Conversation

Pluralism allows to for many different viewpoints to be explored in media text. There is no one hegemonic message to be conveyed through all media texts.

Through conglomerates run by people such as Murdoch many texts carry the same message so you can not say that it doesn’t influence the audience.

As time goes on we as individuals have become much more media literate and educated therefore we know whats right and wrong. If conglomerates like Murdoch own alot of the media, we as individuals still think for ourselves.

But still people like Althusser who identified ISA’s and RSA’s help maintain ideologies such as education, legal and political systems which are widely talked about in the media. Therefore our opinion is still influenced by these factors.

Interestingly there is another contradiction in your view. You talk of people’s opinions being influenced (influence being the key term) but argue against the view of Marxism which is infact the construction of the elite influencing the classes lower to it. By establishing the concept and validity of “influence” you are showing that the Marxist view is still in practice.

Society is not influenced by no ones practice. They simply view and read for information and then make their own views. And no there is not only one source of information.

This is true but as the media has so much power, even though we think we choose, we really can’t ...... (incomplete but I think they are trying to say that we may think that we are challenging certain ideas, but the ideas of challenging may also be a hegemonic message.)

I think this conversation makes some very good points as each part is challenging the previous bit said. Also theories and theorists are mentioned which make my argument much stronger. Some of the points made are made quite generally but they do still apply to the conversation and are fully relevant to the previous points made. My personal opinion though makes me a marxist as I do believe that we live in a hegemonic society as we are constantly being influenced by things we hear and see. There are some people challenging and alot who think for themselves, but not many stand up against it and instead accept what they read/hear/see.