Hello,
This blog is a response to a thinking activity assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. This blog post contains my reflection on intersections of media, power and how it influence the mind of people. These all things I will analyze through the lens of cultural studies.
Introduction
Defining 'Cultural Studies' is a challenging task because it encompasses various disciplines within itself, providing multiple perspectives for study and analysis. In the past, Cultural Studies drew significant inspiration from Feminism, Marxism, and structuralist and post-structuralist ideologies. Today, these disciplines remain relevant in Cultural Studies, alongside newer fields such as Queer Studies, Film Studies, Audience Studies, and Media Studies.
The approach of critiquing media through the lens of Cultural Studies has become increasingly important in contemporary times. This critique also extends to the power media holds in influencing the thoughts, behaviors, and political beliefs of the masses. By doing so, we can understand how the media "manufactures consent," as Noam Chomsky famously put it.
How media and power intersect in shaping modern culture.
The concept of "Power and Knowledge" was introduced by the French philosopher Michel Foucault. He argued that power is omnipresent, existing like air and fire, existing in all aspects of society. Foucault believed that power constantly shifts and transforms into various forms. For instance, during the British colonization of India, Indians lacked the power to openly discuss their customs, cultures, and perspectives. Consequently, they were excluded from actively participating in the writing of history. This allowed the British, who held the power to shape historical narratives, to portray figures like Bhagat Singh, whom we now regard as a freedom fighter, as terrorists in their history books.
We can define power simply as an 'ability to make other do what you would have them to do'.
The Ways in Which Power Operates/Civic Power
Physical Force: This is the most obvious form of using power, controlling people through sheer force, whether through police baton charges or military action. Whenever there is a protest, the first response of the police (often prompted by the government) is to suppress the crowd in order to regain control. Little thought is given to the underlying reasons that led people to protest in the first place. A recent example of this can be seen in Gandhinagar, where candidates who passed the TET/TAT exams protested because they were still unable to secure jobs.
Wealth: The money provides the means to silencing the people who in future might go against government or any influential political or corporate figure.
State Action: State governments has powers to directly control the people through various schemes, laws and policy. In this digital era, mediums of such actions have changed, now state government also takes action online and also maintain watch over citizens, encroaching their private space.
Social Norms: The social norms by which people abide often suggest that individuals are in control of the government. However, this raises the question of who establishes these norms. We are trained through the education system in a manner that encourages us to serve our country and society, often with our consent. This training shapes our understanding of civic duty and reinforces the prevailing social order, ultimately influencing how we engage with the government and societal structures.
Idea: Influential ideas inspire people to shift their thinking and behavior.
Numbers: Mass can work in collective manner to generate power which is by far the most powerful weapon. In past such large power of people led to the revolutions like French Revolution.
Power is like water. It changes forms and is never static, much like politics. If we do not actively use our power, someone else will wield it against us and seek to control us. Power compounds and continues to grow in every aspect of society and politics. If we don't act, we will be acted upon.
Therefore, it is essential that we learn to recognize power in all its forms as it presents itself to us. As members of a democratic society, it is crucial for us, the masses, to hold power for the betterment of all. After all, to read power is to read society. Ultimately, how we use power should align with our values and reflect who we are as individuals. We must consider whether our intentions are to help others or merely to benefit ourselves. When power is combined with good character, it creates responsible individuals who can make a positive difference in society.
Power + Good Character = Great Citizen
The importance of critical media literacy as a component of education.
The video introduces the concept of 'Partisanship' and presents a debate about our biases and prejudices regarding certain political beliefs. It also discusses the concept of 'Cognitive Dissonance,' which refers to the presence of two conflicting sets of thoughts and ideologies operating within different communities of people.
By the end of the video, it becomes clear that we all hold specific ideologies and political belief systems that differ from one another. Observing beyond these differences can be a challenging task, as our political beliefs or biases often hinder that process.
Our identities are constructed in relation to the society, culture, and community we inhabit. What we do, how we behave, what we eat and wear, and how we speak all contribute to shaping our cultural identity. This is also true for our political identities, our surroundings and the communities we belong to can significantly influence our political ideologies.
Differences in opinion regarding political identity can significantly affect a person's ability to process media information. It is evident that the same news can be interpreted differently by individuals with opposing political identities. This divergence allows media to hold power over public perception and control the narrative. While we might believe that the duty of media and journalism is to hold politics accountable, the reality is that media has often become a tool of propaganda used by political entities.
Noam Chomsky, a well-known linguist and political thinker, argues that the main role of mass media, especially in the United States, is to gather public support for the interests of powerful groups that influence both the government and the private sector. In his work “manufacture consent” he discusses that how media is in the pocket of powerful corporate and political peoples. The whole process is divided in five parts which is known as 'Five Filters' consisting of media ownership, advertising, media elite, flack and the common enemy.
Media ownership is driven by profit, leading to a focus on content that maximizes revenue. Advertisers pay for not just the advertisement itself, but also for the audience it reaches. For example, when you consider buying a car after seeing an advertisement, the company is not only selling you a car but also purchasing you as a potential customer. The media sells its audience to advertisers. When a news story makes powerful people uncomfortable, they often try to stop it and flack them. And at last there is common enemy for all people to hate, often without knowing the whole truth. Popular enemies includes terrorism, communism, Muslims peoples, communism, Marxism, immigrants, liberalist, and intellectuals.
“Journalism cannot be a check on power, because the very system encourages complicity."
Powerful figures operate through the media, using its influence to shape our thought processes and control the masses. According to Noam Chomsky, the 20 percent of educated elite individuals are the decision-makers in society. They use the power of media to control the remaining 80 percent of the population, who are expected to follow orders and remain passive. This dynamic creates an illusion of democracy within the country.
The case of Ravish Kumar exemplifies this context. He is known for practicing true journalism. However, during his time at NDTV, he often opposed the powers that be. Ultimately, when Adani Corporation acquired NDTV, it was seen as an attempt to silence Ravish Kumar, leading to his resignation as a news reporter.
Your perspective on what it means to be a "truly educated person" in today’s media-saturated world
In my opinion, being truly educated means to be able to think freely but in right direction, and having an insight about various political and societal matter. By which we can be representative of our community or culture. We should be able to look deep within the matter and inquire into that. We should not have knowledge in matter of textbooks but we should be able to connect that with our day to day like.
Chomsky's words are more clearly describes it...
It’s not important what we cover in the class; it’s important what you discover.
Words: 1437
Thank you.
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