cooperative tribal socities.
2. Slave Society: develops when the tribe becomes a city-state. Birth of aristocracy.
3. Feudalism: aristocracy becomes the ruling class. Merchants develop into capitalists.
4. Capitalism: capitalists are the ruling class, who create and employ the real working classes.
5. Socialism: ("Dictatorship of Proletariat"): workers gain class consciousness, overthrow the capitalists and take control over the state.
6. Communism: a classless and stateless society.
This shows how societies have developed, evolved and grown. This is Marx's theory of the evolution of society- the "revolution" of overthrowing the ruling class bourgeoisie, and redistribute the wealth in society, returning to an almost primitive state once more.
This never happened... yet. (The classless, stateless society has never properly materialised)
MARX'S CONCEPT OF BASE/SUPERSTRUCTURE
BASE
Forces of production- Materials, tools, workers, skills, etc.
Relations to production- Employer/Employee, class, master/slave, etc.
SUPERSTRUCTURE
Social institutions- Legal, political, cultural
Forms of conciousness- Ideology
"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"
- (Marx, Communist Manifesto)
Everything is a result of the forces of production- everything: law, politics, culture, art, design, education, philosophy, family ideology- everything can be traced back to issues of class, gender politics, racial politics- even if it is not directly political, it can be read from a certain political attitude.
WE LIVE IN CAPITALISM- produces law, politics, eduacation and arts that reflect this capitalist attitude.
SUPERSTRUCTURE//BASE
Base> Determines content & form of> Superstructure> Reflects form of & legitimises>
Base= Bosses and workers.
The relationship of being told what to do.
Superstructure= Constantly being told what to do, to take instruction- this idea, as a form of education- makes people think that work place relations (boss above employee) are normal in a capitalism society.
'SOCIETY', BASE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
BASE (shapes the superstructure)
Relations of production
Bourgeoises exploits the proletariat
Means of production
All the things you need to produce: machines, factories, land, raw materials, etc (all owned by the bourgeoise).
SUPERSTRUCTURE
Education, Family, Religion, Mass media, Politics
Primitively society was matriarchal, women had the power. As this grew and developed with products and supplies in society, men took control. Came into play with monogamy- the "handing down" of owned goods.
"In the social production of their life men enter into definite, necessary relations, that are indispensable and independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material productive forces. The sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation on which rises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the social, political and intellectual life process in general. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but on the contrary it is their social being that determines their consciousness"
-Marx, (1857) 'Contribution to the critique of Political Economy'.
An era of social revolution and realisation. If you change the base (capitalism) you will change the politics, along with art, education, culture, etc.
THE STATE
'...but a committee* for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie' (Mark & Engels (1848) 'Communist Manifesto)
*SARCASM!
INSTRUMENTS OF THE STATE
IDEOLOGICAL & PHYSICAL COERCION
THE BOURGEOISIE
THE PROLETARIAT
We think that the monarchy are in charge- but merely a figure head.
CAPITALISM> We rule you, we fool you, we shoot at you, we eat for you, we work for you we feed all
IDEOLOGY (eg, organised religion)
MARXIST VIEW...
- Religion teaches us that if we are good and honourable, work hard, etc- it doesn't matter if we're poor, we will be rewarded in heaven- but then we're dead- where's the reward? THE ULTIMATE FORM OF MENTAL CONTROL.
1. System of ideas or beliefs (eg beliefs of a political party)
2. Masking, distortion, or selection of ideas, to reinforce power relations, through creation of 'false consciousness'.
Covering over class, racial distinctions, legitimes these. Creates a false consciousness, as opposed to true. We do not understand the true nature of society- if we were, we wouldn't let this happen.
- Many ideological mechanisms are operating and working around us.
"[The ruling class has] to represent it's interest as the common interest of all the members of society,... to give it's ideas the form of universality, and represent them as the only rational, universally valid ones.'
- Karl Marx (1846), 'The German Ideology'.
"RELIGION IS THE OPIATE OF THE MASSES" - Karl Marx, 1843
Art as ideoloy- Roses for Stalin, Lincoln Cathedral
Art has always been ideological.
In classical arts, artists were always from a rich class (affording the education)- only rich people made art, women weren't allowed to make art- they were seen as inferior. White, rich men were artists.
Kings and queens dictated what art was made for them to buy.
Made by rich for the rich could never portray the ideas of common man- the way that ruling classes think.
In communism art was used in an ideological way "Roses for Stalin"- a communist mass murder- not as wonderful as he was portrayed... commissioned by Stalin for an ideological visual.
GUERRILLA GIRLS
SOCIETY= ECONOMIC, POLITICAL & IDEOLOGICAL
Post- Marxist//Althusser (1970), 'Ideology and Ideological state apparatuses'.
Ideology is a practice through which men and women 'live' their relations to real conditions of existence.
Ideology offers false, but seemingly true resolutions to social imbalance.
We can trace all of our thoughts and actions back to it's original base (the sexualisation of women, etc).
THE MEDIA AS IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUS
- A means of production
- Disseminates the views of the ruling class (dominant hegemonic).
- Media creates a false consciousness.
- The individual is produced by nature; the subject by culture. (Fiske, 1992)
* The constitution of the subject.
* Interpellation (Althusser).
ALL the media outlets are owned by the super rich pie-fingered members of society and the state.
The media is EVERYWHERE, it is so powerful and controlling because it is so invasive.
THE MEDIA
Rupert Murdoch boasts his power of controlling elections and parties- shown in The Sun in 1997 (New Labour). Blair cut a deal so that the Conservative paper now backed Labour as they were getting "a bit on the side" from Governmental policy.
POLITICS IS CONTROLLED BY THE MEDIA- IDEOLOGY CONTROLS VOTES.
News discourse//The Times 14/01/09
Bignall, J (1997) 'Media Semiotics'
Newspapers such as 'The Times' use a far more sophisticated language- where as 'The Sun' and 'Daily Star' are for the working man- not sophisticated features (Models, Television, Football)- REAL journalists "dumb down" for the working classes- this becomes a prophecy, a way of life- this is the only culture of the working class, so the working class see this as their ideology- and how they're supposed to lead their life.
The interests and cultures and spewed by the elite.
MEDIA PUBLICAITONS//Daily Mail, The Independent, The Metro, The Guardian, Financial Times, The Sun, The Times, The Daily Telegraphy, Daily Express...
They judge the actions of man- eg the attack on the Conservative HQ- views of hooliganism, attacks, etc.
The Daily Telegraphy (The Daily TORYgraph!)
DARCUS HOWE RIOT VIDEO- BBC//YOUTUBE
Writer, educated West Indian man discusses the social reasons of the rioting in society.
MARX//IDEOLOGY
"I never read The Economist"- Lina Foster, CEO, Aged 29 (Wonderbra).
1. System of ideas or beliefs (eg beliefs of a political party).
2. Masking, distortion, or selection of ideas, to reinforce power relations, through creation of 'false consciousness'.
Wonderbra objectionalises women- success is lead by the wonderbra. "I can't cook. Who cares?"- the idea that women have to cook for men, but with a little bit of a cleavage, no need.
COMMODITY FESTISHISM
( Maex, Capital Vol. 1)
Fetish- something that is used as a substitute for something else- a barrier for direct human relations.
When we start to commodity festishes objects, eg, a pair of trainers, starts to take the relationship of "cool"... mediated by the object.
POSSESSION OF THE WORLD ASSETS (2002)
- The assets of the world's top three billionaires are greater than those of the poorest 600 milion on the planet.
- More than a third of the world's population (2.8 billion) live on less than two dollars a day.
- Per capita income in sub- Saharan Afrrica= $490
- Per capita subsity for European cow= $913
Since 1989 all the communist countries disolved- we now live in "an age of no alternatives"
- F. Fukuyama (1992) 'The End of History' (after the fall of the Berlin Wall)No class consciousness, produced by class ideology.
Immaterial labour (Hardt & Negri)
PROLETARIAT- THE WORKING CLASSES
THE CURRENT CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT
- Conservative government- biggest general strike, 30th Nov
- Radicalises stuents
- Cut off EMA
- Riots on the streets
Our society has cut off changes for young people, and taken pensions from the old.
A social movement has started against this system.
Social media gives a democratic overview of news.
ADBUSTERS JOURNAL
Invented the technique of "culture jamming"- a mechanism of working with the media that is around, and subjectifying these. Political actions, etc.
Culture jamming- changing billboards to completely change the image (See Conservative billboards, eg...)
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