Capri Sun, Marx, Althusser

This week we read about Marx and Althusser’s thoughts on ideologies within society. Marx believes in two types of classes that make up a whole, the class with more material is the intellectual class. This class makes the rules and dominates society by creating ideologies. Because these ideologies are in their interest and work to their advantage they can also be considered hegemonic. Marx says that there are two different groups but each are apart of a whole. Therefore the “lower” class abides these rules that are enforced on them and are taught not to question.
Althusser, however, is interested in two different types of societies. One is the ISA (ideological state apparatus) where the people in the community are not to question or challenge the current system. The second is a RSA (repressive state apparatus) society, where ideologies should be questioned. Marx and Althusser’s theories go hand in hand because either way certain ideas are enforced on society as a whole, its whether that society is open to challenging or not that differentiates the two. Ever since becoming a CMC major, I feel like I have focused on figuring out if America is an ISA or RSA society. I think, the average person would say an RSA because of the very first Amendment within the American Constitution. However, I personally would say an ISA because I have been taught in my classes to question every idea that is presented to me from institutions. These beliefs are actually hegemonic because they are coming from the “ruling” class that Marx talks about in his article. It is interesting because ideologies are controlling people, but the people in charge of that society control the ideologies of that society. It is a never-ending cycle because we are taught we can question but we don’t because we believe the ideas and laws imposed on us are for the greater good of the society as a whole.