Gramsci: Less is More

When I first looked at Gramsci's work in the anthology, I was surprised at how short the section was. The abstract above the work explains that he had to write most of his work in codes so that it wouldn't be censored, which explains why so little of is included in "Hegemony." Yet, I was astonished at how those few words could mean so much. I have studied hegemony in many history classes and was always perturbed with hegemony in our society. Still, I had not put much thought into WHY hegemony existed. After reading the section, a lightbulb went off and I realized: OF COURSE! Hegemony wouldn't be possible without public consent as well as the imposing culture's efforts.

This made me realize that it is because of public consent that contemporary American society is the way it is. Why are supermodels as thin as death? Why do celebrities make more money than doctors? Why is it “cool” to be dumb in our high schools? I have often wondered whether America's values are screwed up because of mass media or mass media's values are screwed up because of America, but now, after having read Gramsci, I feel justified in setting the question aside and simply concluding that the answer is that both are correct. Mass media is the way it is because we allow it and support it as it is but also because it is established to reinforce existing class structure and support the ruling classes.

Perhaps this idea is the one being conveyed in this poem entitled "True Lies," by Talaam Acey: