Mass Society
1. Readings of this week mainly focus on the followings points: 1) Critique on mass society. 2) Critique on ‘critique on mass society.’ 3) Critique on mass media in the age of mass society. 4) Snapshots of mass society at the specific community level.
2. According to Harold Innis, control over time and space that is related to the duration and expansion of civilization determines life or death of any civilization. Means of communication play a crucial role in controlling over time and space. In modern mass society where printing press occupies the main mean of communication, specialization and excess, constant changes in technology increase the difficulties of “recognizing balance” in society. (p.279) These “anti-homeostatic factors” (Wiener) are indirectly reflected on the fixed and not-communicative strata of modern American society (Mill): “The top of modern American society is increasingly unified […] At the top there has emerged an elite of power. The middle levels are a drifting set of stalemated, balancing forces. The middle does not link the bottom with the top. The bottom of this society is politically fragmented, and even as a passive fact, increasingly powerless.” (p.400) The problems of mass society are mirrored on mass culture. Mass culture as kitsch (which originally means trash in German), according to Macdonald, “exploits the cultural needs of the masses in order to make a profit and/or to maintain their class rule.” (p.344) In addition, the production process of Hollywood movie industry displays magical form of thinking seeking breaks, i.e., the mindset of Hollywood moviemakers are no more than that of gamblers. (Powdermaker, p.291) However, this type of critique on mass society, being imbued with romanticism, lacks theoretical rigorousness, and the term “mass” is used arbitrarily depending on perspectives of each thinker. (Bell) In addition, “atomized society,” a key phrase of mass society critiques, does not fit to the American society, “a nation of joiners” where at least 200,000 voluntary organizations exist. (Bell, p.370)
3. The critique on mass society brought about growing concerns on mass media which leads to the systematic speculations on the role of media in mass society. According to Lazarsfeld and Merton, the role (function) of mass media is summarized into the following: The status conferral function, the enforcement of social norms, the narcotizing dysfunction. The status conferral function is revealed in “reverse content check” in which selection-exclusion processes are covertly operating. (Breed) The enforcement of social norms are well observed in Riesman’s article in which mass communication is identified with “character-forming agencies” (p.301)
The various arguments regarding mass society are products of a specific epistemological perspective: attempting to understand objects as a whole. A different level of analysis might not need the term ‘mass’ and would produce a different interpretation on society. At a different level of analysis, society may not be seen as inchoate and atomized, and Gans’ article clearly shows this. Tow towns in Gans article, Westend and Levittown, do not clearly display the symptoms of mass society as described in mass society theory. According to Gans, those suburbs are not rootless and hold community strength in terms of culture and networks. In this way, when a community is viewed in light of ‘network,’ isolated and atomized characters of mass society are not clearly observed in small size communities.
4. However, as shown in Gans’ articles, "sparseness of citizen communication and participation" in the realm of political communication in the Levittown signifies the problem of mass society. (p.307) And ‘mass’ media imposed from above has inherent limitations in encouriging communication and participation, i.e., networking those towners. For example, political communication between decision makers and citizens was superficial, and the problem could not be solved by the system of mass media which was based on “mutual obligation between reporter and decision maker.” (p.323)
Generally speaking, the symptoms of mass society are not totally observed in those two towns, and yet the problems of mass media in mass society are clearly detected there. Then, a different form of media (not from the above, but from the below) which facilitates communication at all levels (not only political level) and contribute to networking those citizens is needed.
Conclusion - What I learned from the readings! (too many things...but mainly, )
2. According to Harold Innis, control over time and space that is related to the duration and expansion of civilization determines life or death of any civilization. Means of communication play a crucial role in controlling over time and space. In modern mass society where printing press occupies the main mean of communication, specialization and excess, constant changes in technology increase the difficulties of “recognizing balance” in society. (p.279) These “anti-homeostatic factors” (Wiener) are indirectly reflected on the fixed and not-communicative strata of modern American society (Mill): “The top of modern American society is increasingly unified […] At the top there has emerged an elite of power. The middle levels are a drifting set of stalemated, balancing forces. The middle does not link the bottom with the top. The bottom of this society is politically fragmented, and even as a passive fact, increasingly powerless.” (p.400) The problems of mass society are mirrored on mass culture. Mass culture as kitsch (which originally means trash in German), according to Macdonald, “exploits the cultural needs of the masses in order to make a profit and/or to maintain their class rule.” (p.344) In addition, the production process of Hollywood movie industry displays magical form of thinking seeking breaks, i.e., the mindset of Hollywood moviemakers are no more than that of gamblers. (Powdermaker, p.291) However, this type of critique on mass society, being imbued with romanticism, lacks theoretical rigorousness, and the term “mass” is used arbitrarily depending on perspectives of each thinker. (Bell) In addition, “atomized society,” a key phrase of mass society critiques, does not fit to the American society, “a nation of joiners” where at least 200,000 voluntary organizations exist. (Bell, p.370)
3. The critique on mass society brought about growing concerns on mass media which leads to the systematic speculations on the role of media in mass society. According to Lazarsfeld and Merton, the role (function) of mass media is summarized into the following: The status conferral function, the enforcement of social norms, the narcotizing dysfunction. The status conferral function is revealed in “reverse content check” in which selection-exclusion processes are covertly operating. (Breed) The enforcement of social norms are well observed in Riesman’s article in which mass communication is identified with “character-forming agencies” (p.301)
The various arguments regarding mass society are products of a specific epistemological perspective: attempting to understand objects as a whole. A different level of analysis might not need the term ‘mass’ and would produce a different interpretation on society. At a different level of analysis, society may not be seen as inchoate and atomized, and Gans’ article clearly shows this. Tow towns in Gans article, Westend and Levittown, do not clearly display the symptoms of mass society as described in mass society theory. According to Gans, those suburbs are not rootless and hold community strength in terms of culture and networks. In this way, when a community is viewed in light of ‘network,’ isolated and atomized characters of mass society are not clearly observed in small size communities.
4. However, as shown in Gans’ articles, "sparseness of citizen communication and participation" in the realm of political communication in the Levittown signifies the problem of mass society. (p.307) And ‘mass’ media imposed from above has inherent limitations in encouriging communication and participation, i.e., networking those towners. For example, political communication between decision makers and citizens was superficial, and the problem could not be solved by the system of mass media which was based on “mutual obligation between reporter and decision maker.” (p.323)
Generally speaking, the symptoms of mass society are not totally observed in those two towns, and yet the problems of mass media in mass society are clearly detected there. Then, a different form of media (not from the above, but from the below) which facilitates communication at all levels (not only political level) and contribute to networking those citizens is needed.
Conclusion - What I learned from the readings! (too many things...but mainly, )
At different level of analysis, the theory of mass society might not be valid.
It seems that 'mass' communication started its operation in Westend and Levittown even before those two towns were tranformed into mass society.
If so, mass communication might not be a product of mass society.
Mass media plays a various role but 'networking citizens.'
Thus, if we mean to network people, a different form of media is needed.
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