Stuart Hall's cultural studies is "a neo-Marxist critique that sets forth the position that mass media manufacture consent for dominant ideologies." Our text book says that Hall joins a "group of critical scholars who attack mainstream communication...narrowly focused on discovering cause-and-effect relationships." 

The book mentions that after 9/11, former president Bush somehow convinced Americans to show love and support for our country by essentially spending money. He made it clear that "this was an especially good time to buy a new car." As a result, "new car sales increased 31 percent in the first two months after the tragedy." How is it that patriotism and buying cars were put together in this equation? This was never answered but was clearly accepted by the population as the statistic above shows. 

I came across the cover for the latest issue of Newsweek, and the similarity both in the visual given and the message was pretty interesting. The Newsweek cover also has Uncle Sam telling us to spend our money in order to find relief. This time, our relief from the recession. Both images are shaping our ideology (frameworks through which we interpret, understand, and make sense of social existence). So if the campaign to spend worked out before, can it work this time as well? Who is behind the campaign this time and why? Will people question why this is a good idea or will they just succumb to the media again? These are some questions that I don't have a clear idea on after reading this chapter... 

cultural studies

Marx's epitaph is a statement for the cultural studies of Stuart Hall which states, "...the philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it." Hall's main theoretical point is to empower people who are "on the margins of society."

I would have to say I agree with Hall's cultural studies, which puts emphasis on how the mass media "maintain the dominance of those already in positions of power." Although it is a cynical view of the media, I think that everyone must ask the question, how and when are we influenced by the media and not even realize it? When are our opinions influenced by what we see and what we hear within the mainstream? I bet the answer is more often than one would think.

As you may have noticed, Hall calls his studies "cultural studies" instead of "media studies." This is because Hall believes that academic isolation of the discipline of communication is counteractive. Hall is trying to "liberate people from an unknowing acquiescene to the dominant ideology of the culture." He wishes to "raise our consciousness of the media's role in preserving the status quo."

Are we influenced by the mass media and the status quote they set?
Are people in power influenced as well, or do you believe they are somehow "exempt" to the scewed messages the media sends to society? A video that fits into this study perfectly:



"When they own the information, they can bend it all they want."