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IDEOLOGY AND HEGEMONY RULING CLASS AND THE RULING IDEAS BY KARL MARX AND FRIEDRICH ENGELS Marx and Engels: The ruling class controls the material aspects of society and dominates the realm of ideas There is a division of labor in the ruling class - the thinkers and ideologists a...

IDEOLOGY AND HEGEMONY RULING CLASS AND THE RULING IDEAS BY KARL MARX AND FRIEDRICH ENGELS Marx and Engels: The ruling class controls the material aspects of society and dominates the realm of ideas There is a division of labor in the ruling class - the thinkers and ideologists and those who receive the ideas given by the former Ideas should not be viewed to be independent to the ruling class. Ideas should be viewed as shaped by the conditions and interests of the ruling class. 3 ATTEMPTS AT PROVING HEGEMONY OF THE SPIRIT IN HISTORY Separate the ideas of the ruling class for empirical reasons Bring order into the rule of ideas and prove a mystical connection among the successive ruling ideas To remove this, the self-determining concept should be changed into a person (self-consciousness) ANTONIO GRAMSCI’S HISTORY OF THE SUBALTERN CLASSES: THE CONCEPT OF IDEOLOGY; CULTURAL THEMES: IDEOLOGICAL MATERIAL ANTONIO GRAMSCI - A founding member and one-time leader of the Italian Communist Party. Vocal critic of Benito Mussolini and fascism. Imprisoned in 1926 and dies in 1937. Rejects Sensationalism. HISTORY OF THE SUBALTERN CLASSES - HISTORICAL UNITY OF RULING CLASSES - relationship between the state and Civil Society - SUBALTERN HISTORY cannot unite until they become a State A. Subaltern - any low-rank person or groups in society - Antonio Gramsci - SUPREMACY OF A SOCIAL GROUP MANIFESTS ITSELF IN TWO WAYS A. Domination B. Intellectual and moral leadership CONCEPT OF IDEOLOGY Ideology originally is the “Science of Ideas” which came from sensationalism, then it became the “analysis of ideas” and “investigation of the origin of ideas”. Concept of Ideology - Systemt of Ideas THE POTENTIAL ERROR IN ASSESSING THE VALUE OF IDEOLOGIES WHEN: 1. Ideology is identified as distinct from the structure and ideology does not change the structure = vice versa 2. A given political solution is ideological which is useless and stupid  3. Every ideology is pure, useless, and stupid TWO TYPES OF IDEOLOGIES AS SUGGESTED BY GRAMSCI HISTORICALLY ORGANIC IDEOLOGIES ARBITRARY IDEOLOGIES Needed to a given structure Willed, rationalistic, arbitrary Arbitrary means based on a random choice or personal whim CULTURAL THEMES: IDEOLOGICAL MATERIAL The ruling class builds and maintains power through an organized system of ideas and beliefs with the help of other influences. IDEOLOGY AND IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUSES IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUSES (ISAs) - Institutions (schools, media, religious organizations, etc) shape a person’s beliefs, value, and identity - A central concept in Louis Althusser’s analysis of ideology and role within capitalist societies IDEOLOGY - More than a set of beliefs in the world. Includes material practices within institutions that lead to the formation and reproduction of social relationships. REPRESSIVE STATE APPARATUS (RSA) - How the state controls people through violence or repression DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUS REPRESSIVE STATE APPARATUS Many apparatus One apparatus Functions by ideology Functions by Violence Belongs to the private domain Belongs to the public domain THE CULTURE INDUSTRY AND ART AND MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION THE CULTURE INDUSTRY: ENLIGHTENMENT AS MASS DECEPTION Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno - German philosophers and social theorists. Key members of the Frankfurt School Frankfurt School - known for the critical analysis of society, culture, and philosophy CULTURE INDUSTRY - a system of mass production and consumption of cultural goods (film, music, etc) which strengthens capitalism. Culture has become similar everywhere. The contemporary cultural forms that we have right now are being used as instruments of oppression. How? 1. Shifts the attention of the public from the actual issues of the society 2. Spreads ideology 3. Creates artificial needs 4. Limits critical thinking CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE INDUSTRY: 1. Mass production 2. Commercialization 3. Standardization 4. Ideological control Sameness is a form of mass deception CULTURE INDUSTRY AND CAPITALISM - Culture is being commercialized which results to the loss of identity and artistic value. Standardization lessens the uniqueness of a product. CULTURE INDUSTRY MEDIA INDUSTRY - providing production value to the cultural products makes repetition THE WORK OF ART IN THE AGE OF MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION REPRODUCTION - production in history provides great effects in media. The rise of technology strengthened the reproduction of art and media which directly affects the way on how people consume art. TECHNICAL REPRODUCTION - provides new perspective to art. Because of its accessibility, the art loses the aura which comes from the tradition and history L'art pour l'art - Art for art’s sake CULT VALUE & EXHIBITION VALUE CULT VALUE - pertains to the value of an object. EXHIBITION VALUE - created to showcase it to the public PHOTOGRAPHY - the way to change the perspective and idea of a person towards art DEBATE AND THE RISE OF FILMS “Does photography changed the nature of art?” TWO TYPES OF PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE ON STAGE PERFORMANCE ON FILM Provides direct connection with the actor Audiences become critical. and audience No connection with actor Showcase of self: The aura of the actor at the stage is being lost during a film because the camera serves as substitute as audience DIFFERENT TECHNICALITIES IN CREATING ART PAINTER - Has distance from reality CAMERAMAN - Directly interacts with reality thru camera POV OF ART IN FILMS Luigi Pirandello’s “Si Gira” - uses mechanical contrivance. “the greatest effects are almost always obtained by ‘acting’ as little as possible…”inserted at the proper place.” DIFFERENT REACTIONS TOWARD ART The art or painting is commonly enjoyed by some people just once Film can be seen by the audience numerous times and can directly accept art AUDIENCE RECEPTION AND MASS MEDIA THROUGH THE CAMERA’S LENSES AS A PRODUCTION APPARATUS - the characteristics of media is shown by the creator through a mechanical apparatus to showcase the environment DADAISM - created art that breaks the standardization THE CONCEPT OF FASCISM - flat ars - pereat mundus. The beauty of war as manifestation of the usage of technology in the reproduction of art. TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANS BERNARD STIEGLER - A prominent French philosopher known for his extensive work on the relationship between technology, memory, and desire. He is described as “one of the most influential European philosophers of the 21st century.” He is also an important theorist of the effects of digital technology. THE DIFFERENCE OF THE HUMAN Humans and technics are independent Technology as an Extension of Humanity (Exteriorization) - Tools externalize capabilities like memory and creativity = creates “technological self” Epiphylogenesis - A Second Memory: Cultural and Technological memory (epiphylogenesis) accumulates externally. Enables human advancements beyond genetic evolution. Death, memory, and Innovation - Tools act as extensions of life preserving human achievements beyond death. EVERYTHING BEGINS WITH FEET LEROI GOURHAN - “reconsider how tools and technologies shape human history and identity” ROUSSEAU’S NATURAL HUMAN - Leroi-Gourhan rejects the idea of “original human” who exists independently of technics and culture because this ignores the dynamic process of becoming and evolution. CHALLENGING ANTHROPOCENTRIC VIEWS humans are a continuation of zooligcal processes shaped by technology and sociocultural dynamics. ADVANCE AND DELAY Evolution as Structural tension Human evolution is not straightforward. It is a series of ruptures and adaptations driven by tension and indeteminacy Leroi-Gourhan - human evolution that prioritizes mobility, technics, and exteriorization over intelligence or biological determinism. THE ROLE OF THE SKELETON Upright Posture Enhanced Brain Development THE ROLE OF EQUIPMENT Tools as extension of the Body Technological advancements THE ROLE OF BRAIN Cognitive Development Cultural Transmission IMPLICATIONS Co-evolution Technological Determinism Human Technology Symbiosis TECHNICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND ANTICIPATION - how technology shapes cognition, perception, and understanding of the world TECHNICAL CONSCIOUSNESS - technology is not just a tool but an extension of our being ANTICIPATION - crucial aspect of technology is its ability to anticipate the future THE ROLE OF MEMORY technology is the external memory system THE PHARMAKON - technology can be both a poison and a cure THE DOUBLE ORIGIN OF TECHNICAL DIFFERENTIATION - symbolizes the mutual influence between human brain and tools Cortex + Biological Basis + Cognitive Development Flint + Technological Tool + Cultural Significance + The cortex and flint represent a symbiotic relationship between human biology and technology INSTRUMENTAL MAIEUTICS/MIRROR PROTO-STAGE - aa critical period in human evolution where the development of the human brain and creation of tools were mutually influential. Exteriorization - externalizing or offloading Extension of Human Capacities - humans extend their physical and cognitive abilities Cultural Transmission - crucial in the transmission of knowledge and culture across generations The Risk of Alienation - Can also lead to a loss of autonomy and increase dependance to technology TECHNICAL REFLEXIVITY SYMBOLIC REFLEXIVITY The capacity of humans to understand, The role of symbols and language in critique, and shape technological systems shaping human thought and behavior THE LANGUAGE OF THE ALMOST HUMAN - relationship between language, symbolism, and brain development in Homo Fabers Early hominid language uses flexible symbols Two stages of early languages 1. Limited to concrete 2. Involves abstract symbols Memories of the Rupture Instinct and Intelligence Each social group has a unique form of memory There is a difference in the level of programming in nonhuman animals. Three levels of Human Intelligence | 1. Species-related 2. Socioethnic 3. Individual Three levels of memory | 1. Genetic memory 2.Epigenetic memory 3. Epiphylogenetic memory The who: the organism | The what: the tools. BABR 3-3 D PROPAGANDA MODEL EDWARD HERMAN - Economist and media analyst. Co-author of “Manufacturing Consent”. Focused on Corporate Power and Media Control NOAM CHOMSKY - Linguist, Philosopher, and Political activist. Co-author of “Manufacturing Consent.” Critiques of U.S Foreign Policy and Media Systems SIZE, OWNERSHIP, AND PROFIT ORIENTATION OF THE MASS MEDIA - Dominant media firms are large businesses controlled by very wealthy people. Big corporations promote certain viewpoints that align with their business interests, ADVERTISING TO DO BUSINESS - Rely money from corporate advertisers to operate. SOURCING MASS-MEDIA NEWS - Mass media are drawing into a symbiotic relationship with powerful sources of information due to economic necessity and reciprocity of interest. They mainly rely on government and corporate spokespersons for information FLAK AND THE ENFORCERS—A flak refers to a negative response to a media statement or program. The government is a major producer of flak for assaulting, threatening, and “correcting” the media. News management is designed to produce flak ANTICOMMUNISM AS A CONTROL MECHANISM - Reaches through the system to profoundly influence mass media. DICHOTOMIZATION AND PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS The five filters narrow the range of news Propaganda campaigns have been closely aligned to the interest of the elite WHAT IS NETFLIX IMPERIALISM? Interrogating the monopoly aspirations of the ‘World’s largest television network’ by Stuart Davis MEDIA IMPERIALISM - refers to the dominance of certain countries, especially Western nations, over the media landscapes of others, often lead to cultural erosion and economic disadvantages for local producers. PLATFORM IMPERIALISM - Expands media imperialism by adding digital platforms - CHARACTERISTICS a. Netflix’ practices focus on vertical integration, scaling production, regulatory avoidance, and user data exploitation b. Netflix sells user data to refine recommendation algorithms for maximized engagement VERTICAL INTEGRATION - This refers to a company's control over multiple stages of its production and distribution process, allowing it to manage everything from creating a product to delivering it directly to consumers. MEDIA EFFECTS THEORIES: ANDREW WHITE ANDREW WHITE OTHER SUPPORTING THEORIES: 1. Agenda-setting theory - Mass Media determine the issues that concern the public rather than the views of the public 2. Uses and Gratifications Theory - Consumers use media to satisfy specific needs or desires 3. Symbolic Interactionism - Self is Derived from and develops through human interaction 4. Spiral of Silence - Those who have a contrasting opinion to the majority tends to silence themselves 5. Cultivation Analysis - How exposure to media cultivates a person’s perception to reality 6. Media logic - Common media formats and styles serve as a means of perceiving the world MEDIA LITERACY - Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication SHORTCOMINGS: Complexity of Information Shift of Responsibility Limited Access to Resources Overconfidence Overemphasis on Digital Skills Echo Chambers and Confirmation Bias Attention Economy CONFIRMATION BIAS  Algorithms Online communities Filtration of information Epistemology - Relates to how individuals come to know and justify their beliefs. FOUR RESEARCH AREAS HOW MEDIA AND COMM SCHOLARS CAN PREVENT FAKERY 1. Relationship with Political Institutions 2. Political Systems Exacerbate Partisanship 3. The Value of Interdisciplinary Perspective - The involvement of two or more academic, scientific, or artistic disciplines 4. The Return of Narrative - must recognize the importance of these narratives to engage with individuals’ genuine concerns while addressing inaccuracies without alienating them - Counter-narratives - the person invoking false narrative has legitimate concerns which should be addressed. ENCODING / DECODING AND REPRESENTATION STUART HALL One of the founders of the British Cultural Studies. Co-founded the Center for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) at the University of Birmingham in 1964 where he served as director from 1968 to 1979. Became a Professor at the Open University in 1979. Hall's model of encoding and decoding highlights the active role of the audience in the communication process, ENCODING - the production of a message. DECODING - the process where an audience member understands and interprets the originally encoded message. 3 CATEGORIES OF PERCEIVING MEDIA TEXT Dominant Reading The whole idea is taken of the producer/author is taken as it is Negotiated Reading The audience acknowledges some part of the text Oppositional Reading Fully rejects or disregards the idea and creates new insights REPRESENTATION THEORY a process by which members of a culture use language... to produce meaning.  organization of signs, which we use to understand and describe the world, into a wider set of values of ideologies. These meanings are not fixed or “real”; they are produced and defined by society. 2 SYSTEMS OF REPRESENTATION THEORY Conceptual Representation the concepts, images, and ideas we have in our minds. The system of mental representation helps us organize and classify objects, people, and events into meaningful categories. This system is also shared culturally Language Representation the use of signs, such as words, sounds, or images, to communicate mental representations to others. Language allows us to express and share our internal concepts (mental representations) with others. Conceptual representation organizes and defines our thoughts while language representation is our tool to communicate organized thoughts. BABR 3-2D TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE MARSHALL MCLUHAN - Prophet of the Information Age - Canadian Philosopher and media theorist - Father of Media Studies - “The Medium is the Message” McLuhan Perspectives - to comprehend the impact of modern media, we should study societies or historical periods where certain media forms were missing. Media - medium of communication and tool for controlling or repressing other groups GLOBAL VILLAGE - the phenomenon of the entire world becoming more interconnected as the result of the propagation of media technologies throughout the world How does technology impact culture? 1. Transforms Communication Styles 2. Alters Media Consumption Patterns  3. Shifts in Social and Political Engagement 4. Commodifies Personal Identity and Stories 5. Encourages the Spread of Global Trends and Cultures 6. Disrupts Traditional Media Structures 7. Changes in work and educational practices Facebook’s broken vow - they vowed to bring people closer together but they created more social division through polarization and disinformation because they prioritize profit over accountability. 1. Invention of the Printing Press 2. Rise of Radio, TV and Cinemas 3. Facebook, YouTube and Instagram 4. Augmented Reality 5. Artificial Intelligence PANOPTICISM AND PROJECT TOROGOZ Michel Foucault - one of the founders of post-structuralism. Critiques of various social institutions. Analyzed power relations. Founder of the groupe d’information sur les prisons. Poststructuralism - A reaction to structuralism and aims to identity underlying structures in culture and language. Emphasizes the role of power and challenges the idea of fixed meanings and truths. Panopticism - disciplines are not just institutions or systems but a type of power and control exercised through various means. Panopticism originated from a prison model called panopticon by Jeremy Bentham where prison cells are enclosed in dark cells and arranged to face a long tower at the center. No cellmate are able to see what’s inside of the tower, but the tower can see all movements of the inmates. Symbolizes control through surveilance Foucault says that liberal society does not need chains to force people to do something. The relationship between poststructuralism and panopticism lies in their shared focus on power dynamics. 1. To obtain the exercise of power at the lowest possible cost. 2. To bring the effects of this social power to their maximum intensity and to extend them as far as possible, without either failure or interval. 3. To link this economic growth of power with the output of the apparatuses. OLD VS NEW POWER STRUCTURES OLD POWER STRUCTURES NEW POWER STRUCTURES  Inefficient and costly More subtle, productive form focused on efficiency and unity POWER EXECUTION - Exercised in gentle ways where surveillance and assessment replace obvious displays of authority. HISTORICAL CONTEXT - The bourgeoisie rose in 18th century, they established an explicit, coded, and formally egalitarian juridical framework. JURIDICAL VS DISCIPLINARY POWER Juridical Power is equated with legal Disciplinary Power creates Asymmetries power. More focus is on the formal structure and hierarchies of law and rights to create equality and Subtle operation through control and justice. surveillance. Legal Systems Prisons Contracts School Courts Workplace PROJECT TOROGOZ The Extensive hacking of Meda and Civil Society in El Salvador with Pegasus Spyware by John Scott Railton, Bill Marczak, Paolo Nigro Herrero, bahr Abdul Razzak, Noura Al Jizawi, Salvatore Solimano and Ron Deibert 35 pegasus-infected individuals with 37 devices among media and civil society Investigated in September 2021 led by Citizen Lab and Access Now with the help from Frontline Defenders, SocialTIC, Fundación Acceso, and Amnesty International’s Security Lab PEGASUS SPYWARE - Formed by Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group founded in 2010. - To eavesdrop on mobile phones and harvest data THE BUKELE ADMINISTRATION Nayib Bukele - shows autocratic tendencies despite being part in left-wing parties. Involved in violent crackdowns, the “millennial authoritarian” 1. Widespread gang violence and aggressive policing 2. 450 illegal private security firms 3. Extrajudicial Killings SALVADOREAN MEDIA - censorship, harassment, siege, and verbal attacks even from Bukele KISMET, an advanced and sophisticated exploit, operates invisibly within iMessage, requiring no user interaction. Notably, in July 2020, KISMET emerged as a formidable zero-day vulnerability, effectively targeting iOS 13.5.1 and successfully breaching Apple's cutting-edge iPhone 11 model. FORCEDENTRY, targets Apple’s image rendering library, and was effective against Apple iOS, MacOS and WatchOS devices. DERRIDA AND DECONSTRUCTION: A LETTER TO A JAPANESE FRIEND Jacques Derrido - writer of the letter in 1980. Provides conversation of the East-West relations. it serves both as a personal correspondence and a philosophical treatise that invites contemplation on the implications of cultural differences and the act of translation. PURPOSE OF THE LETTER Clarification of Deconstruction A Reflection on Translation Encouraging Interpretive Freedom Philosophical Reflection on Language LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY - Structures of language are not neutral, they provide cultural biases. + Aligns with his critique on logocentricism, the prioritization of speech or presence over writing in absence + Reliance on Context, nuance, and absence of certain binary oppositions prevalent in Western thought CHALLENGES OF TRANSLATION - creation f new meanings, emphasizes the instability of language ETHICS OF INTERPRETATION - The interpreter should be aware of their biases and limitations CRITIQUE OF DUALITIES - Has binary oppositions = self/other, presence/absence, Western/Eastern which fail to capture cultural identities and experiences. DIFFERANCE - Difference and deferral = meanings are never fully present or fixed. They are deferred in a web of relationships + Crucial for understanding cultural interactions INTERTEXTUALITY AND INFLUENCE - no idea exists in isolation; rather, all thought is part of a broader dialogue. = Influence of Eastern Thought = Philosophical Tradition BABR 3-2N INSERT GROUP 1 HERE SOCIETY OF SPECTACLE GUY DEBORD - French Marxist Theorist, activist, philosopher, and filmmaker. - Arch-critic of consumerism, theorist of “The Spectacle” - Key member and political theorist of Situationist International - Out transformation into a world “mediated by images” correlates with the production of mass social alienation ORIGIN AND SIGNIFICANCE - The Commodity of Spectacle by Guy Debord came from Karl Marx’s ideas about commodities and capitalism and its WHAT IS SPECTACLE? 1. A visually striking performance or display [Oxford Dictionary] 2. An eye-catching or dramatic public display [Merriam Webster Dictionary] 3. Visual images and representations presented by different media platforms for social relations 4. Leading to a society where appearances matter more than substance EFFECTS OF SPECTACLE 1. Passive Consumption 2. Blurs Reality and Representation 3. Maintains Capitalist Ideology 4. Diverts Attention from Social Issues 5. Alienation 6. Being into having SUGGESTIONS OF DEBORD 1. Construct a concrete society and integrate self-help 2. Revolutionary change 3. Spontaneity 4. Heightened sense of awareness and critical consciousness “What we think is true is actually false” – Irfan Ajvazi THE PUBLIC SPHERE Jurgen Habermas (Born in June 18, 1929) - One of the leading social theorists and philosophers of the post-Second World War Period in Germany, Europe and US  - Second-generation Frankfurt School theorist The Public Sphere - a realm of social life which public opinion can be formed. Access is guaranteed to all citizens. Portion of the sphere comes into being in every conversation where private individuals assemble to form a public body. Public sphere arose in the 18th century, it mediates between society and state. State authority is considered as “public” authority. They’re not part of the public sphere, they are only the executor of policies. Habermas = Mass media can manipulate public discourse and lead it to refeudalization ENLIGHTENMENT BY IMMANUEL KANT “Sapere Aude!” = “Dare to know!” Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage. + Tutelage is inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another We don’t live in an enlightened age, we live in an age of enlightenment TIMELINE OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE Before the 18th Century Ruler as the Embodiment of the Public Sphere The 18th Century Emergence of the Bourgeosie Public Sphere: 1. Public opinion emerged as distinct entity 2. Rise of bourgeosie 3. Rise of Intellectual Newspapers 4. General interest Late 18th and Early 19th Century Constitutional Recognition and Rise of Political Journalism: 1. Rise of Daily Political newspapers 2. Emergence of editorial staff 3. Incorporation of early modern constitutions The 19th and 20th centuries Mass Media, Refeudalization and the Struggle for a Meaningful Public Sphere: 1. Rise of the Social Welfare State 2. Mass media’s role in the transformation  3. Potential refeudalization of the public sphere 4. Utilizing “publicity” to manage and control public perception THE LIBERAL MODEL OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE - where society is seen as a domain of private autonomy, while public authority is restricted. It operates through the communication of bourgeois needs to the state, aiming to make political authority rational, based on the general interest (Habermas, 2001) THE RISE OF THE BOURGEOISIE OR “THIRD ESTATE” THE BOURGEOISIE’S Advocates for transparency and public scrutiny PRINCIPLE OF SUPERVISION (Publizität) of power, as a way to transform the nature of power itself rather than merely shifting its source or structure. THE EARLY Reflect the core principles of the liberal public sphere. CONSTITUTIONS, RIGHTS, Political authority to Rational Authority by aligning with AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE the general interest POLITICAL JOURNALISM Captures the transformation of journalism during this AND ITS TRANSFORMATION period into a powerful political tool” CONVICTION TO the press itself became COMMERCIAL JOURNALISM commercialized; it shifted from a medium of convictions to a medium of commerce." THE PUBLIC SPHERE IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE STATE MASS DEMOCRACY FACTORS OF LIMITATION: 1. Expansion and Fragmentation of the Public 2. The Role of the State Influence of Organized Interests Refeudalization andthe Decline of Critical Functions Construction of Publicity over Public Opinion - "making proceedings public (Publizität) was intended to subject persons or affairs to public reason" The Glimpse of Hope - Expansion of fundamental rights within the social welfare state THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMMONS: PUBLIC SPHERE, AGONISM, AND ALGORITHMIC OBLIGATION Fiduciary responsibility and its consequences Fiduciary responsibility - a fungible concept. Not affixed in any particular statute  - Promotes the value of the corporation for the benefit of its stockholders - Great Virtue PLATFORM CAPITALISM ALGORITHMS “citizen becomes the product and The constant drive to gain more and more users' attention falls on algorithms. innovation is steered toward finding ways to keep users on the platform” The ability of foreign governments, domestic opportunists, and disruptive trolls to exploit these platforms is not coincidental. Overview of Political Obligation 1. Consent theories 2. Theories of Fair play 3. Gratitude Theories 4. Associative theories 5. Natural duty theories The social media corporations’ obligation is a type of Agonistic obligation 1. Barber’s 2011 - Privatization will lead to monopolization 2. Fossen 2014 - normative and pragmatist frameworks 3. Political obligations can be seen as practical commitments 4. Social media platforms have an obligation to their users and vice versa ORIENTALISM Edward Said (1935-2003), a Palestinian-American scholar, significantly impacted postcolonial theory through his seminal work, “Orientalism,” published in 1978. He critiqued Western representations of the East, arguing that such portrayals were constructed to assert dominance and manage the Orient politically and ideologically. Orientalism as a discourse that encompasses the systematic way Western cultures have shaped their understanding of the East, often reducing it to stereotypes and exoticism. The concept reveals how media continues to propagate Orientalist views, especially in its biased representations of Muslim cultures. In the Philippine context, Orientalist portrayals emerge in media representations of Muslim Filipinos, reinforcing stereotypes of violence and exoticism. Additionally, Richard Brody’s critique of “Bontoc Eulogy” explores the multidimensional impacts of colonialism on Filipino identity. Key Insights Edward Said’s “Orientalism” critiques Western cultural representations of the East.  Orientalism serves as a tool for Western dominance, shaping perceptions through stereotypes. The distinction between pure and political knowledge highlights biases in scholarly representations of the Orient. Media representations of the East often reinforce harmful stereotypes and maintain Western superiority. The concept of cultural oblivion illustrates the erasure of history and identity resulting from colonialism. Frequently Asked Questions What is Orientalism? Orientalism is a framework defined by Edward Said, referring to the Western depiction and understanding of the East, which often embodies stereotypes and power imbalances. How does Orientalism manifest in media? Orientalism in media manifests through biased portrayals of Eastern cultures, reducing them to simplistic stereotypes and reinforcing notions of Western superiority. Why is the distinction between pure and political knowledge important? This distinction is crucial as it emphasizes how political and economic interests shape knowledge production, leading to biased representations of cultures. How does the Philippine context illustrate Orientalism? In the Philippines, Orientalist portrayals often reduce Muslim Filipinos to stereotypes, reflecting internalized colonial mentalities that impact ethnic and cultural identities. Postmodernity and Posthumanism Postmodernism is a way of thinking that began in the 1960s - It focuses on breaking traditions and mixing different styles and ideas - Things are more flexible and open to change - Postmodernism says there are no fixed rules Postmodernism or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism Fredric Jameson was a prominent figure in postmodernism - His work explored cultural shifts linked to postmodernism - Influenced by Marxist theory, focusing on how economic systems shape culture and consciousness - The Political Unconscious (1981), The Antinomies of Realism (2013), and Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (1991) Aesthetic Populism  - Pop culture dominates modern aesthetics Postmodernism as Cultural Dominant - Pop culture dominates modern aesthetics Deconstruction of Expression - Language and expression lose coherence in postmodern culture - Diamond Dust Shoes = Materialism and superficial beauty are prominent in postmodern culture The Waning of Affect - Shallow emotional responses are common in modern culture Euphoria and Self-Annihilation - The pursuit of pleasure can lead to emptiness and self-destruction Postmodern & The Past - History is fragmented, losing continuity - Pastiche imitates without critique; parody once provided critique - History is reduced to trends, disconnected from real events The Fate of 'Real History' + What is real history? It is distorted and commodified + Radical past movements are diluted by consumerism The Nostalgia Mode - Nostalgia is a commodity, a way of selling the past for consumption Disconnection between words, images, and meanings Radical cultural differences are mixed without seeking harmony The Breakdown of the Signifying Chain 1. Words, images, and meanings are disconnected 2. Collage and Radical Difference 3. Radical cultural differences are mixed without seeking harmony The Hysterical Sublime - Emotional excess masks deeper meaning The Apotheosis of Capitalism - Capitalism becomes the ultimate, unquestioned force Postmodernism and the City - Cities are spectacles and products of capitalism The Bonaventure Hotel - Hollow, commodified spaces of modern life The New Machine - Technology and systems dominate human life The Ambition of Critical Distance- Loss of the ability to critically engage with media and culture The Need for Maps - Finding ways to navigate the complexities of postmodern life Social Cartography and Symbol - Maps the fragmented social landscape, with symbols representing shifting, context-dependent meanings in a postmodern world The Precession of the Simulacra ❖ Simulation, the act of making something that imitates the original but is not the original, is no longer of a territory, referential being, or substance ❖ It is a generation b model of real without origin or reality: a hyperreal The Divine Irreverence of Images ➔ To dissimulate is to pretend not to have what one has. ➔ To simulate is to feign to have what one doesn't have. Three Orders of Simulacra The image in pre-modern times is a clear counterfeit of the real and it’s recognized as an illusion. The 19th-century industrial revolution sees a breakdown in distinctions between the image and representation because of mass production and copies The Hyperreal and the Imaginary Disneyland is a perfect model showcasing all entangled orders within simulacra. Simulation is characterized by a precession of the model or models come first, their circulation, orbital motion like that of a bomb constitutes the magnetic field related to the event. Impossibility of the Real 1. Simulation vs. Reality 2. Media and Hyperreality 3. Power and Simulation 4. Hyperreal Sociality Postmodernism & Millennials: How they Affect Consumer Behavior Shopping is no longer about just big brands. Many smaller specialized shops exist. Art and pop culture mix in advertising What is Postmodernism? Postmodernism is a thought process initiated in the 1960's - Mixes different styles and traditions - Flexible and open to change - Shopping is focused less on brands, and more on specialty shops and niche products. How Postmodernism Affects Millennials Millennials don't follow traditional rules - Believe truth is personal and different for each person. They value feelings over logic, meaning everything is open to interpretation The Meme Factory: How TikTok Holds Our Attention - TikTok is more than an entertainment platform, it’s a cultural force - TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is a Chinese tech company focused on AI Attention Economy - TikTok capitalizes on the "attention economy" by turning user attention into a commodity Psychological Impact - The constant simulation and fast content of TikTok causes psychological effect on users