SOCIAL CONTROL INSTRUMENT OF MODERNITY IS "FASHION"

Abstract

Modernity, which constructs itself through centering on rationality is a mentality phenomenon that tries to be effective all over the world and reaches almost the whole world due to its individualist, secular, materialist, evolutionist and universalist features. Modernity which creates its own social control with the help of its instruments supporting its expansionist policies, is fashion, which finds its meaning completely with modernity and which is one of the most effective instruments uses on the societies and tries to transform and homogenize them. Modernity composes its own social control with the help of its apparatuses supporting its expansionist policies. One of the most effective tools used by modernity on societies which is tried to be transformed and homogenized is fashion finding its meaning totally with modernity. Fashion is a tool that we have been using to communicate with the universe, ourselves and others since our existence on earth. Human builds his life through his own body. Human realizes the phenomenon of self and identity through her/s own body and the clothes covering her/s body. Changing, protecting and presenting the body takes place in spiritual and social processes. Therefore, the clothes covering our body and soul play an important role in expressing our personality, presenting ourselves as we want to be, and protecting our soul and body. Fashion emerges from the individual and social compositions of clothes. While fashion, which is an irrational means of control directed to meet the spiritual and social needs of the individual, is being used as a way to impose the dominant culture, hegemonic power, power and thought system on the individual by consent; continues to create new identities through embracing all its symbolic meanings. The individual who tries to make himself included in a social group is tested by fashion, which is the most visible form of social obedience. In this research that was performed based on the literature, the position of fashion as a hidden ideological social control instrument used by modernity while constructing itself has been discussed and tried to be determined. First of all, the relationship between modernity and fashion has been examined through supporting with the opinions. Then, fashion was questioned within consumption and its place as a consumption object was tried to be determined in society. The relationship between fashion, which is seen as a social control instrument of modernity and power, and dominant power and modernism has been tried to be revealed.