Society and the Media. (Creator, homosexuality, sexuality, science)

[michel]

In "Brokeback Mountain" Pulled in Utah thread, one or two points made were, I thought interesting, and could be taken further.

Does an artist (be he a painter, photographer, singer) have an influence on Society, or does Society influence him on what he produces ?

Let's not forget that the media is made up of Television, Radio, Newspapers, Films? - how much of these arts are trying to guide our thinking ?, or do they merely reflect our thinking ?

One good example I can think of in the fact that they are guiding us is in the representation of Social 'situations' covered by Soaps; homosexuality, mental problems, (and there was no connection between the two, I can assure you!), problems with the law. Often Soaps try to represent these situations. Do they do so to make us think, to educate us, or to polarise our views ?

I think that's enough for now, though I was tempted to take it further.......

[Master Vigil]

I think it's a two way street. To say that one effects the other without any effect in the opposite direction doesn't fit for me. But that's just my opinion.

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Master Vigil

I think it's a two way street. To say that one effects the other without any effect in the opposite direction doesn't fit for me. But that's just my opinion.

Same here. People accept that when they see a painting or a movie, it is a reflection of the world and human relationships seen through the eyes of the creator. This reflection can be true to greater or lesser degrees, dependant on the artist and the artists perception of their subject.

The public sees the art, then contemplates what it means to them/thinks about what they understand it to mean, and in doing so applies it to their life indirectly.

[kreeden]

I agree with MV too . If that artist wants to eat , then he / she was to give society what it wants . On the other hand , society is always looking for something it believe to be different and new .

[michel]

I have always been under the impression that we are 'led' in what we think far more than we realize, which was why I asked the question.

Someone once told me (when we were talking about people in power) that the whole world was being 'led' in the direction chosen by seven immensly influential and rich men; do you believ that ?

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by michel

I have always been under the impression that we are 'led' in what we think far more than we realize, which was why I asked the question.

Someone once told me (when we were talking about people in power) that the whole world was being 'led' in the direction chosen by seven immensly influential and rich men; do you believ that ?

Yes, that is the goal of marketing.

Some very powerful businesses do control much of what we see, but there are too many free-thinking humans to control that are expressing themselves through art, music, academics, and every other human venture. All humans are part of a community, but some of us are highly individualistic. As a whole, the arts and sciences go through phases together sometimes like the Western phases of the Enlightenment, Renaisannce, Modernism, and Post-Modernism.

[Ulver]

Originally Posted by Master Vigil

I think it's a two way street. To say that one effects the other without any effect in the opposite direction doesn't fit for me. But that's just my opinion.

Couldn't agree more. Sometimes it goes more in one way, but it's most certinaly something that goes both ways as it were.

As to what Michel said about the 7 rich men.... I've heard about it as well and it's not too unbelievable. Historically there were a number of rich familys that had relations in many of the Monarchs of Europe. Some could still exist and still keep a great deal of control as well as new familys arising from "new wealth".

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by michel

I have always been under the impression that we are 'led' in what we think far more than we realize, which was why I asked the question.

Culture has such an immense influence on us that its influence is as difficult to comprehend as is the concept of infinity. In my experience, the best way to get a reasonable appreciation for the influence of culture is to study cultural anthropology, for cultural anthropologists seem to be more aware of the influence of culture than anyone else.

Despite the immensity and power of cultural influences on us, I don't think we are solely determined by culture. I see that notion that we are as a gross and superficial distortion. In fact, there are many things that influence our behavior, and culture is just one of them. We are influenced in our behavior by our genes, for instance, every bit as much as we are by our culture. There might even be an element to our behavior that can be described as "free will". So, I think that we are not wholly "led" by our culture, as your question perhaps suggests.

To address your questions about the media more specifically, Michel, I think that modern popular culture is fairly shallow and banal. It's "depths", if it has any, are soon exhausted. And it seems to be overwhelmingly geared towards the young. Many of its most popular messages are trite, stupid, or capable of screwing up a life if taken to heart. For someone to reach genuine intellectual maturity and sanity in our societies, they have to go beyond popular culture, the culture of the popular media. There is also to be found immense growth and increasing freedom in doing so.

Someone once told me (when we were talking about people in power) that the whole world was being 'led' in the direction chosen by seven immensly influential and rich men; do you believ that ?

There is no way that a mere seven people could collectively know enough about the world to be able to run it. According to NASA, who studied the problem of how many humans it would take to represent all the knowledge essential to running a modern society (NASA wanted to know how many people were needed to run a space society independent of the earth), it would take at least 2000 individuals to run a modern society. Any fewer and the society would be missing something vital to its functioning as a modern society.