- What is the distinction that Reading 4.3 makes between owners and employees? Give an example of each. Owners own the wealth of society and employees earn a living through labor. Owners live off of investments and stocks for example and workers live off of wages and salaries.
- How do you understand the quote by Adam Smith on pg. 28? What is it saying about labor? I understand this quote as recentering the true value of the capitalist system which is in workers aka the people creating the labor that’s generating the wealth that they don’t profit off of nearly as much as the credited means of production of it via capitalist.
- What are your thoughts on the main argument of Reading 4.4 that class is NOT an identity? I agree with that stance, considering the points being driven in the reading. Class isn’t identity however it is lens for what position of power we withhold. It isn’t about the lower-upper class axis that as they say liberals define as class. Because the gap is so large that working class people are practically invisible by that scale. Not only that but class doesn’t specifically signal socioeconomic statuses, it signals wealth. Wealth meaning investments , stocks, bonds etc. that have been building and passed down through families that allow wealthier people to live off of alone without even considering a salary or wage. Class as an identity isn’t your label in society that is too vague and doesn’t address what it actually is. Class as an identity reflects your position of power, your wealth, your resources, and capital that you possess. As well as where you exist within a structure that dictates whether you profit off of workers, or if a will capitalist profit off of your labor.
- How do you understand the argument Reading 4.4. makes when stating that “class structures are built around a close form of dependency”? What is this close form of dependency, and can you think of an example? I understand that class structure is built upon the control of resources which creates a dependency on capitalism for workers to be able to buy the things they need to live & simultaneously the capitalist require laborers to work for them in order for them to gain more profit and expand productivity.
discussion board 3.2
- What is a Repressive State Apparatus? Why does Althusser call it “repressive”? Can we explain his choice of words here. Give an example.repressive meaning enforcing control through a form of fear. fear of violence, revoked freedom, and lack of security. An example of this is the government prior to weed legalization prohibited the use or selling of marijuana or else you would face jail time( revoking freedom & using fear).
- and ideological apparatus meaning enforcing a mental condition into people through social institutions. They work through social institutions like family, church, media, and school. These institutions are promoted and accepted as basic fundamentals of generating commendable character, unity, productivity, resources, community, and evolution. However the system many of the operate off of are structured to produce a product of their desired regime, that you must follow or face the set consequences they have in place.
- The difference between repressive and ideological apparatuses is one being that the repressive apparatus is singular. It is only produced as enforcement of fear through violence , the barricade of ideology. And ideological apparatuses have multiplicity. They exist in many forms of belief and value. It seeps deeply into the everyday action within social institutions. For example one ideological apparatus of school is discipline. And without verbal communication of that apparatus being absorbed, it is excersised through actions like raising a hand to use the bathroom , or standing in a single file line to leave the classroom. The action itself is the embodiment of the ideological apparatus. And repressive apparatus is the truancy officers taking you to the station if you are underaged and not attending school during school hours. The repressive apparatus enforces and protects the structure of ideology with violence. While ideological apparatus is the mental conditioning of ideology through social institutions itself.
- this image to me encapsulates the Marxist awareness that arises through understanding the effects that the implementation of ideological apparatuses created. Fear is the source of control, and so without it you are free of it.
discussion board 3.1
Q1 answer: ideology is a form of social conditioning & status quo that shapes and molds peoples beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes towards specific circumstances and ideas that they typically don’t consciously consider or realize is in place. Primarily the way it’s structured gives into the fed belief that it is for the better and for proper functioning of said system. For example from birth you are told to obey your parents and to listen to everything they say because they know what’s best for you. however this isn’t the case for every person as many people have irresponsible, ignorant, power struggle dynamics with their parents that misdirect & excerise control has a means of power instead of care for their kids. But if a kid falls out of line they will be punished. This can mean physical punishment where a child is powerless to defend themselves. This could also mean taking away certain freedoms like social time and extracurricular activities. As I understand ideology it’s what upholds certain illusions of choice within our society. It is conditioning that we operate off of to continuously strengthen a certain system in place. I also understand it purposely is strenuous to break from. There are systems in place designed to instill fear and control over those who rebel. Many of the systems are orchestrated by large social structures. An example of a social structure that instills fear is religion. Many people fear going against god because of their relationship that starts at home with seemingly authoritative figures. If you go against them you get punished. So to be punished eternally by a unseeable force that will, and has the highest power to grant you “ sovereignty” if you follow its rules, is more capable of making you submissible, than fearing a temporary punishment here on earth. This fear that you begin to internalize is a central element of the systems utilization of control. If you have fear you can be controlled by it. So if you fear god you will fear going against the rules “god” has set for you. You will not question the authority and you will not go against it either.
Q2 answer: the difference between liberal and conservative politics is generally government intervention vs governed independence. liberals believe in government intervention for regulations, and taxes. as well as ensuring that their freedoms of speech, expression, and choice are protected just to name a few. where as conservatives believe in patriotism, traditional beliefs and values, less regulations on taxes, more military funding( patriotism), and protecting their traditional american lifestyle and ideology that everyone should be living by and following( in their words) , living united so to speak under those norms.
Q3 answer: Althusser wanted to understand what made people go against their own interest. and he stated that there is repressive and ideological apparatuses in place. repressive meaning enforcing control through a form of fear. and ideological apparatus meaning enforcing a mental condition into people through social institutions.
