Cultural Hegemony: Facebook Edition continued...

Why are we influenced to be this way, why do I like skinny jeans, straight hair, Blackberry’s and Mac computers? Why am I embarrassed of using my Sony Mp3 player while everyone else is busy flashing their newest IPod? Is it me? Did I set these standards? If it’s not me, who’s doing this?

Through the readings of Antonio Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks, I have finally understood these questions. We are all influenced to believe and feel a certain way, not because we want to, rather because common-sense tells us to. Common-sense is what tells me to take a shower and brush my teeth everyday; and common-sense is also what tells me to make sure I look good today at school, fresh, clean, matching clothes and perfect hair. Common sense is a notion of ideology and with ideology is the creation of Hegemony, the answer to why we do certain things.

Antonio Gramsci a leading 20th century theorist discusses the notion of hegemony through his works in the Prison Notebooks. Hegemony is the material existence seen through our social practises, financial institutions and so on, as we engage with people. This is usually referred to as cultural hegemony. At the time Gramsci wanted to explain why so many people were supporting the fascists, when they were not going to help the poor-people in society. Through searching for the answer to his question he developed new questions along the way and brought about the idea that common-sense is the way a person perceives the world. Who creates common-sense? This is where the notion of hegemony comes in. Ideologies are created to develop common-sense for individuals. Whether the ideologies are true or not, are not Gramsci’s concern. Ideology and hegemony come together in that, ideology is what gives us a notion of common-sense. What exactly becomes common sense and what we see as common sense is the process of normalization. This is done through power exerted by dominate groups in a society, this is called hegemonic power.

When examining our society and cultural values today, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, My Space and the newest form I recently joined, Blackberry Messenger are all common means of communication almost everybody knows and takes part in. All these social networks are created to bring together old friendships and keep new ones. But the real question is, is that all they do? Although all these various social networks are influential in ones lifestyle, facebook seems to be the most impactful within many societies including our own. You can find that there is almost any group available to join on facebook, an unlimited amount of people you can talk to and making connections are much easier than ever. In specific to the idea of hegemony tied in with my interest in biomedicalization and the aging population; Facebook and fast moving information through it is becoming a means of delivering ideology to the people who take part in it. Fashion is highly talked about through groups, fan pages and most impactful of all the photos. Viewing photos, tags, editorial pictures and fashion advertising by facebook, we’re noticing hegemonic powers initiating from high-class people whom take part in capitalism to everyday people who are catching the trend quick and emulating them on a daily basis. By people imitating fashion trends and role-playing the leaders with hegemonic powers this is known as performativity. Judith Butler, philosopher and feminist theorist has used the concept of performativity in terms of gender development to explain this.

The more we see trends come and go, and take part in a cultural identity that is initiated by an ideology we will always see influences of hegemonic powers. In terms of Antonio Gramsci’s research, people supported the fascists even though they were not going to help poor-people in society, not because they wanted to however rather because it was an ideology, or known as common-sense initiated from hegemonic powers that continued to support fascists. In terms of my understanding of facebook, the more we see of it and the more we are influenced and intrigued by it, we will continue to go about contributing to hegemonic powers. As we engage with people through social networks, this social practise is now a material existence created through Antonio Gramsci’s notion of hegemony