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    Mass Media And Popular Culture: Marxist Perspectives

    Number of Pages: 6

     

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    6 pages in length. The extent to which Marxist perspectives, such as those of Adorno and Althusser, have made an important contribution to understanding the role of popular culture and the media in modern societies is both grand and far-reaching; not only have these perspectives recognized the ulterior motive, but they have also helped to illustrate the power inherent to popular culture and mass media. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

    Name of Research Paper File: LM1_TLCPopMs.rtf

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    the media in modern societies is both grand and far-reaching; not only have these perspectives recognized the ulterior motive, but they have also helped to illustrate the power inherent to  popular culture and mass media. French Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser described mass media as a collective empire of institutions that influence mankinds acceptance of governing values and ideas. Referring  to them as Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) that work in tandem with the Repressive State Apparatus (courts, police, prisons, military, etc.), Althusser contended that each and every ISA make up  "bits of apparatus for the state to use in order to manage the consent of societys members, to persuade us to accept as legitimate for the whole society that ideology  which in fact best serves the interests of the dominant class" (Underwood, 2000). Althusser was also quick to note that it made no difference whether the entities within the  ISAs were private or state domain, inasmuch as an ISA has the capability of operating as state apparatus no matter its status. The ISAs to which Althusser attributes dominant  influence include: * Religious (the various churches) * Educational * Family * Legal * Political * Trade-union * Communications (the mass media)  * Cultural (literature, the arts, sports, entertainment etc.) (Underwood, 2000). Upon examining Althussers conjecture, it becomes easy to see how agenda setting  speaks directly to his argument. Words carry with them a great deal of power. They are capable of destroying nations and rebuilding faith. They are eloquent and  strong, intimidating and potent. Language serves many purposes but of its many overwhelming influences, none are as significant as its ability to impart information. The theory of agenda 

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