This sounds a little stupid. Why would we agree to be ruled without putting up a fight? But there are several examples of hegemonic control that you follow almost every day. For example:
- Sport - Football is particularly popular in the UK, to the point that if you know nothing about it, you will be potentially viewed as weird by your friends
- Music - Certain genres of music in the UK are particularly popular, especially US pop and R&B music. No one is forcing us to listen to it, but it has become an accepted norm regardless
- Normative social values - Showering every day, holding the door open for people older than you and talking to other people are all rules that you follow every day, despite the fact there would be no legal issues if you didn't do so
So why do we conform to hegemonic rule? From a Marxist perspective, we are coerced through the powerful influence of the ruling class through the mass media. These messages become so commonplace and so convincing that we are forced to adopt them. Failure to do so can lead to being cast as an outsider.
Richard Dyer is interested in the ways in which the representation of different groups of people affect the ways in which they are treated in everyday life. Consistent exposure to stereotypes can arguably shape the ideology of societies.
One form of hegemonic control that we are particularly interested in in Media Studies is patriarchal hegemony. This refers to the power asserted by men over women. It assumes that media texts as diverse as films, books and even clothing reinforce the notion that men are superior to women.
This Guardian article outlines ten examples of how young girls can potentially be 'taught' that they fulfil the stereotypical 'weaker' role of the classical gender binary. What do you think? Do Media texts confirm and reinforce biased views of gender? Is it possible that girls are essentially brainwashed from a young age in to believing they have less intrinsic worth than men do?