Sociology Essay: Impact of Mediascape, Control, and Aura on Society

This essay delves into the multifaceted concept of mediascape, tracing its evolution from the Cold War era to the digital age, exploring how it has shaped the flow of information and influenced societal perceptions. It analyzes the historical definitions of mediascape, highlighting the shift from traditional media to digital platforms and examining the implications of this transition. The essay further explores the societal impact of technological advancements, including the rise of postmodernism and the changing dynamics of social control, drawing on the perspectives of Marx and others. It investigates why Marx's vision of societal upheaval didn't fully materialize, discussing the role of technological and economic advancements. The essay also examines the evolution of thinking about society, focusing on postmodernism and its influence on social organization and control. Finally, it explores the concept of aura, as defined by Walter Benjamin, examining how technological and media-driven changes have altered people's understanding and experience of it.

Short Essay Quiz

Question 1:
Definition of mediascape in the 1950s-1960s
The different zones of conflict, tension and contact among broadcasting stations,
publishing house and televisions in East and West Berlin, the term ‘Mediascape’ of Cold War
Berlin has been coined first time in the medieval period of 1950s to 1960s. Arjun Appadurai has
used this term to demonstrate production of media contents, narratives and symbols within a
competitive setting of broadcasting stations or other distribution channels (Stahl, 2010).
Definition of mediascape in the 1970s and 1980s
Till 1970s to 1980s, ‘Mediascape’ can be defined as communications media and flow of
information as a whole. During this period, "mediascape", which is coined by Arjun Appadurai
also termed as electronic and print media in cultural flows of information at global level. For
Appadurai, it indexes e-capabilities (or, electronic capabilities) of production and dissemination
of information through images of the world created by such media channels. Such imagery
during 1970s-1980s comes from books, television, magazines, cinema or more, in the form of
billboards and posters, which directly affect the landscape as well as subtly influence, via
persuasive techniques. Thus, under this period, it increasingly pervasive the presence on manner
through which people perceive reality.
Relationship of these two historical definitions with today’s definition of mediascape
Today, the term ‘Mediascape’ defines as distribution of e-technologies, capabilities or
entities for producing and transferring information through newspapers, radio, movie studios and
more. It is also used as a generic term for demonstrating a digital media artefact, in which
different items of digital media are linked with regions in space, afterwards can be triggered by
the demographic location of an individual for experiencing the media. Through this process, a
person can anywhere, anytime get news through digital media easily. Today, capabilities of
broadcasting stations have been much developed, regarding with control access of information as
who gets access, who can or cannot start own mediascapes etc. Along with this, creation and
dissemination of information by mediascape is also regulated today, more strictly. So, analysing
the historical definitions of mediascape during 1960’s to 1980s, meaning has been the same i.e.
flow of information from all medias, just a difference has been created with concept of
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digitalisation. Today, it is coined with communication news through digitally at wide level. In
simple world, world as presented through and perceived by mass media in front of public.
Question 2
1) Why society never came to the boiling point and what Marx envisioned never really
happened?
According to the discussion of Marx society never came to the boiling point because the
level of advancement in wealth, technology and science was very high and it never led the
society towards boiling point. In current era the production of goods and services is based upon
knowledge and skills of the individuals. The main trend which never led the society to the
boiling point includes the development in technology and other aspects. It was mentioned by
Marx that communism out of human and technological possibilities were already identifiable
according to the time and the development in all the trends resulted in ignorance of boiling point
for the society (The Frankfurt School and Critical Theory). Marx always believed that the
communist future from existing patterns could be projected and it was the major and integral part
of the envision. It was also declared by him that people do not anticipate the world in dogmatical
manner but they wish to find the new world by criticising the existing one. If they will ignore the
criticism then it may lead them towards finding of a new world. As the mind set of society never
got changed regarding criticism therefore the envision of Marx never really happened.
2) How you think the lack of substantive change after the 1960s can still be seen in academic and
social discourse today
By analysing the discussion of Marx it has been analysed that there was lack of
subjective change within the society till 1960s and it could be seen in academic and social
discourse today. In the whole discussion it was mentioned by Marx that communism is very
important for all the individuals and it is not a stable state which reality will have to adjust itself.
It could be called the real movement result from the premises that are now in existence. In
current era the lack of substantive change could be experiences in academic and social disclosure
because the main requirement for the same is communism (Marx vision of Communism. 2020).
There is lack of it as the individuals are not able to respond to changes properly because they do
not want to adapt the change as it may result in changes in their daily routine. Apart from this, it
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was analysed by Marx that in future there will be a criticism for the change that will be required
in academic and social disclosure and the vision of him resulted the same manner. It was
mentioned by Marx that communism is beneficial for the individuals to raise proletarian, class
consciousness and it is a more difficult question. It was also described by Marx that it is clear to
him that of the individuals will not be able to to conceive the humanly superior way of life then it
may result in exploitation of them which is not the right solution for their behaviour for
resistance for change. The main reason for the lack of substantive change is gaps and
uncertainties that are left untouched. Apart from this, when all the evidences for the gaps will be
analysed then it will result in adoption of change.
Question 3
Changes in thinking about way society being controlled, thought, organised etc.
Postmodernism is the idea or movement that was developed in the mid to late 20th century
across philosophy, architecture, art etc. With the help of it, changes in the thinking about the way
in which society is being organised, thought and controlled. With time huge changes are being
identified in the society and the ways in which it is organised. Postmodernism I has been more
generally applied to described the difference between the historical and modern era along with
the changes that took place with it (Lyotard, Answering the Question: What Is Postmodernism?).
With the help of its concept all the individuals started to think in modern manner and their
tendencies to think critically for all the elements was improved. Apart from this, It resulted in the
movement of century which was characterised by the broad skeptiicism, relativism and a general
suspicion of reason. For example, the historic thinking of people was not focused with academic
goals and objectives they just wanted to live their life in the way they want. On the other hand,
the concept of modernism resulted in the development of their mindset and now they are
becoming more focused with studies and other academic matters. Apart from this, in old era
women were not allowed to take part in the decision making of family but with the time thinking
is changes and now most of the critical decisions are taken by them as they are more capable in
formulating decisions for betterment of family. In earlier time society was male dominated but
postmodernism the way in which society is organised and controlled is changed and the power is
decentralised. This took place because of changes in mind set of people with time.
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Key features or changes which brought due to significant changes in ‘the order of things
In historic time the mind set of all the individuals was related to ignorance of chance but
with the changes in their thinking the way in which society is organised, think and controlled is
changes. The key features which brought due to significant changes in the order of things are as
follows:
 Introduction of concept of modernism was the main factors that resulted in the changes of
the way of thinking, controlling and organising the society. It developed mind set of
people so that they can deal with the proposed change.
 Thinking of people changed with time that affected the controlling of society. In old era
people were not focused with their development they were more dependent upon the
family members. With the introduction of modernism they become more focused with
their own development. It resulted in higher focus of them towards attainment of career
goals and objectives that helped them to be independent.
 The key feature that facilitate the significant changes was related to the concept of
modernism as it was focused with development of mind set of individuals regarding their
own development.
Apart from all the above described arguments postmodernism resulted in changes of
thinking of all the individuals that affected the way in which society is organised, controlled and
think.
Question 4
The way transition to technology, media dominated society creates changes in perception of
people in terms of understanding and experience of aura
According to Walter Benjamin, with rapid changes in technology and media revolution, has
completely destroyed the aura which has belonged to the traditional art. In principle an art work,
always has been reproducible, where man-made artefacts are generally imitated by men. Aura is
the most common invoked terms within theory of media, which argues that reproductive and
digital media like films, has diminished the aura as it belongs earlier to the traditional form of art
(Walter Benjamin, 1936). However, it is still valuable in economic media in which photography
and films are competing from cultural status of people. Aura is used generally to examine value
of traditional media reading theory against the contemporary practices of media.
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The replicas which were made by scholars during practice of their craft, firstly diffused by
masters to then by third parties for pursuit of gain. So, mechanical reproduction of art work
demonstrates something new. Although, it advanced intermittently or leaps at long intervals, yet
done with accelerated intensity. But only two technical procedures were used for reproducing
works of art, that are founding and stamping, for producing bronzes, coins and terra cottas in
quantity. Except these, other art works which were unique seems not be mechanically
reproduced. So, after the transitions in technologies, like lithography surpassed by photography,
technical reproduction has converged the art of work with minimal effort. Thus, reproducing all
transmitted art of work causes a profound changes in terms of impact upon public. But digital
revolution has changed the technique of reproduction that detaches reproduced objects from
tradition domain. Now, mode of perception of human sense changes with entire mode of
existence of their humanity.
With digital revolution, the way perception of public is organised, medium in which it
accomplishes and way of transferring the same, has completely changed. So, with reference to
aura, uniqueness of art work has been abolished on some landscape, it has taken away the
originality as well as authorship of traditional art. As per theoretical views of Benjamin, the
concept of aura in terms of ‘mixed reality’ to new media or group of technologies, has blended
the computer-generated aural, visual and textual information into physical environment of users.
Hereby, mixed reality defines as combination of virtual and physical of reproductive
technologies and traditional forms. It has led to increase various options for designer-artists,
which apparently allows the aura’s invocation in new ways. Therefore, culture’s pursuit of the
auratic experience considers as problematic in mixed reality. Digital media maintain the idea of
aura digitally in a permanent state of crisis or oscillation.
However, transition of technological mode changes in societies’ understanding and
experience of Aura, but it bridges the gap as well in presenting the high-culture to all, through
media. But it has also diminished uniqueness of art, where Mankind that was taken as an object
of contemplation for Gods of Olympia, now due to changes in perception, taken as one for itself.
Now, self-alienation reach at such extent than people can experience their own destruction in
terms of aesthetic pleasure. Distribution and transformation of information through media, films,
news and other broadcasting channels, makes the public as examiner but they also become
absent-minded now. It is because capacity of media technology for generating aura which
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depends on degree to which it influences the public that they are in presence of authentic i.e.
visual fidelity. Therefore, such aura of AR application is nostalgic and become derivative after
transformation of digitalisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
The Frankfurt School and Critical Theory. [Online] Available at:<
file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Rar$DIa8496.22917/The%20Frankfurt%20School
%20and%20Critical%20Theory%20(1).pdf >.
Marx vision of Communism. 2020. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.nyu.edu/projects/ollman/docs/vision_of_communism.php
Lyotard, Answering the Question: What Is Postmodernism? [Online] Available at:<
file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Rar$DIa8496.37342/Lyotard,%20Answering
%20the%20Question%20What%20Is%20Postmodernism-1%20(2).pdf>.
Walter Benjamin. (1936). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. [Online]
Available at:< file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Rar$DIa8496.48097/Walter
%20Benjamin%20(2).pdf >.
Stahl, H., 2010. Mediascape and soundscape. Two landscapes of modernity in cold war
Berlin. Berlin: Divided City, 1945-1989, pp.56-65.
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