Monday, July 16, 2007
Behaviourism and Nietzsche
Behaviourists argue that people are shaped, even conditioned, by their social environments. Discuss two ways in which forces in our environment, such as parents, peers, media, and schools, shape us to be individuals or individualistic. In your answer, comment on whether individualism is socially/culturally determined or is the response of an autonomous individual who has "will to power," as Nietzsche discussed.
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The media shapes us to be individualistic because it forces us to make choices. The media creates an urgency in everyone to be current and hip. By glorifying rich people, and highlighting the most terrible things that could possibly happen to anyone, the media create this need to be safe, and a need for success. Peers can do the same thing. It is safe to say that "you are who your friends are", in most cases. In other words, you and your friends generally enjoy the same activities. This may be caused by becoming socialized with this particular group of people. People tend to adapt to their surroundings. It is a proven fact that most living organisms will adapt to its environment in order to survive. I would tend to agree with behaviorists when talking about people being shaped into individualism.
The media plays an important role in individuality. By watching and learning the trends that are presented in everyday life, our minds are shaped to what we believe is paradise- whether it be clothes, living conditions, the ideal girlfriend/boyfriend, pastimes, etc. The media allows us to choose who we want to become in various forms. This can be culturally determined because people may like the same thing and be heavily influenced by what they see and be segregated into specific groups. However, it does not necessarliy mean they are being bias because each person has something unique about them that seperates one from the rest.
Peers influence individuality because they can inspire people to become something they could only dream of— making it possible if they have the will power. These people have leadership, motivation, and involvment within the community to allow people to understand that they can become who they truly want to be in life. Overall, the forces (behaviourists) around us do shape our lives even though we may not realize it.
By assuming that individualistic means to be unique here, I would say media, society, peers and environment doesn’t produce individual but stereotypes (off coarse with few exceptions). Media promotes self-indulgent individuals we call celebrities (who are carefully profiled for the best interest of the capitalist market. For example, British media single out 2/3 writers in advance for booker prize every year based on how many crossover ethnic community they represent—the more, the better—because colonial literatures are selling well now!) and hopes that everybody will follow those icons.
However, most of us follow them blindly with a false sense of ‘uniqueness’. For example, right now every fashion conscious girl who has managed to bag one of the Paris Hilton style big ‘bug-eyed’ sunglass or every boy who has unnecessarily bought one of those trendy horizontally striped t-shirt may think that they are ‘unique’ for a while, but soon their individuality will be threatened when every body will start to follow the same! To remain ‘unique’ one has to switch to another fad endorsed by another celebrity pretty soon. Unfortunately, this apparent irrational cycle keeps our capitalist economy up and running.
What if these individuals start to live up to their own sense of coolness without following anyone by the sheer ‘will to power’ described by Nietzsche; can they influence anyone on peer to peer basis? Probably no, unless they are picked up by the media and tailored to play a new role model for the next season.
I think environment and ‘free will’, both shape up our behavior—may be to different extent, but most important thing is what ethical value it projects, not how it is shaped up.
The social environment that people grow up in is what decides their behaviour. Media is the main influence for how we are. In television and advertising, we see a certain type of person, who is beautiful, successful and apparently flawless.
They are flawless because they are wearing the most recent fashion, or driving the sexiest car. These people claim to be infividuals. They make their own choices, they do what they want, and hang out with the people that they chose... AS LONG AS THEY ARE THE SAME AS THEM.
These supposed individuals are told who to hang out with, where to shop, and what to wear by the media. You won't be a 'cool kid' if you wear Torpedo jeans. You need to wear the $200 designer jeans. This is not being an individual, this is being ideal-individualistic
Schools influence our behaviour by teaching us about current events and history, and what caused them as well as how to avoid them from occuring again. By introducing students to important figures in the world, it gives them someone to look up to, a goal or aspiration to accomplish.
Individualism is 100% socially/culturaly determined. We want to have success, but we need to feel like we did it on our own, and that we stand out in a crowd as an individual.
Individualism in some respect is nothing more than a facade. Strip away the material good and we are all the same. We have the same basic wants and needs.
The capitalist systeme allow us to act more individual. We have more autonomy, more initiatives and freedom.
We are protecting our individual autonomy against obligations imposed by any kind authority as muchas we can
But media and economy push us to be similar, to consume same products to follow some streotypes. The ads announce that we would be unique if we buy that product. So we have more atonomy to buy whatever we want (despite some monopolization) but this indivudality doesn't make us authentic.
In other part, it's really hard today to be individual with all the messages who tells us what we should do or how we should do in the media.
I think our environment, peers, media have a big impact to our behaviours. We imitate, we follow unconsiously most of the time outside.
Fusun Uzun
An individuals behavior is truly something that is determined by many factors. Society does play a role in shaping our perceptions and our goals however an Individual does have a mind of their own and they do have the ability to take control of their own destiny and change whom they are. Nietzche wishes us to not be a pack animal and strive – for what he terms – to be an artist. That is to take control of the world in which we are surrounded and shape it. In many ways referencing Plato's despise of the illusions which artists create since they are mere fictive representations of what is real.
In Plato's terms then the media/culture has become that artist that shapes our world, and creates something that is not truth. With Nietzsche, although he is seen as "the artist against Plato" is actually reaffirming Plato by summizing that we have to be our own artist, we must shape our own destiny.
To look to history where these things may have come into play one is to merely look towards any revolution where the mass of the people have gone against what is socially acceptable and overthrown their captures/rulers (I use captures since society may been seen as held captive by the elite; which becomes a contentious issue since an elite is what Nietzche was looking for in some respects, but he is full of diconomies, as is life.)
As individuals we are shaped and conditioned by social environments. Forces in these environments such as parents, peers, media, and schools shape us to become individuals through positive/negative reinforcements. The media for example plays a significant role in showing you one thing while meaning another-the whole perception is reality issue. Individualism is something that is socially/culturally determined through norms, values, beliefs and practices. Individualism is self shaped by the feedback we receive in response to our actions. Our ability to take risks/accept consequences is what being an individual is all about.
We have more access to information now than ever.People are influenced by the media through news and advertisement.It affects the way we dress and the way we talk, too. Young people also look up to famous stars that they see and hear about in the media and wish to mimic and emulate them. Media also provide movies which affect individuals a lot. It changes the culture individuals are in, making people want to be pursuit a life that is good, "cool" in their own way, that is different than others.
Environment is also an important factor. People tend to trust each other less than in the past. Materials count more in people's life. What they want now is different from the past.
I think social and cultural factors affect individuals more than "will to power".
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