Ideology: further reading and tasks

MM52

1) Read the article: Page 34: The World Of Mockingjay: Ideology, Dystopia And Propaganda

2) What view of capitalist ideology is presented in the Hunger Games films?
Capitalist ideology is presented as powerful people who are at the top and poor people at the bottom. Poor people take drastic measures of committing crimes to gain money as there are a lack of jobs, which is the issue with capitalism. While people in higher classes or 1% keep all the money amongst themselves, and don't go through as much 'struggle' to get their money.

3) What do the Hunger Games films suggest about the power of the media to shape and influence ideological beliefs?
The media has an extreme way to perceive different events to change ideological beliefs, to the point where it is so ingrained they are able to fully control everyone. In terms of media within the film, it is evident that it portrays media as having an immense amount of influence and power of the consumers. it has the ability to create fear and overall a negative effect on the consumers of it even if there is empty threat within it. Katniss, once, represented the 'false consciousness' of the Games, now a symbol of radicalism because of manipulation from the media. This leads to power struggle between The Capitol and District 13, as the Capitol try to take back power by, again, trying to manipulate the media as well, in the terms of using Peeta, who they still have captive. The truth being is that they are ideologically led by the idea that the rich Capitol are the consumers, and the starving district are their providers.

1) Read the article

2) What are the four accepted ideological beliefs in western societies highlighted by the article?
Money= Happiness
Consumer goods = Fulfilment
Marriage/Family/Children = Happiness
Obedience/Work= Fulfilment

3) What does Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggest about power and ideology in society?
Hegemony is an important way in which those in power maintain their control though consent, rather than the use of force and is the the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that the masses, those who are dominated by it, accept it as 'common sense' and 'natural'. 

4) What does French theorist Louis Althusser suggest about ideology and consumerism?The French theorist provides a way of understanding how we are governed through ideology. His view was that ideology is the greatest material power and mediates our day t o day lives through Repressive State Control (dominated by the ruling elite) and Ideological state apparatus.

5) Do YOU agree with the idea behind They Live - that we are unthinkingly controlled by the media which is run in the interests of the economic elite? These are the big questions of A Level Media!
I do agree with this idea. I believe that our society is being controlled by those with more authority because of their power and often media is a tool they use to achieve this and further their agendas. However, Yes, many people are heavily controlled by the media, in the interests of the economic elite, but Many people resist the control of the media, if they are unable to attain newspapers or don't watch T.V or news outlets are much less likely to be controlled by the media which is controlled by the economic elite.