How Society Precedes an Individual

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How Society Precedes the Individual
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• Fairly recently, Hugo Chavez has been re-elected
  for another six year term that staples his
  presidency in Venezuela. This is obviously an
  event that will affect millions of people within
  a society. Such an event will be communicated to
  the masses through many different media outlets.

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• I have chosen three different newspapers that
  covered the Hugo Chavezs re-election to examine
  through a communication perspective. I have
  articles from the NPR, CNN, and LA Times.

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• The theory of Society precedes the individual
  will be used to understand these different media
  sources.

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• The theory explains that there must be social
  relationship with society that produces
  individual behavior. I felt this was an
  appropriate perspective because of the
  relationship an election has on the society and
  the individual.

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• Lets start off with the article from LA Times
  Venezuela President Hugo Chavez wins election,
  officials say. This article begins with the fact
  that Hugo Chavez wins by convincing voters to
  vote for him. These voters are of the lower class
  and allow him to maintain office even with
  problems such as a flaccid economy, rising crime,
  and polarized society that scissors through the
  country. This is an interesting way to begin the
  article. Even though the economy is not doing
  well, crime is increasing, and there are
  conflicts within society Hugo Chavez still
  regains the peoples trust to direct society. It
  doesnt seem as if the article is trying to
  undermine Hugo Chavez, but just state the hurdles
  he overcame in order to regain his Presidential
  position.

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• Saussure, Freud, and Durkheim said that society
  creates meaning into the individual. Looking into
  this introductory of the article again it can be
  questioned what made these voters choose Chavez
  for another six years. From this perspective it
  would say that individual was influenced by
  society. That doesnt seem like a far-fetched
  idea when it comes to a political election.

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• Advertisement is probably bombarding ideas down
  the individuals throat painting a picture of how
  it thinks society should look. The individuals
  would feed off of these ideas and construct a
  vision of their society should be.

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• Depending on what interest the voter the most
  they will use these preconceived ideas to pick a
  candidate based on how effective they get their
  message across.

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• Although the people have the power to elect who
  they want in office, why do they elect that
  person. Is society creating meaning within the
  individual or is the individual thinking on their
  own? It would seem that if the society you are in
  is mostly poor and have a bad economy then you
  will be shaped by these ideas.

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• The article then goes on to say that Chavez goes
  to twitter to thank God and his supporters. This
  brings me to another way of looking at it.

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• Chavez is an individual with the responsibility
  to take care of his society. He reaches out
  through twitter as an individual to reach
  millions of people.

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• Where is Chavez getting his meaning from. As
  president he has to cater to the needs of the
  public, therefore relying on society to give
  meaning to his work. When Chaves sent out his
  twitter message, it shows he recognizes the
  greater role society plays.

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• The article finishes by saying Chaves has
  transformed Venezuelan society. This perspective
  gives the impression that an individual can give
  meaning to a society. Chavez delivered free
  medical care, housing, education, and cut-rate
  groceries to the poor. Chavez has the opportunity
  to give meaning to his society, through his
  individual beliefs. Is Chavez doing this because
  he really believes this is whats right or is it
  because he is influenced by society and
  responding to its needs.

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• Venezuelan election officials Chavez reelected
  as President, defeats Capriles President, defeats
  Capriles.This article begins by saying Chavez
  beat his opponent Henrique Capriles Radinski.

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• It explains how Capriles criticized Chavez for
  inconsistencies, infrastructure shortcomings, and
  corruption. Chavez battled back by highlighting
  his accomplishments within housing, education,
  and health initiatives. This is similar to the LA
  Times article. Here we have Chavez being tested
  by his policies by his opponent and he still
  wins. It reports that Chavez has been President
  since 1999. Could this have been enough time to
  instill his way of government that the people
  just accept this way of society?

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• The article explains this has been the highest
  participation in the election ever. There was a
  heavy emphasis on controlling the violence.
  Chavez had troops stationed at the polls to
  prevent an outbreak of violence. It evident that
  violence is a big part of this society. How does
  that work with the theory? If the military is
  watching over the citizens to prevent violence
  that mean society is stressing a meaning of
  peace. If citizens are still willing to engage in
  violence does that stem from the individual.
  Maybe an act to break away from the confides of
  society.

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• Violence would communicate a rebellion against
  what society wants them to do. Violence doesnt
  have to be the only way of rebellion, so why
  violence. Is it being communicated through the
  community therefore stemming from society?

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• This has been Chavez closes opponent he has ever
  had. Chavez won the election by ten percent,
  which shows there was a large percent of the
  country that wanted a change, but even a larger
  percentage who felt things will be better as they
  were. The culture that Chavez has instilled is
  still heavily influenced throughout the country.
  It seems through these articles more time than
  not society precedes the individual.

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• The last article is from NPR Chavez Wins Another
  Term As Venezuelas President. This article
  begins like the rest explaining how Chavez faced
  his most challenging opponent in years. After
  words, it says that once Chavez won he was
  carried through the Presidential palace singing
  the national anthem. This is interesting to look
  at that wasnt mentioned in the other articles.
  It seems almost routine to sing the national
  anthem, especially during this moment.

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• Whats interesting is the values that the nation
  stands for. I dont know Venezuelas national
  anthem, but Im sure it contains values that the
  country stand for. This is another example
  reinforcing societies influence over the
  individual. A person sings the national anthem
  proudly and embraces it. This would seem to say
  that people hold these values dear and it
  develops individual attitudes.

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• Alex de Tocqueville said that American society
  tended to make people downplay social
  institutions. Although this isnt America, its
  still a Democracy. As much as an individual may
  ignore that, it becomes evident how society is
  influential through these articles. What is also
  seen is that the individual has the chance to
  influence society. The article goes on to say
  that the President controls much of the televised
  airwaves, and billions in oil profits that were
  used for giveaways like new apartments and
  appliances.

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• The President is one person with a lot of power
  to sway a nation in a certain direction. With
  heavy control over televised airways, its almost
  scary the influence he has. Wrapping up the three
  articles, there were many examples between the
  relationship between individuals and society.
  Its an interesting relationship that draws from
  each other.

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• It seems society has the more heavy influence
  based on the articles, but individual still has
  the opportunity to break into a new way of
  living.

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