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
The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways;
the point, however, is to change is - Marx, K (1846)
- No point in thinking without combining it with action
- CTS find a synthesis between thinking and doing
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 concept of dialectical materialism
Particular way about thinking about human behaviour, science and the world. What it is to be a human
A philosophical method of thinking. Let to the rise of the soviet union.
Capitalism
Control of the means of production in private hands
A market where labour power is bought and sold
Production of commodities for sale
Use of money as a means of exchange
Competition / meritocracy
Revolves around the logic of a market, everything is bought and sold, including people.
Its a competition that makes us compete, says if you are at the top of society you deserve to be, drilled into you through schooling - grades, jobs, encouraged to knife your fellow man in the back.
1. Primitive Communism: as seen in cooperative tribal societies.
- Society would change, accidental hierarchies, someone has power over someone else
2. Slave Society: develops when the tribe becomes acity-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.
- Marx thought society would become so far apart, so unfair, so much difference in wealth.
5. Socialism: (“Dictatorship of Proletariat"): workers gain class consciousness, overthrow the capitalists and take control over the state.
- Redistribute wealth
6. Communism: a classless and stateless society.
Marx's Concept of Base / Superstructure
Base
forces of production - materials, tools, workers, skills, etc.
- How many workers in number does a society have, what machines etc
relations of production - employer/employee, class, master/slave, etc
- Put into situation and by accident they end up in some sort of relationship with production. On the male / female side, Black / white side.
- Everything can be traced back to class, racial politics etc. Read as emerging from a certain political attidude
social institutions - legal, political, cultural
Produce art, cultures etc that reflect the capitalist society
forms of consciousness - ideology *
‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’
(Marx, Communist Manifesto)
Relations of production
Means of production
"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.
( Describing the base)
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 base determines the superstructure and the way we think about ourselves, social being that determines our lives)
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.
At a certain stage in their development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with the existing relations of production ...
With the change in economic foundation the whole immense superstructure is more or less rapidly transformed. In considering such transformations it is always necessary to distinguish between the material transformation of the economic conditions of production, which can be determined with the precision of natural science, and the legal, political, religious, artistic or philosophic, in short, ideological forms in which men become conscious of this conflict and fight it out."
(Its these forms, the way that we think, that are a real battle round to any kind of revelation)
- Marx, (1857) ‘Contribution to the critique of Political Economy’
Saying we are forced into situations that we dont really have control of.
The queen isn't the top shes just a figure head.
The Bourgeoisie - Ideology
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'
- Religion in a cynical Marxist reading seen as the ultimate trap for the worker, ultimate mind control.
- The way in which a certain set of ideas masks your way of thinking about the world. Covers over class distinctions, race distinctions - legitimised the oppression of different genders of classes. Creates false consciousness as apposed to a true conciousness. We don't understand that in various ways we are disputed.
[ The ruling class has ] to represent its interest as the common interest of all the members of society, ... to give its ideas the form of universality, and represent them as the only rational, universally valid ones.
Karl Marx, (1846) The German Ideology,
- This is how people don't realise they are oppressed
'Religion is the opiate of the masses' - Karl Marx 1843
Art as ideology
- People had this idea that art is about one persons free expression
- One amazing idea that has to be communicated to society
- Only people who allowed to be artists were the ones who had money to be educated
- Women never allowed to be artists
- Those who buy art decide what they want on it, the rich buy art from the rich
- Selecting a certain ruling class
SOCIETY = ECONOMIC, POLITICAL & IDEOLOGICAL
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 Ideology is a practice
It becomes a relation, a thing, and idea in which we live our lives.
It becomes a mechanism in which we lead our lives, it seems to offer reasons for why we are in our situation.
- Women, makes them think its ok, makes them think women are more beautiful than men.
A means of production
Disseminates the views of the ruling class (dominant hegemonic)
Media creates a false consciousness
- All of the media outlets are owned by 8 super rich powers, it reflects ideology thats in the world already. Its a powerful way of controlling the way we think and feel.
The individual is produced by nature; the subject by culture. (Fiske, 1992)
The constitution of the subject
Interpellation (Althusser)
News papers
- depending who they are aimed at changes the tone of voice, the wording, the type.
- The Sun etc - Football, slang, television - It becomes a way of life, start to recognise this as their culture, becomes a way in which you live your life. If they were controlled by the working class they would have a very different outcome.
- Times - Serif Typeface, very different issues
Different representations of the student riots through the different papers,
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
[ The ruling class is ] compelled ... to represent its interests as the common interest of all members of society ... to give its ideas the form of universality, and represent them as the only rational, universally valid ones.
Karl Marx, The German Ideology, 1846
‘Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most of the relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves’ Berger, Ways of Seeing, 1972
Females in the mediaSelf perpetuating circle,
I can't cook. Who cares? - Wonderbra Ad
- One layer suggesting that all women should be able to cook etc
- Another saying you don't need to be intelligent or have skills you just need to look good to succeed.
Commodity Fetishism (Marx, Capital Vol 1)
When we start to commodities things, i.e. a pair of trainers, you think its cool and they start to take the image of being cool instead of the person.
Justin Gignac, 26, ad exec -this project as result of a bet between execs
Trash sells for $50-100, but garbage is free!
Again to me, this image sums up Williamson point about the human consciousness under Capitalism -
1) An intrinsic need for human bonds / contact.
2) A reified relation with place, where NYC almost becomes a substitute for a person. NYC, or the ideal of NYC is commodified. The product is pure surplus value, pure fetish.
People don't consider themselves to be workers, makes them think they are not part of the working class when they are actually selling their skills in labour.
Adbusters 'Culture Jamming'
Working with the media thats around and subverting the media apparatus from within, various political agendas.
Billboards - change them to have different political messages, because they are already effective at what they do your message becomes more prominent.
Questions to think about
What examples of art or design in your field could be determined by social or political factors ?
Where is ideology hidden behind the appearance of design ?
What other aspects of political divisions, or class conflict, affect design ?
