Lecture 2, weeks 3 and 4- Ulysses, HCJ, IIIFascinating, astonishing and incredibly inspirational lecture on Modernism- in History and Context of Journalism module introducing a shocking and utterly revolutional novel by James Joyce.
It is not only the novel’s style and structure or rather lack of any type of plot, which perfectly reflects a new type of literature but it’s influences on a new and unique style in literature that summarises the whole XIX century philosophical movement- Modernism.
Chaotic, original, full of sexuality, the novel was even once accused of obscenity and banned from catholic countries till two years ago! The author was influenced by Nietzsche, and also it clearly shows Freud’s and Freud’s nephew’s Edward Bernays theories showed through literature (modernism, psychoanalysis and unreliable narrative). Joyce tries to picture how Bernayse’s and Freud’s theories about sexual repression and memories from childhood are hidden in the layers of our mind deeply in our sub-cautiousness and tries to imagine how would the literature look like if it was written without our conscious control over it, in total sexual liberation.The existence of sub-conscious animals that are hidden in us and are controlled by our consciousness is proven by many of his psychoanalytical examinations (psychotherapies, studies of the public opinion and needs, studies of the soldiers who came back from WWI).
His experiments show that manipulation is needed in order to help economy of the country and help to promote free market, thanks to which, we could become consumers in a new democratic system(time of WWI after the economic crush in America).
Ullysis put in the historical, economical and political context perfectly reflects what was happening in America in the age of mass democracy when Freud’s theories proved to be effective in manipulation of masses through their sub-conscious desires. Thanks to Bernayse's psychotherapies and studies on human’s mind, he came up with very dangerous and powerful tool to manipulate people’s minds with help of media in order to sell products and improve economic climate in America in 1920s (Free Market, creating new desires and making them into needs- new necessities).
First tip to understand sense of Ullysis is to understand philosophies of Freud and Bernays and times they lived in. Having watched “Crowd Psychology & Manipulation series” Ulyssis becomes clear all of the sudden, its no structure doesn’t frighten anymore, it starts to have a lot more sense and the hidden plot behind characters’ thoughts of consciousness an sub-consciousness becomes understandable and even structured.
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III
Youtube links: Crowd Psychology & Manipulation 24 parts of the documentary which starts with The Century of the Self (BBC Documentary) part 1.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrOz-inIG30)
