Bourdieu - Melanie Roth

In Bourdieu’s essay, “On Television”, he brings to light many underlying elements that construct ideology through presentation through the media. In past readings, we have become familiarized with this type of filter, and understand how the media influences the general public, through satire and propaganda. One area that stood out to me was when Bourdieu stated, “Competitors within a given field often have polemical images of one another. They produce stereotypes about one another and insults as well” (255). In lieu of the current election, I have chosen this point of the reading, because of the mass amounts of satirical images between the republicans and democrats. These two competing political parties have countless parodies of one another, supporting Bourdieu’s theory that creating these insulting stereotypes is a strategy to “transform the position the individual occupies in the field” (256).

All day, I could not go on Facebook without seeing satirical representations of the opposite candidates or political party. Bourdieu claims “these images themselves take a stand, which essentially gives expression to the position occupied by the individual who, with grater or lesser disclaimers, articulates the view in question” (256). The stereotypes and perceptions that the two competing parties have for one another are highlighted in these images to belittle the opposite threatening power. When stereotypes, or insulting satires are used to attack each opponent, the strategy takes a turn, neutralizing the competition. Stereotypes and parody, used in the political campaign, coincides with Bourdieu’s example of the competition between print journalists and television. These two examples correlate with one another because each uses these strategies in hopes to discredit their opponent.

The Image I have attached below, exemplifies how one competitor can produce a satirical image, to attack its opponent.