Media Images And The Social Construction Of Reality - Essay Example

Media Images And The Social Construction Of Reality Mass communication technology possesses the required sophistication to capture reality in a more detailed manner. This generates the concept of hyperreality. The technical and visual means of recording promotes this new hyperreality. Mass communication had brought forth this illusory hyperreality, which has emerged as a seemingly more realistic depiction of what is perceived. This environment has brought about a significant change in the perception of individuals, and they are inclined to believe that this hyperreality has greater significance than what it represents. (Soules, 2007). The portrayal of the riots and mass demonstrations, from all over the world by the television channels, constitute perfect examples of this contention. The Internet represents the concept of post modern world, due to the establishment of several worlds and the consequent elimination of a one world concept. The transition of the world from real to hyperreal happens when simulation replaces representation. The Internet has brought about the formation of a virtual world, and engendered the information superhighway. The Internet constitutes genre of media, in its own right (Nunes, 2003). Jean Baudrillard has postulated a hyperrealistic culture, in which simulation, objects and discourses would predominate. However, these entities would be bereft of any fixed frame of reference. He describes a social condition that is far removed from the logic of representation (Taylor & Winquist, 2003: 369). It was his considered opinion that simulation involved a precedence of models, and an expectation of reality, via media effects; which he termed as the precession of simulacra. He ascribed a semiological epistemology that was founded on a floating signifier; which constitutes a marked departure from the conventional perception (Taylor & Winquist, 2003: 370). Baudrillard attempted to combine semiology with an understanding of modern society. He argued that the present media and consumer societies were to be seen in the light of objects. In his early work, Baudrillard established the manner in which objects or consumer goods had influenced the media and consumer trends. He developed a system to analyse the objects and signs that constitute human life. To this end, Baudrillard combined semiological studies, principles of Marxism, and the sociology of consumer societies. In the initial stages of his studies, Baudrillard provided certain meanings and explanations, regarding the objects that were widely utilised in everyday life (Kellner). In addition, he also provided a description of the mechanism through which objects were integrated into modern society. The theories proposed by Baudrillard with regard to modern consumer societies and modernity are aptly demonstrated by the sophistication of information and communications technology. The postmodern culture is currently facing a number of challenges (Nunes, 2003). Much of the opposition to information technology is akin to the concepts propounded by Baudrillard. Baudrillard contended that there was a shift from competitive market capitalism towards monopolistic capitalism. This transition created an environment, in which demand management received increased attention. It also created new concepts and understandings with regard to augmentation and consumption patterns (Kellner). The present consumer society is the best example of the theory propounded by Baudrillard. The existing consumer market has witnessed the proliferation of commodities, which has increased the number of signs and spectacles. Almost all aspects of the modern market have been subjected to widespread change; and this change can be witnessed in the areas of advertising, packaging, display of commodities, fashion, mass media concepts, and cultural aspects. (Kellner). These factors, served to enhance the sign – value. According to Baudrillard, in the virtual world, social reproduction, such as information processing, socialisation and knowledge industries, media, and cybernetic control models will become the primary principles of society. Labour will not be primarily productive, but will merely be an indication of a person’s social position. If the populace can aspire to procure the job of their choice, then it can be assumed that the system of socialisation has achieved completeness. The chief requirement is that every individual should be a terminal in network. In addition, labour power is designed, marketed and merchandised. It is not bought and sold in a violent manner (Kellner, n.d). Production becomes a sign in the consumer society; and labour power, body, and sexuality are not recognised as productive forces. These components have to mobilised, in order to increase production. The relation between wages and production would cease to be rational. As such, wages would serve to signify that an individual had become a part of the social system. Moreover, money would change into a medium that promotes the involvement of individuals in the system (Kellner, n.d). In addition, the Marxist concept of commodity states that commodities have to be characterised by their use – value and exchange – value. However, Baudrillard challenged this theory and endeavoured to replace it with his theory of sign – value. The latter states that the expression and mark of style, prestige, luxury, power and other relevant factors characterise commodities and their consumption (Kellner). As such, commodities are to be viewed from the perspective of their sign – value, rather than their use – value. Moreover, commodities are displayed and launched into market through their sign – value and not through their use – value (Kellner). Ultimately this led to a new practice, wherein the sign – value became the principal factor for the marketing of commodities and their consumption in the consumer world. Veblen’s Theory of the Leisure Class had analysed the display of commodities and conspicuous consumption. Baudrillard extended this theory to apply to all classes in the consumer world. Consumers feel proud in owning commodities, as these commodities enhance their prestige, identity and social status. Therefore, the greater the prestige – value of commodities, the higher the status of the owner of these commodities. In this manner, sign values assume importance, on the basis of their standing in the differential system of prestige and status (Kellner). It was his opinion that society revolved around the consumption and display of commodities. Baudrillard’s negative vision of the future, envisages a situation, in which simulations will be capable of supplanting reality. This is exemplified, by the displacement of real women, by the images of women in advertisements. Mikhail Epstein brought out the similarities between some discoveries in quantum mechanics and the views of Baudrillard (Soules, 2007). The mass media has long been held to be responsible for offending, and have been deemed to be subversive. Considerable concern has been expressed about the depiction of crime, deviance and disorder by the mass media. However, the liberals and radicals have not accused the mass media of being the cause of crime. On the other hand, they have entertained considerable anxiety, due to the existence of a contrasting concern, in respect of the representation of crime in the media. These entities believe that the media is responsible for generating a highly inflated level of alarm amongst the public regarding crime, which in turn provides support for the imposition of repressive measures (Maguire, Morgan, & Reiner, 2007: 302). Although, these perspectives are diametrically opposite to each other; there is an underlying demonization of the media. It has proved to be extremely difficult to establish a direct causal relationship between the content disseminated by the mass media and increase in crime and deviant behaviour (Maguire, Morgan, & Reiner, 2007: 302). Some of the scholars, in the area of mass media, had subscribed to the view that the violence and crime depicted in the mass media, was unrelated to the crime, noticed in day to day life. This naive opinion was subsequently discounted, and it was contended that a proper link had proved to be difficult to establish; because of the absence of focused research (Maguire, Morgan, & Reiner, 2007: 303). The symbols of physical space have no bearing on the virtual elements. The latter are designed, in accordance to their virtual context. Consequently, the benefits offered by the virtual world can be availed, without any reference or dependence on the real world (Wikström, Carlell, & Frostling, 2002: 648). Baurdillard strongly believed that there would be a departure of political economy, meaning, truth, the subject, the social and the real in the existing postmodern social structures. In his opinion, such drastic transformation necessitated novel theories and principles to describe these swiftly developing social processes(Ritzer, 2003: 311). To his credit, he investigated this unprecedented situation and indicated its effects on the extant theory and practice. He opined that political economy would lose its status as a social determinant and basis. It cannot function as a structural reality that permits the analysis and interpretation of other occurrences. Society has moved towards a hyperreality of simulations; wherein the images, spectacles and the effect of signs supplant the existing patterns of production and conflict between the various classes in society(Kellner, n.d). At the moment, most of the capitalist societies depict these trends. The content on television channels, has of late, been telecasting simulated versions of live shows, such as The People’s Court, which describe the problems faced by the middle class of society. Similarly, there are programmes of television evangelists that simulate religion. These television programmes, are unique in the sense that they simulate reality. These simulations have tended to acquire greater authenticity, in comparison to the existing institutions that they attempt to replace (Kellner, n.d). Moreover, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between the simulation models and reality. There has been a blending of information and entertainment, and images and politics. At the present time, the television news channels provide news and documentaries, in a manner that is markedly different from the other media. The depiction of news is highly dramatised, by employing graphic imagery and provocative language to appeal to the interest of viewers (Kellner, n.d). These television news programmes provide information in a highly dramatised form, which naturally acquires considerable scope to provide entertainment to the masses. For instance, the CBS News channel presents its news shows, by commencing with the images of the news presenters. Other channels have imitated this model of news presentation, with telling effect. For example, entertainment channels such as MTV and Entertainment Tonight begin their telecasts with a collection of images of their news commentators, in a manner that is similar to the procedure adopted in situational comedy or soap opera shows. This serves the purpose of camouflaging the propaganda of their industry as facts (Kellner, n.d). The resulting concoction has been termed infotainment, and in this genre there is a merging of entertainment and information. Political campaigns have taken advantage of this dissolution of borders between information and entertainment. Consequently, there is an increased use of images, in order to render political campaigns more interesting to the viewer; and with a correspondingly reduced focus on substance. Thus, media advisors have become a very important component of political campaigns. Public relations experts and pollsters have transformed politics into a contest of images. Politicians have been quick to realise the extraordinary potential, inherent in such campaigning. Therefore, a substantial number of politicians have resorted to campaigns that are based on television and multimedia (Kellner, n.d). Baudrillard’s concept of simulation was at variance to not only representation, but also dissimulation. In the past; images, ideas, signs and theories had been conceived as the depiction of reality; and were evaluated, in respect of their precision, veracity and reliability. Representations of incidents based on reality were perceived to be different from dissimulations, images or ideologies that served to misrepresent or evade. To recapture the real, demystification was developed; which dispelled distortions (Kellner, n.d). On the other hand simulations supplant the real world with a pseudo – world, by means of images, signs and models that appear to be real. As a result, reality and its simulations are rendered intricately intertwined to the extent that it becomes impossible to differentiate betwixt them. Dissimulation and simulation perpetrate illusory effects; and in dissimulation, the real can always be recovered from the supervening concealing mask or images (Kellner, n.d). However, this is not the case with simulation, which erases the distinction between the real and the illusory. Hence, dissimulation permits a recuperation of the real from the illusory; whereas, simulation, generates a situation that is irreversible. This is on account of the fact that simulation renders reality and its illusory depiction, indistinguishable (Kellner, n.d). According to Baudrillard, in the postmodern society, simulations assume the garb of hyperreality. Illusions appear to be more real than reality; due to an implosion, in the boundaries between them. It has been contended by Baudrillard that the replicas of America in Disneyland have greater reality than their representations in the real world (Kellner, n.d). Moreover, the hyperreal promotes models that replace the real. This situation can be witnessed in the lifestyle magazines, which depict the ideal home; the fashion magazines that depict ideal fashions; or the computer magazines, which set forth what they perceive to be ideal computer skills. In these instances, the model is perceived to be ideal and a determinant of the real. The outcome is the erasure of the boundary between hyperreality and the real world. Thus, hyperreality is a condition in which there will be no boundaries between reality and its simulations (Kellner, n.d). It is natural to entertain certain expectations, in respect of a media system that is appropriate for a democracy. One of these expectations relates to the provision of information that attempts to present a consistent picture of the social forces that affect their day to day life. This has proved to be singularly absent; and in general, the media stands guilty of encouraging lack of concern, scepticism and quiescence, instead of active citizenship and involvement (Gamson, Croteau, Hoynes, & Sasson, 1992: 373). Nevertheless, it is in the nature of these messages to permit of considerable variation, and to permit the opinion of various entities. For instance, such opportunity to express different voices renders the medium of television a veritable site of struggle. In this arena, it is not uncommon to find the dominant groups actively engaged in defending views that they would have expected to have been accepted prima facie. It is this diversity and the unpredictable character of media discussions that promote dispute and preclude anything from being taken for granted (Gamson, Croteau, Hoynes, & Sasson, 1992: 373). For example, social movements are enabled by media discourse to present competing versions of reality. Baudrillard has propounded certain conjectures regarding postmodernistic society, in which society regenerates itself, on the basis of consumption, media, information and technology. The exchange takes place at the level of signs, images and information. This conjecture lays to rest the theory propounded by Karl Marx, which had contended that there was a distinction between the superstructure and base. Baudrillard’s theory was also at variance with Debord’s distinction between appearance and reality (Best & Kellner, n.d). By upholding consumption as the determinant in the society, Baudrillard stated that capitalism constituted a rupture in the erstwhile system of organisation. Thus, his theories were far removed from that of the Marxists. Nevertheless, they were quite similar to the theories of the Situationists; and Baudrillard believed that the Situationists had achieved the distinction of realising that consumption constituted a new form of domination (Best & Kellner, n.d). In the initial stages, Baudrillard had opposed the Situationists, on the basis of theoretical and political reasons. He strongly believed that society functioned on the basis of sign value and not display. A sign is a commodity and it is merchantable. He disagreed with the concept of spectacle; because, it implied a distinction between the subject and the object that would cease to exist in hyperreality. Moreover, Situationits claimed that the spectacle was an extension of the commodity form; instead of an instantiation of an order that was more abstract and radical, the political economy related to the sign (Best & Kellner, n.d). Baudrillard opined that the cycle of production, distribution, and consumption is changed into a semiotic mechanism of abstract symbols that are far removed from the objective world. In the simulation models of sign value, power and prestige can be denoted by symbols, such as owning exotic automobiles or donning designer dresses. This is a new phase of abstraction, in which images and signs assume great importance in social relationships (Best & Kellner, n.d). Moreover, the image and sign concepts result in new complexities and dimensions of social order and organisation. According to Bourdieu, television brings about multi-faceted cultural production. It poses a threat to political life and adversely affects the spirit of democracy. Bourdieu is of the opinion that television is not a free medium. It is subjected to scrutiny and censorship from various vested interests of the political and economic fields. The owners of the different television channels control the overall management of television(Fowler, 2000: 200). It had been emphasised by Bourdieu that journalism is greatly influenced by commercial and economic factors. However, journalism also proves to be a constraint on other fields. To this end, he made an exhaustive study, regarding the constraining effect of the journalistic field upon other fields, like politics and education (Fowler, 2000: 199). A considerable amount of money has to be paid, if an advertisement is to be aired. Similarly, the state has to collect substantial amounts of public funds, if it desires to use this medium to make announcements. This results in considerable bias in exposing reality. For instance, it would be naive for the NBC channel to air the views of those who live in the vicinity of a nuclear installation. This is because it is owned by General Electric, which has considerable interest in nuclear plants. (Fowler, 2000: 200). Television, per se, dramatises reality; and transforms even minor or insignificant events into sensational news. A certain amount of difficulty is associated with the adoption of simulacra concept by Baudrillard. His theory about media differentiates itself from media ideology and vision, with regard to the competence attributed by this concept to the products of the media, in order to produce our reality, whilst masking it. In addition, his simulacrum theory affects the identification and description of real and simulation concepts. (Merrin, 2005: 152). Furthermore, it affects his further attempts to establish a substantial basis to argue against the processes involved in these concepts. There is a tendency among the populace to assume certain traits in a media system that subsists in a democratic nation. The media is expected to provide information with regard to society and the important forces that influence the normal course of social life. However, of late, there have been several disquieting developments, in the media circles, which amplify the fact that the media no longer believes that it is necessary to provide such information to the general public. This stance of the media, has attracted criticism from several quarters, regarding its lack of concern and responsibility towards society (Gibson, 2008). The media has also been accused of having failed to encourage active citizen participation and involvement, in issues that have a great bearing on the successful functioning of society. The media should be neutral in presenting information to the public. However, it has been blatantly biased in its outlook. For instance, during the recent Presidential elections in the United States of America, the MSNBC channel emerged as an undisguised champion of Obama’s cause. On the other hand, Fox News went all out, in its support for the candidacy of McCain (Gibson, 2008). In respect of the near future, the virtual model does not seem to possess the potential to emerge as a realistic alternative. The virtual model is entirely composed of virtual elements that are devoid of any reference to a physical space. Although it seems probable that novel virtual factors will be incorporated on the websites, the related frame of reference will continue to be of the physical realm. This renders the system, closer to a mirror model (Wikström, Carlell, & Frostling, 2002: 652). Some of the Television channels have frequently resorted to defaming and criticising a candidate, whom they opposed or disliked. This was seen at its worst, during the 2008 US Presidential elections, and a considerable amount of criticism was levelled against this pernicious practice by the media. It is essential to bear in mind that the television channels made a very strong attempt to change the perception of the viewers, regarding the various candidates, in the fray. Considerable effort was made to sway public opinion towards some candidate or the other (Gibson, 2008). Thus, the media played a major role in deciding the mandate in that election. The media always attempts to attract viewer, and on many an occasion this has been achieved, by attempting to impress the general public, by resorting to sensationalism. In the course of achieving this objective, the media has been seen to employ several collages, scandals and shows. Accordingly, on frequently comes across the granting of undue importance to the trifling. References Best, S., & Kellner, D. (n.d.). Debord and the Postmodern Turn: New Stages of the Spectacle . Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://eprints.cddc.vt.edu/mirrors/illuminations/kell17.htm Fowler, B. (2000). Reading Bourdieu on society and culture. Wiley – Blackwell. Gamson, W. A., Croteau, D., Hoynes, W., & Sasson, T. (1992). Media Images and the Social Construction of Reality. Annual Review of Sociology , 18, 373 – 393. Gibson, R. S. (2008). Allegations of Media Bias In The 2008 Presidential Election - What’s New? Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=5601 Kellner, D. (n.d.). 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