Money, politics, sex, greed, and organizations are all subjects to society. Society is all around us; on the television, the radio, in conversations and in the newspapers. Its even reflected in the clothes that we wear.In my opinion such authority as the government are largely behind setting the standards for what is expected of certain individuals and the media publicise this in magazines, film and radio. Although to a certain extent this is unknown to many.
An example of publicism through popular culture; in the House of Commons Culture Secretary Andy Burnham explained X-Factor’s choice to eliminate Laura White from the programme was an outrage. Bearing in mind the popularity of the programme X-Factor, could this conversation in the House of Commons have been a publicity stunt for exposure on the matters in the House?
Those that are highly influential such as teenagers who read magazines may well be unaware that the pictures they see in magazines are placing beliefs, that a certain way to look is ‘normal’ and even 'compulsary'. Which is why on the front of magazines, companies will go to extremes to grab attention for their particular interest.
Take George Orwell’s book ‘Animal farm’ for instance; he represents how ideology can be manipulated by those in the position of power and even in a utopian society it is impossible to avoid such an influence even from the people who initially created the society. What this suggests is that even in a utopian society a leader is still present, who has either been elected or founded the ‘group’; to influence others and to control both their behaviour and their way of thinking.
Recommended Reading:
Orwell, G. (1945). Animal Farm. London: Secker & Warburg
Genosko, G. (2001). Uncollected Baudrillard. London, GBR: Sage Publications Ltd. p39. <http://site.ebrary.com/lib/wolverhampton/Doc?id=10076764&ppg=46>
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