Social Conditioning

When Louis Althusser wrote “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses” in 1970, he discussed his theory of capitalism and its vital necessity to survive through reproduction. In relation to Althusser piece, the film “A Clockwork Orange” directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1971, further exemplifies the idea of Althusser theory. The film somewhat allocates Althusser’s ideas on ideology. Years later in 2006, Randy Martin’s “Where did the future go?” not only exemplified the theory of Althusser but also conveyed the idea of what Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange.”

Louis Althusser discusses all the different aspects of how capitalism should work and most importantly what is needed for it to stay successful. Society is a major player in the “survival” of capitalism. Althusser conveyed the idea that social conditions should be reproduced for the production of a long lasting, working, successful society. Ultimately, Althusser believes that State Apparatuses, for example the Ideological State Apparatus and the Repressive State Apparatus, ultimately conditions society and molds social behavior to what is needed for the survival of the government. The Repressive Apparatus function on violence first then ideology. The extremities of violence can be fixed when ideology is forced. Althusser conveys that the future, in order to survive and maintain a government, must continually produce social formations that are “appropriate” for the reproduction of the ideal society.

Stanley Kubrick’s film, “A Clockwork Orange” exemplifies Althusser’s ideology. The film takes place in Britain where it is implied that it is now the future. The main character, Alex, a young man involved in every aspect of violence ranging from burglary to rape. Eventually Alex is imprisoned and it is there where he learns of the “Ludovico Technique.” A government experiment that conditions the prisoner’s mind to never use violence again. His first treatment session made him sick, in which the Dr.’s assured him that it is part of the first step to being “cured,” but in reality, he felt sick because they drugged him. When Alex is released, he is conditioned by the government to live the ideal social behavior. The film illustrates an ideal society with relation to Louis Althusser’s piece. The conditioning of society for the survival of the government is what can be drawn from both Althusser and Kubrick’s work.

Randy Martin’s piece “Where did the Future go?” written in 2006, is mainly about the war in Iraq. He discusses the reformation of Iraq and what is possibly needed for the survival and the successfulness of the “new” government. Martin’s piece is in relation to Althusser and Kubrick’s work because it primarily discusses the idea of social formation. Iraq is being forced, by violence, to understand and accept a new ideology. Iraqis must be conditioned to fit a mold of an ideal society that will ensure the survival of the government for their reformation. Martin believes that the future cannot be taken from the present when the present cannot even be identified.

The main idea of Louis Althusser’s piece was to convey that an ideal government should have a successful society with ideal social behavior. Stanley Kubrick’s film illustrates this idea of conditioning society to fit an ideal mold. Many years later, after Althusser and Kubrick’s works, Randy Martin discusses a situation where Althusser’s ideology can be applied. Martin, with the use of the situation in Iraq, exemplifies Althusser’s ideas of social formations and a conditioned society.