2022-06-27

Last updated Aug 15, 2023

#technology #culturalstudies

• A law is a more solidifed and formal statement, distilled and arrived at from repeated experiemnts
• Theories are not laws because they have not been verified to the same degree, and may not be sufficiently general; theories may lead to the formulation of laws in the long run, eventually

• Base: a combination of the ‘forces of production’ and the ‘relations of production’.
  • ==Forces of production:== raw materials, tools, tehcnology, workers, and their skills, etc.
  • ==The relations of production:== class relations of those engaged in production.
  • Each mode of production produces its own particular relations of production. One’s class positon is determined by one’s relationship to the mode of production.
    • E.G. capitalist mode: bourgeois/proletariat relations
• Superstructure: ==institutions== (political, legal, educational, cultural, etc.) and ==‘definite forms of social consciousness’== generalized by these which arise on the basis of the mode of production (economic base)
• Systems of infrastructure

• In Marxism, an ideology is a ==false set of ideas perpetuated by the dominant political class==
• According to this stance, the mass media functions to produce ==‘false consciousness’==
• This leads to an ==extreme stance== whereby media products are seen aas to be monolithic expressions of ruling class values

• socio-economic approach
• emphasis on class struggle
• ideology and ‘false consciousness’

from the video recommendations

• Marx is concerned with ==freedom==. He asked: “How can people be free?” Because humans aren’t naturally free; we’re actually very constrained.
• Labor: the work we put in to survive in our world (by changing it)
  • We must labor cooperatively in order to survive
• We may have freed ourselves from natural constraints (i.e. physical bodies), we entangled ourselves in new ==social constraints== (i.e. inequal power structures)
• Thus, Marxism is concerned with labor: how it’s organized, who benefits, how it changes over time
• Historical Materialism: looks at ==change over time== + concerned w/ questions of ==material reality==: production and control of resources
  • In order to understand things like politics and religion, you need to understand that material reality they were based on first
• Base and superstructure
• Marx saw historical development in terms of ==modes of production== and ==economic classes==
  • modes of production: stags of history
• Industrial capitalism
  • working class (proletariat) v.s. capitalists (bourgeoise)
  • difference in control over means of production -> exploitation in capitalism in the form of ==wage labor==
  • difference between value of wage & value of what’s produced -> source of ==surplus== in capitalism
  • 1 big problem: crises…specifically, ==crises of production==…for the first itme in history, there are crises of having too much
    • advances always stall, because forces of production will always run up against the limits created by the relations of production
      • limiting factories, technology, human labor
    • capitalists drove down wages in pursuit of profit, and they competed with each other, leading to a lack of coordination in the economy
      • Wound up with a population that couldn’t afford to buy anything, but at the same time were offered more goods than they could ever need
    • In short: ==relations of production that created economic growth became precisely the things that causes crises==
• How can society move past this impasse? According to Marx, the way forward was ==class conflict==
  • history is a matter of struggling classes, he said, each aligned with either the forces (proletariat) or relations of production (bourgeois)
  • bourgeois like the status quo (because profit), while the proletariat want change… a ==revolution==
    • further development in forces of production; complete change in relations of production
    • end to exploitation, they want the surplus to benefit them, since their labor created the surplus…
• How do the bourgeoise manage to stay in power so effectively? According to Gramsci, it’s through ==hegemonic culture or hegemony==: a dominant set of ideas that are all-pervasive and taken for granted in society
  • don’t need to be economic ideas; can also be beliefs about gender or race
• Marx’s biggest impact -> even though it’s specific to economic conflict, we can see it in the essence of the broader sociological paradigm of ==conflict theory==: the basic idea of looking at power dynamics and analyzing the ways in which struggles over power drive social change
  • as all kinds of groups, not just workers and owners, fight for control over resources
• Marx’s ideas gave rise to tons of conflict theories in sociology. These theories give us ways to understand power, control, and freedom in society
  • Race-Conflict Theory
  • Gender-Conflict Theory
  • Intersectional Theory

• Words make the world intelligible by differentiating between concepts
• Language is what creates differentation
  • E.G. ‘baka’ in English and Japanese
• Comes with…
  • Signifier
  • Signified
  • Sign
  • Code

• Basic premise: all forms of communication can be broken down into ==individual units of meaning,== which may then be studied in terms of their singular characteristics
• Units of meaning are understood in terms of how they interact with other units of meaning

• Structuralism stresses that ==each element within a cultural system derives it meaning from its relationship to every other element==
• There are no independent meanings, but rather many meanings produced by their difference from other elements in the system

Signs

Signs are said to be formed by the signifier and the signified. The signifier, in general, is what we perceive and experience, while the signified is the meaning the the signifier pertains to. In this arrangement, the signifier points to the signified. It must be noted, additionally, that we make sense of the world through the use of signs, and that signs get their meaning through differentiation with other signs in the same system. In this way, we also say that the relationship between sign and meaning is arbitrary rather than fixed, given, or immutable.

Code Codes refer to conventions that govern sign systems, which may range from the very strict and precise to the informal and vague.

Myth

Roland Barthes introduces the idea of mythologies or myth-making, which he describes beginning with denotation and connotation.

Denotation refers to primary signification or surface meaning. Connotation, meanwhile, refers to secondary signification. Barthes argues that it is at the level of secondary signification that myth is made for consumption. More importantly, mythology deals with the production of ideology, wherein it is understood as a body of ideas and practices which defend the prevailing structure of power by actively promoting the values and interests of dominant groups in society.

This makes way to give historical intention a natural justification.

• Conventions (rules) governing sign systems
• May be precise, such as grammatical rules that govern language or vague/changeable, delimited by history and context
• Link signs together in ways that reflect a particular interpretation of a community’s system of values, myths, and ideologies

• adds: denotation and conotation
• at the level of secondary signification or conotation, myth is made for consumption

• mythic signs reinforce dominant values
• ideological signs enlist support for the status quo by transforming history into nature; pretending the current conditions are, and always have been, the natural order of things
• deals with the production of ideology
• “Ideology” is understood as a ==body of ideas and practices which defend the prevailing structure of power== by actively promoting the values/interest of dominant groups in society
• gives historical intention

• An ethically heightened and politically reflective study of the relationships between power, knowledge, and discourse that are produced in contexts of historical and cultural struggle.
  • takes inspiration from Marxism and structuralism
• All thought is fundamentally mediated by power relations that are socially/historically constituted
• The relation between concept and object between signifier and signified is never stable or fixed and is oftern mediated by social relations of capitalist production and consumption
• Scrutinizes the role of cultural institutions in the production of ideological discourse

• ISA: Ideological state appratuses
• “[C]ultural members ==make choices in the context of a life-world whose options for meaning have always already been shaped by ideology.== They experience themselves as exercising agency in making choices and sometimes even as resisting cultural authority.”
• “They are not aware, however, of the ==options that have been rendered literally unthinkable by dominant ideologies== — moved beyond the rim of the conceivable or legitimate.”

• Marxist: ==socio-economic approach== (base/superstructure, class struggle, ideology)
• Semiotics: ==structural approach== (the study of signs, codes, and the production of myths)
• Critical theory: concerned with the ==production of ideology== (knowledge, power, and discourse, within the context of struggle)

• Disintegration of colonial systems
• Advent of the information age
• Globalization
• Dismantling/reassembling of cultures
• Loss of faith in “foundational” metanarratives
• Instability of identities

• Cultural economy: the blending of the traditional meanings of text and commodity
• Exploring the relationship between an ==object’s official value== and its ==unofficial potential for generating meaning and supporting beliefs==
• Culture is seen as the ==site of struggle==
• Power/knowledge are discursively produced

AlphaGo Documentary Karl Marx and Conflict Theory

Grounded in what we have learned from Marxist theory, we reiterate the idea that digital technology functions as a system of infrastructure that contributes to the economic base. In this way, it makes possible the becoming of new forms of organization, relationships, and experiences. What this means for our project of examining culture and technology, practically, is that ==any valuation of cultural production must be reconciled with the currently existing material reality it is emerging from.== In other words, any worthwhile investigation of the creation and consumption of content, the use and deployment of technologies, and more importantly their impact on societal beliefs and values, must all be ==contextualized as part of the web spun by economic activity and its resultant power structures.==

Noah Chomsky - The 5 Filters of the Mass Media Machine

• How is consent manufactured according to what you have just watched?
• What argument does it make with regards to the concept of “press freedom” in what is believed to be a democratic society?
• In what way does the production of goods and the production of content interact with one another to realize the prevailing status quo?

Ms. Male Character - Tropes vs Women in Video Games

• What signs communicate ideas such as female, femininity, of girlhood?
• How do these differ from signs that communicate the male gender? What kind of ideas and expectations are reinforced through the use of these signs?
• In the clip you just watched, how did economic motives intersect with sign choice and usage?

Functionally, you are expected to be able to make sense of how economic motivations and material reality coincide and interact with cultural production and the sociopolitical landscape in consideration. Moreover, you must be perceptive of the blending of the traditional meanings of text and commodity, or what we call cultural economy, as we explore the relationship between the official value of an object and its unofficial potential for generating meaning and supporting beliefs.

Terms and Conditions May Apply

Terms and Conditions May Apply (2013) is a  documentary film that addresses how corporations and the government utilize the information that users provide when agreeing to browse a website, install an application, or purchase goods online. In the film, director/narrator  Cullen Hoback discusses the language employed in user-service agreements and how online service providers collect and use users’ and customers’ information. The film criticizes companies such as  Facebook,  Google, and  LinkedIn for having poorly worded and misguiding  privacy policies/ terms of service, which use user-unfriendly language in long documents and allows the companies to collect user information and legally provide it to third-parties. [1] The film aims to warn people about the risks of clicking “I Agree” after scrolling through pages of uninviting text.

• In light of its form and content, production, milieu and reception, what one piece of dialogue or gesture best encapsulates your appreciation for the film? Quote the line or include a screenshot of your gesture of choice. From this instance, articulate the points of your analysis. Feel free to use screenshots, links, and other media to support your analyses. Cite your sources (APA).
• What do we see on screen? What happens in the film? What do they signify? How does the film create meaning?
• What is the milieu of the film’s story, and of the film? What are the characteristics of this world/ these worlds? How will knowing its milieu enrich our understanding of the work?
• Who directed and produced the film? How does information about the director and the production enrich our appreciation of the film?
• How has the film been circulated? How has it been received by critics and the public? What have people said about this film?
• What do we think of the film? How has it affected us?

One piece of dialogue that best encapsulates my appreciation of Anak Dalita (1956) is “What we shall test is your resolve amidst our poverty.” This is because I see it as a reflection of Filipino resilience: the strength that keeps us going in times of distress. This can be seen in so much aspects of the film, like its narratives and conditions.

First, the characters. The protagonists featured here are Vic, a disabled veteran who sculpts, and Tita, a prostitute caring for her brother. Both of them were social outcasts struggling with money, which forced them to work in unfavorable conditions, like smuggling money and dancing in clubs. But they stayed strong for the sake of love, whether it be for their family or for each other. Love has always been a driving motivator for Filipinos, especially because of a culture that values close ties so much. Next, the environment. Both of these characters were trying to survive in the slums of a materialistic post-war Manila. It could be also said that the film’s workers were doing the same thing; working in the post-war Filipino industry (still reeling from the effects of Japan’s occupation and the Cold War), they were trying to make the most out of considerable budgetary limitations. It seemed like everyone had to be resilient for this film, from the characters to the film workers.

Perhaps this was an intentional choice of director Lamberto Avellana, whose style is realism. This was atypical of Filipino films at the same time. Unlike most directors, Avellana didn’t resort to major box-office names and singing/dancing performances. Instead, he’d go all-in on realism: casting minor box-office actors, choosing poverty and crime a sa theme, filming in people’s houses, etc. This stark deviation from the norm is probably what led the movie to fail in the box office. However, it got critical acclaim: it was chosen as the Philippine entry in the Oscars, and won the Golden Harvest for Best Film Award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival. So maybe resilience does pay off in the end.

What’s my personal take? To be honest, I’m iffy with Filipino resilience because it has a problematic nature — it takes accountability away from our government, the main entity responsible for taking care of its citizens in times of distress. It also dehumanizes the victims of these situations. However, I didn’t feel disgusted watching Anak Dalita, even if it can technically be considered “poverty porn”. It ended up touching me instead. I think it was because the film allowed me to really get to know the characters. I could empathize with them because they felt so real to me — to the point that they felt like real human beings. If they could push through their ordeals, then maybe I could too. This kind of connection is the magic of film at work.

One piece of dialogue that best encapsulates my appreciation of Jaclyn Jose’s performance was this line from her interview: “Pero pinakatumatak siya sa kanyang signature acting: ang underacting, o yung parang bang, hindi umaarte.” She brought this style to all her roles, but this can especially be seen in her role as Ma’ Rosa: a mother and sari-sari owner who has to sell illegal drugs to make ends meet. In the film, she gets arrested by the police, and her children have to bail her out. I’m sure that there are many poverty-stricken Filipinos who can relate to this experience (committing crimes just to survive), especially in an administration infamous for its anti-drug agenda and EJKs. Director Brillante Mendoza would often portray urban poor experiences like this, like joining a syndicate or taking care of adopted children. His films would often be win local and international awards, such as Cannes. I think his films are always critically acclaimed because of how…natural they are. He’s able to not only reflect the harsh reality of many Filipino lives; he’s also able to tell stories that universally resonate, as seen with Jaclyn Jose’s natural portrayal of Ma’Rosa, a mother who’d do anything for her kids. Personally, what I take away from all of this is that we are our most successful when we’re truly authentic. Connection is only possible when we’re fully ourselves.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamberto_V._Avellana https://www.philstar.com/business/2015/12/29/1537407/through-young-eyes-philippines-and-east-asia-1956

• With the films in this module as pretext, think about how they relate to the concept of place.
• Drawing from your background or experience, if you have any related or tangential insights, please feel free to share as well.

How do both of these films relate to the concept of place? They’re both situated in the slums of Manila, and centered around people who live there. They all have to resort to dirty work (e.g. prostitution, money laundering, selling drugs) just so they remain financially capable of staying there. They’re willing to put in so much effort for these poverty-stricken places because it’s their only home. Despite their low status, these “…slum inhabitants are crucial to the production of the city space, even as they are rendered invisible by those who own and control the formal means of producing space” (Macapagal, 2021). The developed cities many of us live in wouldn’t be where they are today without the invisible labor of the poor. They are our family caretakers, sari-sari store owners, construction workers, and more. But we often take them for granted because we’ve gotten so used to their presence, to the point that they’re hidden to us. That’s why I appreciate slum chronotype films like Anak Dalita and Ma’Rosa; they humanize the marginalized by spotlighting their stories, helping us empathize with them.