SutJhally,ImageBasedCulture:AdvertisingandPopularCulture from TheWorldandI<http://www.worldandilibrary.com>article17591(July1990) Becauseweliveinsidetheconsumerculture,andmostofushavedonesoformostof ourlives,itissometimesdifficulttolocatetheoriginsofourmostcherishedvaluesand assumptions.Theysimplyappeartobepartofournaturalworld.Itisausefulexercise, therefore,toexaminehowourculturehascometobedefinedandshapedinspecificways toexcavatetheoriginsofourmostcelebratedrituals.Forexample,everyoneinthis cultureknowsa"diamondisforever."Itisameaningthatisalmostas"natural"asthe linkbetweenrosesandromanticlove.However,diamonds(justlikeroses)didnotalways havethismeaning.Before1938theirvaluederivedprimarilyfromtheirworthasscarce stones(withtheDeBeerscartelcarefullycontrollingthemarketsupply).In1938theNew YorkadvertisingagencyofN.W.Ayerswashiredtochangepublicattitudestoward diamondstotransformthemfromafinancialinvestmentintoasymbolofcommitted andeverlastinglove.

.In1947an Ayersadvertisingcopywritercameupwiththeslogan"a diamondisforever"andtherest,astheysay,ishistory.AsanN.W.Ayersmemorandum putitin1959:"Since1939anentirelynewgenerationofyoungpeoplehasgrownto marriageableage.Tothenewgeneration,adiamondringisconsideredanecessityfor engagementtovirtuallyeveryone." Thisisafairly dramaticexampleofhowtheinstitutionalstructureoftheconsumer societyorientstheculture(anditsattitudes,values,andrituals)moreandmoretoward theworldofcommodities.Themarketplace(anditsmajorideologicaltool,advertising)is themajorstructuringinstitutionofcontemporaryconsumersociety. Thisofcoursewasnotalwaysthecase.Intheagrarianbasedsocietypreceding industrialsociety,otherinstitutionssuchasfamily,community,ethnicity,andreligion werethedominantinstitutionalmediatorsandcreatorsoftheculturalforms.Their influencewanedinthetransitiontoindustrialsocietyandthenconsumersociety.The emerginginstitutionofthemarketplaceoccupiedtheculturalterrainleftvoidbythe evacuationoftheseolderforms.Informationaboutproductsseepedintopublicdiscourse. Morespecifically,publicdiscoursesoonbecamedominatedbythe"discoursethrough andaboutobjects." Atfirst,thisdiscoursereliedupontransmittinginformationaboutproductsalone, usingtheavailablemeansoftextualcommunicationofferedbynewspapers.Asthe possibilityofmoreeffectivecolorillustrationemergedandasmagazinesdevelopedas competitorsforadvertisingdollars,this"discourse"movedfrombeingpurelytextbased. Thefurtherintegrationoffirstradioandthentelevisionintotheadvertising/media complexensuredthatcommercialcommunicationwouldbecharacterizedbythe dominationofimagisticmodesofrepresentation. Again,becauseourworldissofamiliar,itisdifficulttoimaginetheprocessthrough whichthepresentconditionsemerged.Inthiscontext,itisinstructivetofocusuponthat periodinourhistorythatmarksthetransitionpointinthedevelopmentofanimage saturatedsociety the1920s.Inthatdecadetheadvertisingindustrywasfacedwitha

curiousproblem theneedtosellincreasingquantitiesof"nonessential"goodsina competitivemarketplaceusingthepotentialitiesofferedbyprintingandcolor photography.Whereastheinitialperiodofnationaladvertising(fromapproximatelythe 1880stothe1920s)hadfocusedlargelyinacelebratorymannerontheproducts themselvesandhadusedtextfor"reasonwhy"advertising(evenifmakingthemost outrageousclaims),the1920ssawtheprogressiveintegrationofpeople(viavisual representation)intothemessages.Interestingly,inthisstagewedonotsee representationsof"real"peopleinadvertisements,butratherweseerepresentationsof peoplewho"standfor"reigningsocialvaluessuchasfamilystructure,status differentiation,andhierarchicalauthority. Whilethisperiodisinstructivefromtheviewpointofcontent,itisequally fascinatingfromtheviewpointofformforwhilethepossibilitiesofusingvisualimagery existedwiththedevelopmentofnewtechnologies,therewasnoguaranteethatthe audiencewassufficientlyliterateinvisualimagerytoproperlydecodetheevermore complexmessages.Thus,theadvertisingindustryhadtoeducateaswellassell,and manyoftheadsofthisperiodwereafascinatingcombinationwherethewritten(textual) materialexplainedthevisualmaterial.Theconsumersocietywasliterallybeingtaught howtoreadthecommercialmessages.Bythepostwarperiodtheeducationwascomplete andthefunctionofwrittentextmovedawayfromexplainingthevisualandtowarda morecrypticformwhereitappearsasa"key"tothevisual"puzzle." Inthecontemporaryworld,messagesaboutgoodsareallpervasiveadvertisinghas increasinglyfilledupthespacesofourdailyexistence.Ourmediaaredominatedby advertisingimages,publicspacehasbeentakenoverby"information"aboutproducts, andmostofoursportingandculturaleventsareaccompaniedbythenameofacorporate sponsor.Thereisevenanattempttogettelevisioncommercialsintothenations'high schoolsunderthepretenseof"freenewsprogramming.Asweheadtowardthetwenty firstcentury,advertisingisubiquitousitistheairthatwebreatheasweliveourdaily lives. AdvertisingandTheGoodLife:Imageand'Reality' Ihavereferredtoadvertisingasbeingpartof"adiscoursethroughandabout objects"becauseitdoesnotmerelytellusaboutthingsbutofhowthingsareconnected toimportantdomainsofourlives.Fundamentally,advertisingtalkstousasindividuals andaddressesusabouthowwecanbecomehappy.Theanswersitprovidesareall orientedtothemarketplace,throughthepurchaseofgoodsorservices.Tounderstandthe systemofimagesthatconstitutesadvertisingweneedtoinquireintothedefinitionof happinessandsatisfactionincontemporarysociallife. Qualityoflifesurveysthataskpeoplewhattheyareseekinginlifewhatitisthat makesthemhappy reportquiteconsistentresults.Theconditionsthatpeopleare searchingfor whattheyperceivewillmakethemhappy arethingssuchashaving personalautonomyandcontrolofone'slife,selfesteem,ahappyfamilylife,loving relations,arelaxed,tensionfreeleisuretime,andgoodfriendships.Theunifyingtheme

ofthislististhatthesethingsarenotfundamentallyconnectedtogoods.Itisprimarily "social"lifeandnot"material"lifethatseemstobethelocusofperceivedhappiness. Commoditiesareonlyweaklyrelatedtothesesourcesofsatisfaction. Amarketsociety,however,isguidedbytheprinciplethatsatisfaction shouldbe achievedviathemarketplace,andthroughitsinstitutionsandstructuresitorients behaviorinthatdirection.Thedatafromthequalityoflifestudiesarenotloston advertisers.Ifgoodsthemselvesarenotthelocusofperceivedhappiness,thentheyneed tobeconnectedinsomewaywiththosethingsthatare.Thusadvertisingpromotes imagesofwhattheaudienceconceivesofas"thegoodlife":Beercanbeconnectedwith anythingfromeroticismtomalefraternitytothepurityoftheoldWestfoodcanbetied upwithfamilyrelationsorhealthinvestmentadviceoffersearlyretirementsintropical settings.Themarketplacecannotdirectlyoffertherealthing,butitcanoffervisionsofit connectedwiththepurchaseofproducts. Advertisingthusdoesnotworkbycreatingvaluesandattitudesoutofnothingbut bydrawinguponandrechannelingconcernsthatthetargetaudience(andtheculture) alreadyshares.Asoneadvertisingexecutiveputit:"Advertisingdoesn'talwaysmirror howpeopleareactingbuthowthey'redreaming.Inasensewhatwe'redoingiswrapping upyouremotionsandsellingthembacktoyou."Advertisingabsorbsandfusesavariety ofsymbolicpracticesanddiscourses,itappropriatesanddistillsfrom anunbounded rangeofculturalreferences.Insodoing,goodsareknittedintothefabricofsociallife andculturalsignificance.Assuch,advertisingisnotsimplemanipulation,butwhatad makerTonySchwartzcalls"partipulation,"withtheaudienceparticipatinginitsown manipulation. Whataretheconsequencesofsuchasystemofimagesandgoods?Giventhatthe "real"sourcesofsatisfactioncannotbeprovidedbythepurchaseofcommodities(merely the"image"ofthatsource),itshouldnotbesurprisingthathappinessandcontentment appearillusoryincontemporarysociety.Recentsocialthinkersdescribethe contemporarysceneasa"joylesseconomy,"orasreflectingthe"paradoxofaffluence."It isnotsimplyamatterofbeing"tricked"bythefalseblandishmentsofadvertising.The problemiswiththeinstitutionalstructureofamarketsocietythatpropelsdefinitionof satisfactionthroughthecommodity/imagesystem.Themoderncontext,then,providesa curioussatisfactionexperienceonethatWilliamLeissdescribesas"anensembleof satisfactionsanddissatisfactions"inwhichtheconsumptionofcommoditiesmediatedby theimagesystemofadvertisingleadstoconsumeruncertaintyandconfusion.Theimage systemofthemarketplacereflectsourdesiresanddreams,yetwehaveonlythepleasure oftheimagestosustainusinouractualexperiencewithgoods. Thecommodityimagesystemthusprovidesaparticularvisionoftheworlda particularmodeofselfvalidationthatisintegrallyconnectedwithwhatonehasrather thanwhatoneisadistinctionoftenreferredtoasonebetween"having"and"being," withthelatternowbeingdefinedthroughtheformer.Assuch,itconstitutesawayoflife thatisdefinedandstructuredinquitespecificpoliticalways.Somecommentatorshave beendescribedadvertisingaspartofanewreligioussysteminwhichpeopleconstruct

theiridentitiesthroughthecommodityform,andinwhichcommoditiesarepartofa supernaturalmagicalworldwhereanythingispossiblewiththepurchaseofaproduct. Thecommodityasdisplayedinadvertisingplaysamixtureofpsychological,social,and physicalrolesinitsrelationswithpeople.Theobjectworldinteractswiththehuman worldatthemostbasicandfundamentaloflevels,performingseeminglymagicalfeatsof enchantmentandtransformation,bringinginstanthappinessandgratification,capturing theforcesofnature,andactingasapassporttohithertountraveleddomainsandgroup relationships. Inshort,theadvertisingimagesystemconstantlypropelsustowardthingsasmeans tosatisfaction.Inthesensethateveryadsaysitisbettertobuythannottobuy,wecan bestregardadvertisingasapropagandasystemforcommodities.Intheimagesystemas awhole,happinessliesattheendofapurchase.Moreover,thisisnotaminor propagandasystem itisallpervasive.Itshouldnotsurpriseusthentodiscoverthatthe problemthatitposeshowtogetmorethingsforeveryone(asthatistherootto happiness)guidesourpoliticaldebates.Thegoalofeconomicgrowth(onwhichthe commodityvisionisbased)isanunquestionedandsacredpropositionofthepolitical culture.Astheenvironmentalcosts ofthestrategyofunbridledeconomicgrowthbecome moreobvious,itisclearwemust,asasociety,engageindebateconcerningthenatureof futureeconomicgrowth.However,aslongasthecommodityimagesystemmaintainsits ubiquitouspresenceandinfluence,thepossibilitiesofopeningsuchadebateareremote. Attheverymomentwemostdesperatelyneedtoposenewquestionswithinthepolitical culture,thecommodityimagesystempropelsuswithevengreatercertaintyand persuasionalongapaththat,unlesschecked,isdestinedtoendindisaster. Moreover,thisproblemwillbeexponentiallycompoundedinthetwentyfirst century,asmoreandmorenations(bothThirdWorldand"presentlyexistingsocialist") reachforthemagicofthemarketplacetoprovidethepanaceaforhappiness.Oneofthe mostrevealingimagesfollowingthecollapseoftheBerlinWallwasthesightof thousandsofEastGermancitizensstreamingintoWestBerlinonaSunday(whenthe shopswereclosed)tosimply stareinraptureandenvyatthecommoditiesinthe windows.TransnationalcorporationsarelickingtheirlipsatthenewmarketsthatEastern EuropeandChinawillprovidefortheirproducts.Accompanyingtheproducts(indeed precedingthem,preparingtheway)willbethesophisticatedmessagesofglobal advertisingemergingfromMadisonAvenue.Fromaglobalperspective,againatthevery momentthatthereneedstobeinformeddebateaboutthedirectionandscopeofindustrial production,thecommoditypropagandasystemiscolonizingnewareasandnewmedia, andchannelingdebateintonarrowerconfines. TheSpreadofImageBasedInfluence Whilethecommodityimagesystemisprimarilyaboutsatisfaction,itsinfluenceand effectarenotlimitedtothatalone.Iwanttobrieflyconsiderfourotherareasinthe contemporaryworldwherethecommoditysystemhasitsgreatestimpact.Thefirstisin theareaofgenderidentity.Manycommercialmessagesuseimagesandrepresentations ofmenandwomenascentralcomponentsoftheirstrategytobothgetattentionand

persuade.Ofcourse,theydonotuseanygenderimagesbutimagesdrawnfromanarrow andquiteconcentratedpool.AsErvingGoffmanhasshown,adsdrawheavilyupon the domainofgenderdisplay notthewaythatmenandwomenactuallybehavebutthe waysinwhichwethinkmenandwomenbehave.Itisbecausetheseconventionsof genderdisplayaresoeasilyrecognizedbytheaudiencethattheyfiguresoprominentlyin theimagesystem.Also,imageshavingtodowithgenderstrikeatthecoreofindividual identityourunderstandingofourselvesaseithermaleorfemale(sociallydefinedwithin thissocietyatthistime)iscentraltoourunderstandingofwhoweare.Whatbetterplace tochoosethananareaofsociallifethatreachesintothecoreofindividualidentity. Howeverweshouldnotconfusetheseportrayalsastruereflectionsofgender.In advertising,gender(especiallyforwomen)isdefinedalmostexclusivelyalongthelines ofsexuality.Theimagesystemthusdistortsourperceptionsandofferslittlethatbalances outthestressonsexuality.Advertisers,workingwithina"cluttered"environmentin whichtherearemoreandmoremessagesmusthaveawaytobreakthroughtheattendant noise.Sexualityprovidesaresourcethatcanbeusedtogetattentionandcommunicate instantly.Withinthissexualityisalsoapowerfulcomponentofgenderthatagainlends itselfeveneasiertoimagisticrepresentation. Ifonlyoneortwoadvertisersusethisstrategy,thentheimagesystemwouldnot havethepresentdistortedfeatures.Theproblemisthatthevastmajoritytodo.The iconographyoftheculture,perhapsmorethananyprevioussociety,seemstobeobsessed withsexuality.Theendresultisthatthecommodityispartofanincreasinglyeroticized world thatweliveinaculturethatismoreandmoredefinederoticallythrough commodities. Second,theimagesystemhasspreaditsinfluencetotherealmofelectoralpolitics. Muchhasbeenwritten(mostlynegatively)abouttherolethattelevisionadvertisingnow playswithinnationalelectoralpolitics.Thepresidencyseemsmostsusceptibleto"image politics,"asitistheofficemostreliantontelevisionadvertising.Thesocialcommentary onpoliticsfromthisperspectivehasmostlyconcernedthemannerinwhichthefocushas shiftedfromdiscussionofreal"issues"toafocusonsymbolismandemotionallybased imagery. Thesedebatesaretooimportantandcomplextobediscussedinanydepthhere,but thereisafundamentalpointtobemade.TheevidencesuggeststhatGeorgeBushwonthe 1988presidentialracebecauseheranabetteradandpublicrelationscampaign.Given theincredibleswingsinthepollsoverarelativelyshortperiodoftime,whenmedia informationwastheonlythingthatvotershadtogoon,itseemstobeaconclusionwith somesubstance.Theimplicationsofsuchaconclusion,though,havenotreallybeen exploredthewaytheyshould.Thefactthatlargenumbersofpeoplearechangingtheir mindsonwhotovoteforafterseeingathirtysecondtelevisioncommercialsaysagreat dealaboutthenatureofthepoliticalculture.Itmeansthatpolitics(forasignificant portionoftheelectorate)islargelyconductedonasymbolicrealm,andthatanotionof politicsthatisbaseduponpeoplehavingacoherentanddeepvisionoftheirrelationship tothesocialworldisnolongerrelevant.Politicsisnotaboutissuesitisabout"feeling

good"or"feelinghad"aboutacandidate andallittakestochangethisisathirtysecond commercial. Thegrammaroftheseimages,then,clearlyisdifferenttothegrammarofverbalor writtenlanguage.Theintrusionoftheimagesystemintotheworldofelectoralpolitics hasmeantthatthemajorityofcommittedvotersareheldransombythosewhoare uncommitted(theundecidedorswingvotes),andthatthesesgroupsareinfluenced differently andhaveadifferentrelationshiptopoliticsthanthosewhohaveanold styleviewofpolitics.Thesehugeswingsofopinion,baseduponinformationprovidedby theimagesystem,suggestthatthepoliticalcultureisincrediblysuperficialanddoesnot correspondtowhatwenormallythinkofa"politics." Third,thecommodityimagesystemisnowimplicated,duetochangesintheway thattoysaremarketed,intheverystructureandexperienceofchildren'splay.Withboth children'stelevisionprogrammingandcommercialsorientedaroundthesaleoftoys, writerssuchasStephenKlinearguethatthecontextwithinwhichkidsplayisnow structuredaroundmarketingconsiderations.Inconsequence,"Children'simaginativeplay hasbecomethetargetofmarketingstrategy,allowingmarketerstodefinethelimitsof children'simaginations.Playinfacthasbecomehighlyritualizedlessanexploration andsolidificationofpersonalexperiencesanddevelopingconceptualschemathana rearticulationofthefantasyworldprovidedbymarketdesigners.Imaginativeplayhas shiftedonedegreeclosertomerelimitationandassimilation."Further,thesegmentation forthechildaudienceintermsofbothageandgenderhasledtoasituationwhereparents finditdifficulttoplaywiththeirchildrenbecausetheydonotsharethemarketingfantasy worldthattoyadvertisershavecreatedandwherethereisagrowingdividebetweenboys andgirlsatplay."Sincethemarketingtargetsandfeaturesdifferentemotionaland narrativeelements(action/conflictsvs.emotionalattachmentandmaintenance),boysand girlsalsoexperiencedifficultyinplayingtogetherwiththesetoys." Fourth,thevisualimagesystemhascolonizedareasoflifethatwerepreviously largelydefined(althoughnotsolely)byauditoryperceptionandexperience.The1980s hasseenachangeinthewaythatpopularmusiccommodities(records,tapes,compact discs)aremarketed,withamusicvideobecominganindispensablecomponentofan overallstrategy.Thesevideosareproducedascommercialsformusicalcommoditiesby theadvertisingindustry,usingtechniqueslearnedfromthemarketingofproducts. Viewingthesevideos,thereoftenseemstobelittlelinkbetweenthesongandthevisuals. Inthesensethattheyarecommercialsforrecords,thereofcoursedoesnothavetobe. Videomakersareinthesamepositionasaadmakersareinthesamepositionasad makersintermsoftryingtogetattentionfortheirmessageandmakingitvisually pleasurable.Itislittlewonderthenthatrepresentationsinvolvingsexualityfigureso prominently(asinthecaseofregularproductadvertising).Thevisualsarechosenfor theirabilitytosell. Manypeoplereportthatlisteningtoasongafterwatchingthevideostronglyeffects theinterpretationtheygivetoit thevisualimagesarereplayedintheimagination.In thatsense,thesurroundingcommodityimagesystemworkstofix oratleasttolimit

thescopeofimaginativeinterpretation.Therealmoflisteningbecomessubordinatedto therealmofseeing,totheinfluenceofcommercialimages.Thereisalsoevidence suggestingthatthecompositionofpopularmusiciseffectedbythenewvideocontext. Peoplewritesongsorlineswiththevitalmarketingtoolinmind. SpeedandFragmentation:TowardATwentyFirstCenturyConsciousness Inadditiontoissuesconnectedwiththecolonizationofthecommodityimage systemofotherareasofsociallife(gendersocialization,politics,children'splay,popular culturalforms),therearealsoimportantbroaderissuesconnectedwithitsrelationto modesofperceptionandformsofconsciousnesswithin contemporarysociety.For instance,thecommodityinformationsystemhastwobasiccharacteristics:relianceon visualmodesofrepresentationandtheincreasingspeedandrapidityoftheimagesthat constituteit.ItisthissecondpointthatIwishtofocusonhere(Iwillreturntothefirst pointattheendofthearticle). Thevisualimagesthatdominatepublicspaceandpublicdiscourseare,inthevideo age,notstatic.Theydonotstandstillforustoexamineandlingerover.They areherefor acoupleofsecondsandthentheyaregone.Televisionadvertisingistheepitomeofthis speedup.Thereisnothingmysteriousintermsofhowitarose.Ascommercialtimeslots declinedfromsixtysecondstothirtyseconds(andrecentlytofifteensecondsandeven shorter),advertisersrespondedbycreatinganewtypeofadvertisingwhatiscalledthe "vignetteapproach"inwhichnarrativeand"reasonwhy"advertisingaresubsumedunder arapidsuccessionoflifestyleimages,meticulously timedwithmusic,thatdirectlysell feelingandemotionratherthanproducts.Asacommercialeditorputsitofthisnew approach:"They'reawonderfulwaytopackininformation:allthosescenesand emotionscut,cut,cut.Alsotheypermityouaveryfreestyleapproach meaningthatas longasyoustaytruetoyourbasicvignettethemeyoucanusuallyjustdroponeand shoveinanother.They'readreamtoworkwithbecausethepartsaresortof interchangeable." Thespeedupisalsoa responsebyadvertiserstotwootherfactors:theincreasing "clutter"ofthecommercialenvironmentandthecomingofage,intermsofdisposable income,ofagenerationthatgrewupontelevisionandcommercials.Theneedfora commercialtostandouttoavisuallysophisticatedaudiencedrovetheimagesystemtoa greaterfrenzyofconcentratedshorts.Again,sexualitybecameakeyfeatureofthe imagesystemwithinthis. Thespeeduphastwoconsequences.First,ithastheeffectofdrawingtheviewer intothemessage.Onecannotwatchthesemessagescasuallytheyrequireundivided attention.Intenselypleasurableimages,oftensexual,areintegratedintoaflowofimages. Watchinghastobeevenmoreattentivetocatchthebriefshotsofvisualpleasure.The space"inbetween"thegoodpartscanthenbefilledwithotherinformation,sothatthe commoditybeingadvertisedbecomesarichandcomplexsign. Second,thespeeduphasreplacednarrativeandrationalresponsewithimagesand

emotionalresponse.Speedandfragmentationarenotparticularlyconducivetothinking. Theyinducefeeling.Thespeedandfragmentationthatcharacterizethecommodity imagesystemmayhaveasimilareffectontheconstructionofconsciousness.Inone seriesofadsforMTV,ateenageboyorgirlengagesinacontinuousmonologueof events,characters,feelings,andemotionswithoutanyapparentconnectingtheme.Asthe videoimagesmirrorthefragmentationofthoughts,theadswiththeplug:"Finally,a channelforthewayyouthink."Thegeneralizationofthisspeed/fragmentationstrategyto theentiredomainofimageculturemayinfactmeanthatthisistheformthatthought increasinglyistakingattheendofthetwentiethcentury. PoliticalImplications:EducationinanImageSaturatedSociety TherereallyisnotmuchtodisputeintheanalysisIhaveofferedofthehistory, character,andconsequencesthecommodityimagesystemmayhave.Thereal question concerningtheseissueshastodowiththepoliticalimplicationsthatonemaydrawfrom thiskindofapproach.Putsimply:Isthereaproblemwiththissituation,andifsowhat preciselyisit?Further,whatsolutionsmaybeoffered? Inaprovocativerecentbook,StuartEwenoffersaclearevaluationofthe contemporaryimagesystem.Hestatesitsuccinctly: Thedangeristhis:astheworldencouragesustoaccepttheautonomyof images,"thegivenfactsthatappear"implythatsubstanceisunimportant,not worthpursuing.Ourownexperiencesareoflittleconsequence,unlesstheyare substantiatedandvalidatedbytheworldofstyle.Inthemidstofsuchcharades, thechasmbetweensurfaceandrealitywidensweexperienceagrowingsenseof disorientation.Formeaningfulalternativestocomeintobeing,however,the dominanceofsurfaceoversubstancemustbeovercome.Theremustbea reconciliationofsurfaceoversubstance,areinvigorationofapoliticsof substance. Beneathhisinsightfulanalysisandhismanyexamplesfromdifferentdomains,Ewen maintainsarelativelysimpledivision:Thereisaworldof"substance"whererealpower restsandwherepeoplelivetheirreallives(the"material"worldof"essence")andthereis aworldof"style"andsurface(theevanescentworldof"appearances").Inthehistoryof twentiethcenturycapitalismtheworldofsubstancehasbeenhiddenandgivenafalse veilbytheworldofappearances.Peoplehavegivenupcontroloftherealworldand immersedthemselvesintheultimatelyillusoryworldofappearances.Surfacehas triumphedoversubstance. IamlesssurethanEwenofthedichotomythatheworkswith afterall,appearance istheforminwhichessencerevealsitselfbutIamconvincedthatamoderncultural politicsmustbeconductedontheterrainoftheimagesystem.Thequestionis,howis substance(reality)revealed?Giventhatourunderstandingof realityisalwayssocially constructed(that"ideology"ispresentinanysystemorsituation),visualimagesarethe controlmodethroughwhichthemodernworldunderstandsitself.Imagesarethe

dominantlanguageofthemodernworld.Wearestuckwiththem.Further,wehaveto acknowledgethepleasurethatsuchimagesprovide.Thisisnotsimplytrickeryor manipulationthepleasureissubstantive. Iwouldfocusaculturalpoliticsontworelatedstrategies.First,thestruggleto reconstructtheexistenceandmeaningoftheworldofsubstancehastotakeplaceonthe terrainoftheimagesysteminsomeprogressiveculturalpoliticstheverytechniques associatedwiththeimagesystemarepartoftheproblem thatis,imagesthemselvesare seenastheproblem.Astruggleoverdefinitionsofreality(whatelseisculturalpolitics?) needstouseothermediumsofcommunication.Ibelievesuchastrategysurrendersthe veryterrainonwhichthemosteffectivebattlescanbefought thelanguageofthe contemporaryworld. Thesecondaspectofthestrategycenterslessonrevealingmattersofsubstance(the underlyingreality)thanonopeningupfurthertheanalysisofthecontemporaryimage system,inparticular,democratizingtheimagesystem.Atpresentthe"discoursethrough andaboutobjects"isprofoundlyauthoritarian itreflectsonlyafewnarrow(mostly corporate)interests.Theinstitutionsoftheworldofsubstancemustbeengagedtoopen upthepublicdiscoursetonewandvaried(anddissenting)voices. Theothersetofconcernsareconnectedtoissuesofliteracyinanimagesaturated society.AsRaymondWilliamshaspointedout,intheearlydevelopmentofcapitalism workersweretaughttoreadbutnottowrite.Theskillsofreadingwereall thatwere requiredtofollowordersandtounderstandtheBible.Contemporarysocietyisina similarposition.Whilewecanreadtheimagesquiteadequately(forthepurposesoftheir creators)wedonotknowhowtoproducethem.Suchskills,orknowledgeoftheprocess, mustbeaprerequisiteforfunctionalliteracyinthecontemporaryword.Basiccourse workinphotographyandvideoproductionshouldberequiredinallhighschools. Moreover,whilemessagescanbereadadequately,mostpeopledonotunderstandhow thelanguageofimagesworks.Justasknowledgeofgrammarisconsideredvitalin learningforeignlanguages,sothegrammarofimages(howtheywork)needstobe integratedintothehighschoolcurriculum."Visualliteracy"coursesshouldbetakenright aftertheproductioncourses. Finally,informationabouttheinstitutionalcontextoftheproductionand consumptionoftheimagesystemshouldbeaprerequisiteforliteracyinthemodern world.Advertisements,forexample,aretheonlymessageformsthatarenot accompaniedbycreditsintermsofwhohasproducedthem.Inthissense,moviesand televisionprogramshaveadifferentstatuswithintheimagesysteminthatatleastsome oftheirprocessofproductionisrevealed.Atminimum,weknowthattheyareMiddle Eastbylotsofpeople! Ads,ontheotherhand,simplyappearanddisappearwithoutanycredits.Athirdset ofcoursescouldfocusonthepoliticaleconomyofthemediaandadvertisingindustries. Strippingawaytheveilofanonymityandmysterywouldbyitselfbeofgreatvaluein demystifyingtheimagesthatparadebeforeourlivesandthroughwhichweconceptualize

theworldandourrolewithinit.AsNoamChomskyputsit(talkingaboutthemediain general)inhisbookNecessaryIllusions,"Citizensofthedemocraticsocietiesshould undertakeacourseofintellectualselfdefensetoprotectthemselvesfrommanipulation andcontrol,andtolaythebasisformeaningfuldemocracy."Suchacourseofactionwill notbeeasy,fortheinstitutionalstructureoftheimagesystemwillworkagainstit. However,theinvigorationofdemocracydependsuponthestrugglebeingengaged.

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