Various writers have written various articles and documents. The level of the writings of these authors is either comprehensive or incomprehensive. This means that a certain number of these writings have exhaustively covered the topic and thesis statements that they were intentioned. The success and quality of an article are guided by the flow of statements and the authors’ efficacy. In Quizzical Pleasures’ in Television Culture, Fiske John brings in the aspect of game shows and quiz in American television society. As in the introduction, Fiske views that the success of these game shows and quizzes are based on oral culture, which forms parts of its success and weakness. Thus, the narrative structure that is posed by these quizzes shows “lies in the nonliterary forms of game and rituals” (Fisk 1987, p. 265).
The author employs different works in developing the argument posed. Fiske differentiates between game and ritual saying that game starts with similarities and ends with a difference while rituals start with difference and end with similarities. Thus, a quiz brings together games and rituals in fulfilling an idea. Fiske argues that a show quiz begins with introducing the participants, which is ritual and followed by answering the questions, which is the game, and finally back to ritual when the celebration of the winner takes to play – ritual-game-ritual. He links the quiz show with a capitalistic ideology in which the participants start equal but gain social power as the contestant is declared the winner. Such perspective applies in education scenarios where bright students ascend the ladder of education. This is part of the theory of cultural capital in which people are stratified and replaces the capitalistic ideologies with cultural propagation.
This is clearly expressed in the unbiased and neutral nature of exams. However, it is advantageous to those middle-class students who have a higher chance of passing the exam. Thus, cultural-economic capital is equal because it is available to all people but it is confined to a stratified class of power.
The quiz shows employ knowledge in determining the winner. The knowledge that is based on cultural capital is either factual or academic. Factual knowledge maintains a system of power because the questions that are asked are specialized and revolves around an area that the contestant understands an aspect that is different from the eccentric and traditional academic. The presenter of the show is the star personality who combines both masters of ceremonies and is an examiner to possess the power of the ritual priest (Butler, 2007).
Fiske further argues that there is knowledge that is not based on factual or academics rather on social norms. He has given various examples that show that the shows quiz are not based on cultural-economic capital aspect, but a social or cultural experience. Thus, there is no right answer but the individual who gives the same answer tends to be the winners. Thus, Fiske concludes that the show quizzes are categorized in terms of knowledge and social class. It forms a show quiz hierarchy in which the top quiz shows are shown at the prime time and when the list of hierarchical shifts downwards, they are showed during day time when people of less social power views them because they are more democratic (Bourdieu & Nice, 1980).
Therefore, Fisk has clearly defined the way that the game and rituals that form the basis of game quiz shows are administered. The knowledge that is most used and grouped in terms of social power is factual and academic. This results in cultural and economic capital that vests powers to those people who have social power.
Bibliography
- Bourdieu, P. & Nice, R. 1980, The aristocracy of culture, Media Culture Society, 2, pp. 225-254.
- Butler, J. (2007), Television: Critical Methods and Applications, London, Routledge Publishers.
- Fiske, J. (1987), Chapter 14- Quizzical Pleasures – Television Culture: Popular Pleasures and Politics, New York: Taylor and Francis.