Ideology - Messages and Values

>Ideology is often referred to as an unconscious set of ideas, values and beliefs that a group, society or and individual hold to be true or important, and provide a particular view of the world.

 

>Simply put, it is the ideas behind a media text, the secret (or sometimes not-so secret) agenda of its producers. It is a set of ideas or beliefs which are held to be acceptable by the creators of a media text. For example, a text might be described as having a feminist ideology, meaning it promotes the idea that women are the equal of men and should not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender.

>In sociological terms, ideology is a body of ideas or set of beliefs that underpins a process or institution and leads to social relations. These sets of beliefs are those held by groups within society, and the prevalent ones are those held by the ruling/dominant groups.

>The values and beliefs perpetuated by the majority within a society may be described as 'dominant ideologies'. Ideologies are not fixed - they change over time and mutate. Dominant ideologies tend to 'swallow up' and absorb any threats to the order.

Raymond Williams (1977):

• Ideology is a system of beliefs characteristic of a particular class or group in society.
• It is a system of illusory beliefs, i.e. a false consciousness, which can be contrasted with true knowledge.
• It is the general process of the production and promotion of meaning and ideas in society.

Roland Barthes:

• For ideology to work there must be a set of shared values and myths.
• The only way these codes can become shared is through frequent use in communication i.e. reinforcement.
• These shared values and ideas are called ‘signs’.
• These signs are then used to realise social values in public forms.
• Every time these signs are used we are maintaining cultural ideology.
• We are formed and socialised via these ideologies; i.e. we identify our membership in a culture by accepting and promoting these signs and myths.
• Therefore the audience of a any medium such as a film or magazine becomes the means or vehicle by which an ideology can be maintained; we ourselves become promoters of values.

Karl Marx:

• Ideology is the means by which the ideas of the ruling classes become accepted in society as the norm.
• Knowledge is class based and works to promote the interests of the higher academic classes.
• Subordinate classes are led to understand themselves via a dominant set of ideas not of their own making.
• A false consciousness or consensus is achieved by the dominant class over a subordinate class.
• In an equal society ideology would be unnecessary.

What are the messages and values presented and found in our production?

- Hardship of youth and the troubles they face
- Bullying and abuse amoungst youth: troublemakers and victims
- Reinforcement of communication, especially through technology, which is often promotoed and demoted in society for various reasons, such as meeting new people or being taken advantage off and ending up in trouble
- Becoming a member in society and not being excluded: wanting to fit in or wanting to stand out: individuality
- Gender roles: mainly women in our production, they are seen as victims and as influencial people
- The belief that dominant groups(in our production, the popular girls at school) must section out and over power the ones that don't fit in(our main character Katie)
- The belief that love really can change you, no matter where or who it is from, which is often promoted in todays society