ThA: CS-1 - Cultural Studies, Media, Power, and the Truly Educated Person

 Blog is given by Dilip Sir

Teacher's Link: Teacher's Link

Step 1: Reading and Thematic Understanding

After reading this insightful blog post “Cultural Studies: Media, Power and Truly Educated Person”, three central themes emerge that form the foundation of his argument:

1. The Role of Media in Shaping Culture and Identity

This explains that in contemporary society, media plays a central role in creating and shaping culture. It has become a major force that influences what people think, how they behave, and how they identify themselves. He notes that media is not a neutral or independent institution; rather, it is an instrument of power that controls human perception and subjectivity.

Blog references Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman’s Propaganda Model, which explains how media is filtered through ownership, advertising, political interests, and ideology. This process determines what kind of knowledge is circulated in society. Media thus becomes a space where cultural meanings are produced and controlled.

Blog reminds readers that Cultural Studies helps people understand this manipulation. It teaches that culture is not just about art or literature, but also about everyday media, social structures, and the power relationships that shape them.

2. How Power Structures Are Reinforced through Media Representation

Power operates invisibly through the media. Political, economic, and ideological forces use media to reproduce their dominance. He writes that the media “controls perceptions and subjects,” meaning that what people consider as “truth” or “normal” is often designed by those who hold power.

Through news framing, advertising, films, and social media, power structures are naturalised. They define what is desirable, acceptable, or respectable. For instance, consumerist culture and patriarchal values are often repeated and validated through media narratives.

It highlights the potential of Cultural Studies to question and unmask these structures. When individuals learn to read media critically, they can resist manipulation and reclaim the power of interpretation.

3. The Characteristics of a “Truly Educated Person” in the Context of Cultural Studies

In the final section of his blog, Barad turns to the idea of education. Drawing inspiration from Noam Chomsky, he argues that being truly educated means developing the ability to question, analyse, and think independently.

quotes:

“It is not important what we cover in the class; it’s important what you discover in the class.”

A truly educated person does not merely memorise facts or obey authority; they are curious, critical, and self-reflective. Education, therefore, must go beyond textbooks. It must train learners to inquire into the relationship between media and power, and to understand how culture functions in shaping identity and ideology.

Barad sir’s central message is that Cultural Studies education creates truly educated individuals—those who unlearn disciplinary boundaries, challenge dominant narratives, and engage with media and culture critically and creatively.

Step 2: Analytical Responses

1. Media and Power

Media and power are inseparable in modern society. Media acts as a mechanism through which power operates and maintains control. He explains that those who control media can shape public perception, set agendas, and define social realities.

Using Chomsky and Herman’s five filters, Barad demonstrates how media systems favour elite interests. These filters—ownership, advertising, sourcing, flak, and ideology—show how information is selected and presented to serve the powerful.

In my observation, this can be seen in how large corporations or political groups dominate television and digital spaces. For example, coverage of political protests often highlights violence or disruption rather than the reasons behind them. Similarly, social media algorithms amplify certain voices while silencing others, reinforcing power hierarchies.

Thus, the blog makes it clear that media is a battlefield of power, and awareness of this relationship is essential to understanding culture.

2. Role of Education

Conception of a “truly educated person” challenges traditional education models that emphasise rote learning and obedience. He aligns education with critical thinking and intellectual independence.

Quoting Chomsky, Barad highlights that true education involves learning how to ask meaningful questions, challenge standard doctrines, and create knowledge rather than simply consume it.

He writes that Cultural Studies enables students to unlearn rigid disciplinary thinking. It teaches them to question one subject with the insights of another, and to see controversies as opportunities for learning.

In today’s digital age, a truly educated person must possess media literacy—the ability to decode media messages, identify bias, and understand how representation influences culture and politics. Such individuals are aware of how media shapes their worldviews and can resist manipulation through critical engagement.

3. Cultural Practices

 Media representation shapes cultural norms and identity, particularly of marginalised groups. Mainstream media often reproduces stereotypes and reinforces dominant ideologies, defining what is “normal” and what is “other.”

For instance, representation of women, minorities, or rural communities often reflects power biases. These portrayals influence public attitudes and social hierarchies.

 Media can be a site of resistance. Through independent films, social media activism, or alternative journalism, marginalised communities can challenge stereotypes and assert their identities.

Therefore, media has a dual function—it can either sustain power or subvert it, depending on how it is used and interpreted. The truly educated individual understands this complexity and engages with media consciously.

4. Critical Media Consumption

Reflecting on my own habits, I realise that media shapes my daily decisions—what I buy, what I value, and how I see the world. News headlines, advertisements, and social media trends influence how I interpret events and people.

However, a critical approach—such as analysing sources, comparing perspectives, and questioning motives—helps me become more conscious of media manipulation.

Idea of the truly educated person inspires me to approach media not as a passive consumer but as an active interpreter. Critical media literacy, therefore, is not optional—it is essential for personal freedom, civic responsibility, and intellectual growth.

Step 3: Blog Post Reflection

Media, Power, and the Truly Educated Person: A Reflection Inspired by Dilip Barad

Introduction

In the twenty-first century, media has become the most powerful cultural institution, shaping how we think, feel, and act. Its influence is so deep that it defines not only popular culture but also education, politics, and identity. In his blog “Cultural Studies: Media, Power and Truly Educated Person”, blog examines how media and power intersect in the formation of culture and how education must evolve to create critical, reflective individuals. This reflection explores three interrelated themes from blog post: (1) how media and power shape culture, (2) why critical media literacy is vital for education, and (3) what it means to be a truly educated person in a media-saturated world.

1. Media and Power in Modern Culture

Blog begins with a simple but profound observation: “Media is the tool to control perceptions and the subject; the Power makes extensive use of Media.” This statement captures the core of his argument—media is not neutral. It is deeply embedded in systems of control.

Drawing on Chomsky and Herman’s Propaganda Model, Barad explains how media’s structure—through ownership, advertising, and ideology—determines what messages reach the public. News coverage, entertainment, and even educational content are shaped by power interests.

In practice, this means that media does not simply inform society; it creates social reality. It decides what becomes visible and what remains hidden. For instance, commercial news often prioritises celebrity stories or political spectacle while ignoring rural distress, environmental degradation, or inequality. In doing so, it reflects the priorities of those who own or fund it.

In digital media, algorithms act as invisible editors, amplifying certain voices while excluding others. Social media thus becomes another arena where power operates subtly—through likes, shares, and trending topics. The consequence is that our sense of culture and identity becomes a product of mediated experience.

Blog insight invites us to see media as both a cultural system and a political instrument. Understanding this intersection is the first step toward cultural awareness and intellectual freedom.

2. Education and Critical Media Literacy

The second crucial idea in Barad’s blog concerns the transformation of education. Traditional education often measures learning by memorisation and obedience to authority. Barad challenges this notion by quoting Noam Chomsky, who argues that true education means cultivating the ability to inquire and create independently.

“It is not important what we cover in class; it’s important what you discover in class.”

This idea transforms education from passive reception into active exploration. A truly educated person does not accept given truths; they analyse, challenge, and reconstruct them. Cultural Studies, as Barad notes, helps students unlearn disciplinary rigidity and embrace interdisciplinary thinking. It encourages learners to connect literature, sociology, politics, and media to reveal how culture functions.

In the digital age, critical media literacy must become central to education. Students need to learn how media messages are produced, how images are constructed, and how ideologies are embedded in communication. For example, analysing advertisements can reveal hidden assumptions about gender roles, class, and success.

When learners acquire these skills, education becomes a process of liberation. They move from being consumers of information to producers of meaning. Such empowerment aligns perfectly with blog's concept of the truly educated individual—one who questions authority, values inquiry, and acts as an active participant in society.

3. Cultural Practices and Media Representation

Media does not merely transmit culture—it shapes it. Blog highlights that Cultural Studies bridges “high” and “low” culture, validating everyday experiences as worthy of academic study. Through media, cultural practices and identities are produced, negotiated, and contested.

Representation plays a vital role here. Marginalised groups—such as women, minorities, or the economically disadvantaged—are often misrepresented or stereotyped. These portrayals influence how society perceives them and how they perceive themselves. When media repeatedly associates certain groups with weakness or danger, those narratives become cultural truths.

Yet, media can also serve as a space for resistance. Social movements, independent films, and digital activism use media to challenge dominant narratives and reclaim identity. Campaigns like #MeToo or BlackLivesMatter demonstrate how digital platforms can subvert traditional power hierarchies and give voice to the unheard.

Thus, media is both a site of domination and liberation. The outcome depends on whether individuals engage with it passively or critically.

4. Becoming a Truly Educated Person

To be truly educated in today’s world means to understand that media is power, and culture is its battleground. Barad’s description of a truly educated person—curious, independent, interdisciplinary, and critical—remains profoundly relevant.

A truly educated person today must:

Read media critically, understanding its biases and intentions.

Question authority, including political, educational, and media systems.

Engage across disciplines, connecting technology, art, history, and ethics.

Promote inclusivity, recognising the importance of marginalised voices.

Practice ethical media use, balancing freedom of expression with social responsibility.

Such education cultivates not just knowledge, but wisdom—the capacity to see connections between power, culture, and human experience. It also prepares individuals to resist manipulation and to participate actively in creating a just, reflective, and democratic culture.

Conclusion

Barad Sir’s blog offers a vital reminder that understanding media and power is essential for meaningful education in the 21st century. Media shapes how culture operates, while power determines what media can say. Education, therefore, must equip individuals to navigate this complex landscape critically.

A truly educated person is not a passive observer of media but a conscious interpreter—someone who recognises how culture is produced and who contributes thoughtfully to it. In a world where information is abundant but understanding is rare, Barad’s vision calls for education that liberates the mind, sharpens awareness, and nurtures humanity.

To be truly educated today means to see through the illusions of media, to question power with courage, and to create culture with conscience.