(Originais Teachy 2023) - Question Medium of Sociology

The idea that the culture of a society is intrinsically linked to its ideological and political structures is central to the understanding of social phenomena. This interconnection has been discussed by various philosophers and sociologists throughout history, who sought to understand how the beliefs and values of a society influence and are influenced by its historical and political context. Karl Marx, for example, argued that the dominant ideology in any society is the ideology of the ruling classes. He wrote: 'The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.e., the class which is the ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force.' (Karl Marx, 'The German Ideology'). Based on this understanding, analyze the relationship between ideology and culture in contemporary society and discuss how this dynamic can be observed in the interaction between politics and cultural production.

Analyzing the work 'Mass Culture in the 21st Century', the renowned sociologist J. B. Saldanha investigates the impact of contemporary communication technologies on the production and dissemination of cultural goods. According to Saldanha, 'mass culture not only replicates dominant cultural patterns, but also significantly influences the construction of identities and worldviews of a specific social group'. Considering this statement and integrating knowledge from sociology with the field of information technology, discuss how social networks and digital platforms can act as agents in shaping mass culture, exemplifying a scenario in which social networks play a key role in disseminating a new cultural trend and altering behavioral patterns of a specific group in contemporary society.

According to theorists like Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, the culture industry is characterized by the mass production of cultural products that tend to standardize the taste and thinking of the masses. Discuss how mass culture can influence individuals' perception and consciousness, highlighting contemporary examples that illustrate this influence. Then, propose a reflection on possible forms of resistance or counterculture that could emerge in response to this cultural hegemony, evaluating their potentials and limitations in the face of the power of the culture industry.