The Shining, by Stanley Kubrick

2159 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Marx theory of superstructure

1. Background: From Ideology to Problematic/Systematic Readings

Louis Althusser) was a French Marxist philosopher who “revolutionized Marxist theory” with his own ideology theories and their influence upon politics and culture (Ferretter, 2006, p.i). Karl Marx distinguished the hierarchy found in society: the infrastructure or economic base, which consists of “a combination of the ‘forces of production’ and the ‘relations of the production’”(Storey, 2009, p. 60), and the superstructure that contains two levels in itself- political and legal institutions (law, the police, the government) and ideology (religious, moral, legal, political, ect.) (Blunden, n.d.). The relationship between these levels in society can be viewed from two ends of a spectrum: a side where the superstructure both justifies and challenges the base, or a side where the base determines the limits of the content and form of the superstructure, as it is the forces of production. (Harman, 1986, pp. 3--44) Althusser rejected the economic base and the superstructure’s passive relation (Storey, 2009, p. 72).

Althusser aimed to explore to what extent ideology was more “pervasive” and “material” than formerly recognized (Althusser, 1972, p.96). Althusser created three definitions to ideology, the first states "Ideology represents the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence"(Althusser, 1972, p.121-176). This theory included both the base and the superstructure -which differs from Marxist theories- oppressed groups are made believe, by ideologies, that the world is doing fine, while the higher groups are fooled towards believing oppression and exploitation are simply universal necessity. Althusser’s Marxism is a ‘scientific’ discl...

... middle of paper ...

...itle/tt0081505/plotsummary [Accessed 25 Apr. 2014].

Website

Kubrickfilms.tripod.com, (2014). PART 11: Imperfect Symmetry. [online] Available at: http://kubrickfilms.tripod.com/id4.html [Accessed 24 Apr. 2014].

Website

Legendsofamerica.com, (2013). Battles and massacres of the Indian Wars in the American West - Page 2. [online] Available at: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-indianwarbattles-2.html [Accessed 23 Apr. 2014].

Book

LoBrutto, V., 1997. Stanley Kubrick. 1st ed. New York: D.I. Fine Books.

Book

Luckhurst, R. and King, S., 2013. The shining. 1st ed.

Book

Storey, J. 2009. Cultural theory and popular culture. Harlow, England: Pearson Longman.

Website (For Images) (Note: All uncited images are screenshots taken from the Film)

Tias.com, (2014). [online] Available at: http://www.tias.com/stores/silsnw/pictures/adtin81a.jpg [Accessed 25 Apr. 2014].

Show More
Related

  • Little Bighorn Mission Command Analysis

    1599 Words  | 4 Pages

    McMurtry, Larry. 2005. Oh What a Slaughter: Massacres in the American West: 1846-1890. 10th Ed. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

    Read More

  • Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    The film, Vertigo (1958) directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is classified as a genre combination of mystery, romance, suspense and thriller about psychological obsession and murder. Filmed on location in San Francisco and on the Paramount lot in Hollywood, California in 1957, the cultural features of the late 1950’s America were depicted in the films mise en scène by costume and set designs current for that time period. The film was produced at the end of the golden age of Hollywood when the studio system was still in place. At the time Vertigo was produced, Hollywood studios were still very much in control of film production and of actor’s contracts. Hitchcock’s groundbreaking cinematic language and camera techniques has had great impact on film and American popular culture and created a cult following of his films to this day.

    Read More

  • Cultural Anthro - Karl Marx

    1287 Words  | 3 Pages

    Karl Marx looks at human societies as a whole, and asks how they reproduce themselves, and as a result, change. For Marx a fundamental question about any society is whether it can produce more than it needs to reproduce itself, that is, a surplus product. Karl Marx believed that the middle class is based upon economic factors and rooted in solely that perspective. Many people have examined his work closely arguing that economic factors could not possibly be the only definition o...

    Read More

  • Examining Conflict through Marxist Theory

    961 Words  | 2 Pages

    Recognized as the originator of scientific socialism, and a revolutionary critic (Beiharz, 2005), Karl Marx’s theory was one that was based on the ideology that social class differences produces inequality which is the premise of continual conflict making it inevitable (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2012). Through the lens of Marx, the existing society was divided between two classes being referenced as dominant, however, is inclusive of capitalist and workers describe as the bourgeoisie and proletariat (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2012). In the first place, according to Marx, historically, society has always been viewed as having a struggle over resources which was ultimately initiated by capitalism thus,

    Read More

  • Analyzing Philosophical Views: Kant, Marx and Burke

    1348 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx, with the help of Friedrich Engel, advocated for the violent overthrow of capitalism and the creation of a socialist society. According to Marx, “The history of hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (184). Notably, Marx and Engel were the main proponents of communism. Marx’s main argument was that the society is the product of class conflict that results in different social classes with opposing economic interests. Importantly, Marx believed that the society comprised the oppressor and the oppressed, and the two are in constant conflict with each other. The ensuing conflict results in the revolutionary reorganization of the society, or the ruin of the opposing classes. Therefore, Marx, like Kant, saw the institutions of a given society as influential in determining its future. However, Marx argued that traditional institutions were unsuitable for a free and just society that respected human dignity. For example, he saw the modern bourgeoisie society as a product of the “ruins of feudal society,” meaning that the modern society is yet to resolve class antagonisms (184). Indeed, he sees the modern-day social classes as the products of the serfs and burgesses of the middle ages. In this regard, he claimed that the modern social structures are the products of a sequence of revolutions in the systems of production, as well as exchange. However, modern social structures are yet to enhance equity in the society. Therefore, Marx advocated for a revolution that would change the existing social structures and prepare the society to adopt communism. Unlike Kant’s idea of freedom of speech, which is a mind influencing process, Marx seemed more violent by the stating that “let the ruling classes tremble at a communistic revolution”

    Read More

  • The Communist Manifesto Analysis

    1053 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Communist Manifesto we see early versions of essential Marxist concepts that Marx would elaborate with more scientific rigor in mature writings such as Das Kapital. Perhaps most important of these concepts is the theory of historical materialism, which states that historical change is driven by collective actors attempting to realize their economic aims, resulting in class struggles in which one economic and political order is replaced by another. One of the central tenets of this theory is that social relationships and political alliances form around relations of production. Relations of production depend on a given society’s mode of production, or the specific economic organization of ownership and division of labor. A person’s actions, attitudes, and outlook on society and his politics, loyalties, and sense of collective belonging all derive from his location in the relations of production. History engages people as political actors whose identities are constituted as exploiter or exploited, who form alliances with others likewise identified, and who act based on these

    Read More

  • The Indian Wars

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    3. Morris, Richard B. The Indian Wars. United States: Lerner Publications Corp., 2000. P. 2-36. Print.

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Main Strengths and Weaknesses of Marx’s Sociological Thought

    1663 Words  | 4 Pages

    To Marx, history d... ... middle of paper ... ... 67 Jon Elster, Making sense of Marx, Cambridge University press 1985 C.Slaughter, Marxism and the class struggle, New Park Publications LTD 1975 Tony Bilton, Kevin Bonnett, Pip Jones etc.. Introductory Sociology 4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan 2002 Gregor McLennan, The Story of Sociology Ken Morrison, Marx Durkheim Weber, Sage publications LTD 1995 Fulcher&Scott, Sociology 2nd edition, Oxford university press 2003 --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] German Ideology, pp.8-13 [2] Karl Marx: Selected Writings in Sociology and Social Philosophy, p.150, Pelican books 1963 [3] ibid, p107 [4] Karl Marx: Selected Writings in Sociology and Social Philosophy, p.177, Pelican books 1963 [5] Essential writings of Karl Marx; p176; Panther Books Ltd ,1967

    Read More

  • Marx (The Communist Manifesto) and Rousseau

    2059 Words  | 5 Pages

    The political philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx examined the role that the state played and its relationship to its citizen’s participation and access to the political economy during different struggles and tumultuous times. Rousseau was a believer of the concept of social contract with limits established by the good will and community participation of citizens while government receives its powers given to it. Karl Marx believed that power was to be taken by the people through the elimination of the upper class bourgeois’ personal property and capital. While both philosophers created a different approach to establishing the governing principles of their beliefs they do share a similar concept of eliminating ownership of capital and distributions from the government. Studying the different approaches will let us show the similarities of principles that eliminate abuse of power and concentration of wealth by few, and allow access for all. To further evaluate these similarities, we must first understand the primary principles of each of the philosophers’ concepts.

    Read More

  • Karl Marx And The Communist Manifesto

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    Born from the revolutions of 1848 throughout Europe, Marxism sought to end the class struggles that were destroying the continent. The solution to the problems of all nations occurred to Marx to be Socialism, a branch that is presently known as Marxism. Under this seemingly “utopian” socioeconomic system, equality was granted to all citizens who were in essence a community of one. “. . . universal free education; arming of the people; a progressive income tax; limitations upon inheritance; state ownership of banks. . .”(Palmer 506). These rights of which constituted Marxism eventually went on to be incorporated in Leninism and modern-day socialism. At least in its beginning, the intent of Marxism and the Communist League were noble towards the goal o...

    Read More

  • Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel: The Relationship between Society and the Individual

    3473 Words  | 7 Pages

    Each of the four classical theorists Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel had different theories of the relationship between society and the individual. It is the objective of this paper to critically evaluate the sociological approaches of each theory to come to a better understanding of how each theorist perceived such a relationship and what it means for the nature of social reality.

    Read More

  • Karl Marx and His Radical Views

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    The writings of Karl Marx spell out the philosophic foundations of his radicalism. Marx’s philosophy is complicated and detailed. However, the central theme to Marx’s theories was his view that economic forces were increasingly oppressing human beings and his belief that political action and change were necessary. Marx’s thinking is a reaction to the industrial society of the mid ninete...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Marxism

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    Marx hoped to enlighten or raise the consciousness of the proletariat, by paving the way for a revolution that would be able to free it from the system that oppressed it. He thought only then, could the workers begin to bring about a classless communist society operated according to the principle “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” (188) For more than a century from Marx’s death in 1883 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, communism was the dominant form of socialism. However it was never the only form, and whether these other forms of socialism will flourish like communism did remains to be unknown. However what we do know is that if socialism does have a future, it won’t be in the form of communism (218).

    Read More

  • The Political Philosophy of Karl Marx

    2291 Words  | 5 Pages

    Karl Marx had very strong viewpoints in regards to capitalism, making him a great candidate for this assignment. People constantly debate over whether his ideologies held any grain of truth to them. I believe that although not everything Marx predicted in his writings has come true (yet), he was definitely right on about a lot of issues. As a matter of fact, his teachings can definitely be applied to today’s society. This paper will give a summary of Marx’s political philosophy. It will also discuss a contemporary issue: the current economic crisis— and how Marx believed racism played a crucial a role in it. Finally, through the lens he has developed, I will explain how Marx would analyze this issue and how one can argue that it spurred the current movement known as Occupy Wall Street.

    Read More

  • The Sociological Contribution of Karl Marx to an Understanding of Contemporary Society

    909 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Sociological Contribution of Karl Marx to an Understanding of Contemporary Society. This essay will discuss how the Karl Marx contributed his knowledge to the understanding of contemporary society. Karl Marx is often referred to. as the ‘intellectual father of modern day Marxist economics’.

    Read More

More about The Shining, by Stanley Kubrick

Open Document