Also, while reading this essay, it made me think about an activity that Dr. Tillmann made us do in one of my CMC courses. In CMC 200, we did an activity where we identified how these ideologies and metanarratives impede our everyday thinking. This activity helped me understand about the hegemonic powers that control our culture. With learning about theory it can be quite tricky sometimes, but I am happy that I can go back to the concepts that I learned in my 200-level class to help me tease out these big concepts.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Hebdige Blog Post Post class
In Hebdige Essay, "From culture to Hegemony; Subculture: The Unnatural Break," I liked how the author tied in Barthes's perspective into the essay. In the section of the piece, Hebdige talks about how Barthes wanted to "expose" the nature of our culture in our society. Through Barthes' analysis, he finds that our culture and society are controlled by systematic elements (ideologies) that keep us at float. Barthes deeper understand about culture and who controls it started to make me think about how I operate in society. Between class on Tuesday and now, I was thinking hard about if the actions that I have partaken in my life are entirely based on what I wanted to do, and honestly, I could find one action that was entirely my own decision. For example, I realized that everything I buy is to be up to date with the latest fashion or technology. I don't think I ever thought about if I, Tianna-Marie, wanted to purchase those items. Due to the ideology of capitalism that shapes America, citizens are always craving for the latest trend to fit in. With internalizing this information, it made me aware of how my life is controlled by ideologies and the ideals of people in power. I think this section of the class has helped me understand the difference between modernism and postmodernism. This is because it is easy for me to put these concepts into perspective when I am wrestling with these two concepts in real life. Before this class, I was submissive to the fact that certain metanarratives were controlling me and my decision making, which essentially constructed the structured lifestyle that I abide by. Now, with learning about what I am learning in this class, I am asking the questions and searching for meaning outside of these narratives that are controlling me.
Also, while reading this essay, it made me think about an activity that Dr. Tillmann made us do in one of my CMC courses. In CMC 200, we did an activity where we identified how these ideologies and metanarratives impede our everyday thinking. This activity helped me understand about the hegemonic powers that control our culture. With learning about theory it can be quite tricky sometimes, but I am happy that I can go back to the concepts that I learned in my 200-level class to help me tease out these big concepts.
Also, while reading this essay, it made me think about an activity that Dr. Tillmann made us do in one of my CMC courses. In CMC 200, we did an activity where we identified how these ideologies and metanarratives impede our everyday thinking. This activity helped me understand about the hegemonic powers that control our culture. With learning about theory it can be quite tricky sometimes, but I am happy that I can go back to the concepts that I learned in my 200-level class to help me tease out these big concepts.
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Tianna-Marie,
ReplyDeleteReading your thought process that resulted from this text and the accompanying class time was really insightful to me and my learning process as well. I am thankful for you admission of being submissive to these metanarratives controlling our thinking, as I too, prior to this class was in the same line of thinking and understanding myself in the context of my culture.
It’s a little unnerving to realize that so much of our thinking and decisions are based on the way things are structured and messaged and not from our own volition. I had a hard time initially accepting this concept, as I pride myself on being an individual in my decision making (and maybe even stubborn). But the reality is as long as I am submersed in society and am exchanging within it (socially, academically, economically, etc) than I am also being affected by the ideologies presented within those cultural texts.
Another point that specifically stood out to me was the “structured lifestyle [you now] abide by.” Personally, your articulation of this helps me better understand the concepts of ideology from my own cultural lens. It’s particularly interesting to see that the structure and normalcy of life that we are so accustomed to has a name and an observable practice.
I thought the connection you made to the other course you took was interesting and seems like an activity I too would benefit greatly from as I’m now consistently seeking out better ways to be a more active consumer of media and culture.