Students in online graduate programs and
traditional colleges read and discuss the world famous theories Roland Barthes.
When Barthes published his seminal 1957 work, Mythologies, the way
linguists, philosophers, and semiologists thought about symbols and myths was
significantly altered. Barthes was concerned with the ways in which symbols
function in contemporary society, particularly in a consumerist context. For
Barthes, consumers purchase products because there is an unmeasured value
attached to them through myths and symbols. A luxury car may not be any better
than a family sedan, but society tends to view people who drive luxury cars
differently. According to Barthes, a symbol can be a sign, product, or even a
word (for example, he notes that the word "tree" is a symbol for a
concrete object). Symbols impact and affect daily life in myriad ways that
continue to interest curious observers.
In protests about how the economy
functions, education is always a key factor. The effects
today of this regime of symbols are seen nowhere more clearly than in the
Occupy Wall Street movement. For the past several weeks, protesters have
gathered in New York City and other major metropolitan areas to protest what
they view as the inequitable distribution of wealth in American society. The
members of this movement are concerned with how business and banking practices
have affected American democracy and the well-being of millions of citizens. In
an era of bailouts and recessions, members of the Occupy Wall Street movement
are putting the spotlight on consumer practices in the U.S.
For Barthes, symbols represent
ideas beyond the objects to which they are attached. A diamond engagement ring
is not just a ring; a diamond engagement ring is a representation of love and
devotion. Symbols of wealth are central to the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Much ado has been made about bonuses in the banking and insurance industries in
the last decade. In Barthes system, bonuses are more than just checks. Bonuses
are a representation of who is deemed worthy in society and business.
For the protesters gathered with
the Occupy movement, penthouses and bonus checks communicate a great deal about
bankers and businessmen. These are not just homes and checks, they are symbols
of a kind of ultra-wealth. Housing is a particularly potent symbol, considering
the 'brand awareness' many Americans have of ultra-rich neighborhoods like
Central Park, Beverly Hills, and Nob Hill. The arrest protesters are a potent symbol of
government power. We are led to ask who has it, who does not have it, who will
get it in the future? Education can symbolize many things, and certainly does
in this movement.
Symbols and their attendant myths
are not just attached to the powers that the Occupy Wall Street protesters are
fighting, though. The protesters themselves are also characterized by signifying
symbols. Slogans written on simple cardboard signs have a mythology—a
history—of their own in American society, and they are certainly communicating
a whole set of ideas about the Occupy Wall Street protesters. American flags
are a potent symbol which can take on many different meanings. Some protesters
have been spotted waving the original 13-stars version of the flag, perhaps in
a call for fellow citizens to really consider the philosophies of the Founding
Fathers.
Perhaps the most potent symbol of
all in and around the Occupy Wall Street movement is Wall Street itself. One of
the most famous streets in America, Wall Street alternatively signifies the
dreams and nightmares of citizens. It has appeared in movies as a potent symbol
of absolute wealth and power, and has also been used as the symbol of absolute
corruption and greed. No matter what end the Occupy Wall Street movement comes
to, the attention it has drawn to consumerism and symbols in America and could
potentially change the way everyone thinks about wealth, power, and
opportunity.
