George Carlin Uses His Anarchist Views on Modern American Society and Its Institutions Effectively Illustrating Marx’s Social Conflict Theory.
George Carlin was one of Americas most talented and courageous artists of the century. He started doing stand-up comedy in the early 60’s during a time of crisis and civil disobedience. Carlin used his talent for making people laugh as a way of becoming a social commentator, a radical, and an anarchist. Carlin’s main focus in his routines was providing a forum for highlighting America’s idiosyncrasies and social issues in a way that Americans could laugh at their own inability to change their situation. He used political and social issues as the focus of much of his comedy, effectively highlighting illogical human theory concerning some of the most basic truths in life. Carlin’s anarchist views gave a rise to his scathing explanation of the American eccentricities pertaining to human societies and their economic, political, and moral tribulations.
Marx’s conflict theory offers the lens through which Carlin views the enmity between the rich and the poor. Conflict theorists, such as Marx, would argue that property is the critical element of capitalists. Thus, struggles over property become political struggles and material conditions enable one group to proliferate their views to others in society. This exploitation is what allows the bourgeoisie to dominate and impose their ideologies on the proletariats of the world. For Marx, this conflict arises because capitalists exploit workers for their labor and do not allocate compensation of their labor equally, pocketing most of the profits to increase their own wealth and maintain the conditions that perpetuate the status quo. The only demand that property recognizes is its own greater wealth, privileges, and power. Power is an aphrodisiac that subdues, degrades, enslave, demoralizes, and emasculate the spirit of the masses. Carlin demonstrates his use of anarchism and...