"I Just Hope it Really is Organic": On the Interaction Between Communication and Evolving Ideologies

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Philosophy, Theory, and Critique Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

To gain insight into the interaction between commercial communication and evolving ideologies, this paper looks at moral production and consumption through the lens of Beck's risk society and theory of reflexive modernisation, as a response to the complexity of the systems of production and consumption. The results show that the unintended consequences that characterise not just the conventional market but also the systems of moral production and consumption cause conflicts between different ethical concerns, making it impossible to make choices that are perfectly moral. Regarding the moral market the analysis shows that because consumers and producers are not able to predict, assess and anticipate the outcomes of their choices and because they can't know what information they can trust, ideologies are constantly re-evaluated. New insights lead to adjusting of ideologies. In this context of constant and endless reflexivity, ideologies become intrinsically unobtainable and reflexivity becomes a non-formative of ideology.

Author

• Carly O'Neill, School of Media and Communication - University of Leeds