Massification As A Public Matter

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Term Paper Title	Massification As A Public Matter
# of Words	1166
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.66

Massification as a Public Matter
Sociological theorist C. Wright Mills addresses the notion that in the US political structure is run by elites who dominate society virtually unchallenged.  He postulates that by controlling and manipulating the media of mass communications, the power elite have transformed the "public" into the "masses."  In this "massification" of society, Mills explains that nonelites do not and cannot challenge the holders of power.  After examining the defining characteristics of "publics" and "masses," I will discuss this theory in the context of the United States today and in the example put forth in the film "Dream Worlds II."
In earlier, smaller societies, the people in society were able to communicate with each other in much more informal and personal ways than seems to be the case today.  Simply by virtue of their smaller numbers, people could often relate on a one-to-one basis and in doing so could formulate decisions among them that resulted in the "will of the people."  In this society characterized by a democracy of publics, Mills identifies four key features.  First, there is a relative balance in the number of givers of opinion as numbers of receivers.  As in a small group discussion (though it need not necessarily be small), each participant can express his or her opinion and everyone in that group can hear it.  Second, when a person receives an opinion, they are able to quickly and effectively answer back.  Third, opinions that are formed in discussions are able to be acted out.  Finally, the institutions of power in society do not impede or alter the ability of the public to form its own!
opinions.  These four features characterize a democratic society of publics as Mills sees it.
In contrast, a society of masses is much more characteristic of many large modern societies today in which discussions of opinion are filtered through the media of mass communication. A society of masses is characterized by, again, four key features:  (1) A much smaller number of people give opinions than do receive them.  (2) The organization of the avenues of communication stunts the ability of the receivers to answer back.  (3) The opinions that materialize into actions are controlled by authoritative institutions.  Perhaps the most peremptory feature is (4) the institutional extortion of autonomy by which people formulate their own opinions.  When Ross Perot wishes to offer his opinions to others, he purchases millions of dollars worth of...

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