Ideology

By understanding a relationship between the self and an object, we can begin to understand another dimension of capitalist repression. Via the process of controlling the conceptualization of the past, one can control the ability to break from the system itself. Take the music industry. Basically everyone has a song that triggers a psychological response that recalls not necessarily a specific day, but a feeling from that state of being. We never progress out of this preconscious state of existence, you can even see the effects of music industry nostalgia in dementia patients for example. But this tool is a form of manipulation employed by the ruling class. By controlling the states of ‘happier” times, whether these times or days ever even existed, there forms a bond between a commodified state and a happier state of being. As you progress into the stages of capitalism, and one grows further from childhood, branding nostalgia becomes a commonplace. Songs, foods, cars, clothing, packaging itself and rebranded and resold as “retro,” and ages cohorts that never had anything to do with the initial selling and advertising of the commodified goods henceforth see prior ideology or times of existence as representative of their own existence. The “I was born in the wrong generation” really just means “I associate with the commodities of the past.” In this sense ideology and the effects of commodification become intertwined. On one hand there is a clear push to retain the status quo, in that a progression out of it will lead us away from the happier times of a constructed reality. On the other hand that reality is constructed from ideology, and a desire to retain the system that gave us that supposed time in which we were happiest. Capitalist ideology dominates and dictates every part of the formation of our own image. Much of what we do and how we present yourself is not actually a true representation of yourself, but is rather a fully constructed version of who we think we ought to be. In capitalism one is always told they are free to choose what they buy, but they are almost never free to CREATE what they consume. This consistent reliance on others down the production line therefore necessarily creates a perceived reliance on the people who are “in charge” of the production. This is why many times you will hear people say the ruling class is necessary or deserving of the profits of production, due to a false sense of reliance ingrained in them from ideology. In this formation people are predestined to act against their own self interest. In times of crisis many times we will see people turn to fascism rather than systems that will ultimately be far more beneficial to their own class interest. So long as the status quo is retained there can be any excuse for political repression and corruption to be excused. The same can be said for the wealthy in modern capitalism. Any law they break can be excused if they have the money. Celebrities and the wealthy assume this sort of mythical existence in which it appears almost impossible for them to do any wrong. That’s why hearing about a murder committed by a millionare gets a full documentary on whether they did it, but a murder in a poor neighborhood is expected. Our first reaction to a millionaire committing a crime is almost without fail “oh no way.” We allow ourselves to excuse any form of wrongdoing from our oppressors. This is why the me too movement was such a massive, groundbreaking CULTURAL code red. We learned that these crimes are not limited to the poor class, they are massively prevalent in high society. Even still, when people’s favorite celebrity was called into question, it would always be “oh no way.” Ideology exists to sedate the oppressed classes, to make them work against themselves. It is everywhere, there is no real escape from it, and it keeps the class relationships at cool by taking everyone’s mind off of the oppression and exploitation. Sports teams for example. Everytime we all collectively consider ourselves “a part” of an organization’s fan base, we feel a sense of community and belonging. This, however, is nothing but a superficial connection. Sure we feel a sense of belonging, but only if we have the right jersey. Or know the right players. Or buy the right tickets. Or eat the right food. We are not a part of anything, we just consume and forget about our actual struggles. It is a veil for oppression. And it extends far beyond one simplistic example. Our election process, for example. The democratic apparatus makes us feel a part of real change, even if there is really nothing there. When we engage in the democratic process we feel as if we are making our difference, but the difference is really just a preapproved, state sanctified scheme. But by selling the image that somehow it is our civil responsibility to contribute to our own repression is the given ideology. Schooling, however, has always been the most egregious example of ideological apparatuses. In a way, it could even be a representation of capitalism as a whole. Now of course we learn math, literature, sciences, languages etc. but this is really a surface level observation. Schools primary purpose is to instill respect and numbness to authority. Everything is regimented, one has the same schedule everyday with a preexisting period of “free” time. You do not speak out of turn. You do not question the teacher’s authority. You do not venture off into your own interests. You do not even go to the bathroom without permission. If you fail to live up to the disciplinary standards of the schooling institution, your freedoms are stripped until you are deemed able to respect the rules of school. This is by no means the fault of the teachers, as if they do not teach a given curriculum and have a quiet class they will be disciplined by their authorities. Nor is it the fault of the parents, as schooling is required and it is perceived that schooling is the only way to put your kid down the right track. This is what makes ideology so hard to contain. Everyone is affected by ideology. Just look at the nobility in feudal times, they believed in their divide right to leadership and the institution of the Church really more than anyone. Ideology in society has no cure. There is no escape from ideology as ideology is the normalities of society itself. Even if culture and society do change, the ideology does not disappear, rather it shifts.