Holding Aesthetics and Ideology in Tension

Abstract

Studying imagery, irrespective of the kind, must focus equally upon its aesthetic attractiveness, its sensory lures, and its oftentimes dubious social ideology. The terms aesthetic and ideology are addressed as problematic and are defined in current, ordinary language terms: aesthetics as visual appearances and their effects and ideology as a style of thinking. Aesthetics, viewed as inherently ideological because it is a primary means by which ideology is inculcated, has become increasingly important to address in art education as the aestheticization of economics, politics, and everyday life has become increasingly pronounced. The Build-a-Bear Workshop® is offered as an example of aesthetic and ideology working together. Finally, a comparison is drawn between Schiller’s view of aesthetics as a means of social control and the current use of aesthetics to inculcate the late capitalist ideology of continual consumption and thus ensure socio-economic stability.

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