At least with propaganda it's the ruling class messaging the citizenry. In this case, at least for the most part seems self-inflicted and without purpose. People just gravitate to whatever fits their identity.

That’s all modern country music is. It’s the music of boring middle class white people who feel uneasy if their specific cultural touchstones aren’t constantly reinforced. There have to be trucks, land ownership, high school football, generic American jingoism, glorification of alcoholism.

Well written.

[–] axont@hexbear.net 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Oh no, absolutely not is country music self inflicted. Modern country music is part of the same propaganda network as everything else in capitalism. The whole Nashville and Georgia country scenes have been connected at the hip with conservative money since at least the 1970s where Nixon had a country campaign song. Then there was Reagan showing up at the Grand Ole Opry. It's a useful vehicle to spread and satiate the thirst for white supremacy.

There's also Clear Channel Radio (currently iHeartRadio) which is run by ideological conservatives.

Also there's some kind of money floating around to suddenly promote the odd country song or two, like that Rich Men in Richmond song, or that stupid Jason Aldean guy. Every now and then you'll see a random headline like "country star fights back against woke-ness in new song." And that's the propaganda.

[–] treadful@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Parasites hopping onto a culture to exploit it for their own gains is not really the same as state propaganda. I don't think there's some shadowy group inventing this music to control the masses. Though politicians would no doubt pander to (or even weaponize) a group if they can. And people will absolutely try and profit off it.

It's just a bit of a leap to ascribe low brow music to some grand conspiracy. Or at least if that is, then every culture is a conspiracy.

[–] axont@hexbear.net 7 points 1 year ago

I guess I don't see much of a distinction between those exploitative parasites and the state actors. I'm on the side of Althusser here, where the state is both a structural arrangement and a set of ideological norms. In that sense, you could say all culture is a conspiracy, as in a conspiracy to replicate the content and character of one's class interests.

I don't mean to say there's a shadowy group creating it, rather, there's a shadowy group that gives a platform and representation to things that promote their own interests. Or something they can flip around and sell back to you. Capitalism is crafty like that, like Che Guevara t-shirts.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago

Fuck clear channel. They ruined radio across the entire country

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

At least with propaganda it's the ruling class messaging the citizenry. In this case, at least for the most part seems self-inflicted and without purpose. People just gravitate to whatever fits their identity.

Don't forget the record labels. Mega corporations are the ruling class of our society.