Dear Blog,
This is how Herman and Chomsky begin and I would like to as well:
"It is their function [mass media] to amuse, entertain, and inform, and to inculcate individuals with the vales, beliefs, and codes of behavior that will integrate them into the institutional structures of the larger society. In a world of concentrated wealth and major conflicts of class interest, to fulfill this role requires systematic propaganda" (204).
After reading this first paragraph of "A Propaganda Model," I was immediately hooked in. Unfortunately, I struggled to stay focused during about 85% of their theory, I kept coming back to their opening lines. Not only are they applying responsibility and function to mass media, and intangible and incredibly powerful entity, but they also require that it takes the blame for the existence of propaganda. Throughout their theory, Herman and Chomsky will point to the ways in which propaganda exists in the Western world and through everything, including advertisements.
When I think back on this quote, I think about how much unspoken power mass media has in the way we talk, think, behave, dress, treat others, have certain beliefs and values, etc. For our theorists to say that it is the function of mass media to do so is fascinating. Even more enlightening, is how mass media not only achieves this on an individual level but helps on the macro level as well; our institutions, the structures set in place through societal norms and expectations --> all reliant on mass media. I like how our theorists tie us back to the real world through their last line: "In a world of concentrated wealth and major conflicts of class interest..." One could argue that Herman and Chomsky are saying that our current world does not need to be this way; that in the world we live in, this is the reality but it could be different. What is also interesting is their acknowledgement of mass media and its responsibility of contributing to/producing propaganda can span across class lines, that we all fall prey to the elusive powers of media regardless of our income or wealth.
I'm still working through the rest of Herman and Chomsky's theory but look forward to reading other people's posts and responding to them.
Signing off,
mg
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