Blog Post 4: Marxism Ruins Everything.

Marxism is, primarily, a study in the dynamics of power structures, and those who operate in and around them. 

Of course, outside of the context of this class it’s a lot more philosophical, and a lot more communist in a way only Russia in the late 19^th century could be. But, within the scope of media analysis, “Marxism as a social theory” hits the nail on the head.

Marxism as we understand it through the lens of critical media consumption, has a lot more to do with the social roles that people naturally assume and how, as we grow and change and enter and exit different spheres, we assume different ideologies and behaviors. The economic component inherent in Marxism is largely absent within this framework, but to say it is nonexistent does a disservice to the power of money in guiding the undercurrents of human interaction. A good example is the in-class viewing of Friends in which Rachel’s mother, Sandra, expresses her displeasure with her marriage (one of convenience), and how she’s proud of her daughter’s desire to work and gain independence. Money is power, and if Marxism is a treatise on the ebbs and flows of power, then money is a given. But, since this isn’t late 19^th century Russia, it has less of a communist aftertaste.

To anyone not in this class looking to critique media through a Marxist lens I would say “why?” but also “be prepared for a rather depressing lesson on social hierarchy, and just where you fall within it.”

I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to consume media critically, but if it’s done with a Marxist flare, it’s going to be upsetting how many bourgeois values you’ll find there, and how constant the presentation of upper class ideology is. That sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the simple truth is rich white guys own the majority of media conglomerates within the United States, so of course their values and personal agendas are going to guide programming. There’s a reason that, historically and currently, most media protagonists are conventionally attractive straight white people living in beautiful apartments and hanging out with other conventionally attractive straight white people, and that reason isn’t because most of America is like the cast of Friends. The simple truth is, Marxism reveals just who is deemed a “winner” within our system, and because that definition is so narrow, chances are you are not one.

So my advice would be “Don’t do it, because you won’t like it, and you’re totally going to ruin Friends for yourself. Don’t ruin Friends for yourself.”