ideology

Post a definition of ideology and a short discussion of how you see ideology at work around you.

"Ideology is a term developed in the Marxist tradition to talk about how cultures are structured in ways that enable the group holding power to have the maximum control with the minimum of conflict."

(Find notes from last class. write more about how it functions and what it is.)

We can see ideology at work all around us, most often in teh context of political party platforms and ideals, but we can also see it in smaller places.

Within online media, there are a number of different ideologies. One says that you should conserve your property, and if you allow it to be obtained freely you are giving away a large part of your income. Another says that it is inevitable (that word!) to have tv shows, movies, and music get online for "free" (illegally), and they try to *shape* how it is being obtained rather than prevent it from happening. Companies like Disney/ABC offer their entire season of shows online to be watched for free on their website. This way they can still sell ads and control the distribution of it.

On the other extreme is the RIAA, working with/on behalf of the record industry. They are almost comically fanatical about trying to stop music trading. Even though they have (in a questionably legal way) strong armed money out of a number of poor students, they haven't had much success in stopping online music trading. Instead of trying to stop the -- not quite "inevitable," since it's already happened. It is like they are standing trying to plug a dam that has a ten foot wide hole in it by dropping bubble gum into the water flowing away. Instead, they should be trying to embrace the change and shape the direction the technology goes, so that they can find a way to benefit from the release or trade of free music in a legal way.