Basic Functions

Functions
The Information Function – news/commentary/awareness
Media The Social Function – education/watchdog/social cohesion
The Commercial Function – adverts/entertainment/industry

Functions
To provide answers for Life
Science and The extension of Life – IMR/higher life expectancy
Technology To make Life easier or more productive
To improve the quality of Life
To gain advantage / superiority in Life

Functions
Explanations of the unknown
Religion (and The afterlife
supernatural) Comfort and solace
Provision of morals and values (collective conscience)
Comfort and Solace for believers
Social identity / heritage
Socialisation and social control
Provision of needs (primitive / calamity stricken areas / healing /
wealth etc.)

Functions
The Information Function
Education Social Engineering
Maintaining of dominant Political Culture
Economic value
Individual actualization

Functions
Basic economic unit (based on needs)
Family Emotional support and solace (based on needs)
Socialisation (based on identity)
Maintain political status quo (based on identity)
Transference of heritage (based on identity)
Moral grounding (based on identity)

Functions
Provision for economic and security cooperation
Marriage Provision of material, education and emotional needs of children
Minimization of sexual competition - monogamy
Establishment of alliances
Social acceptance / Legitimization of relationships
Establishment of rights, obligations and responsibilities within
family members
Legitimization of the basic family unit; foundation of societies and
nations
Companionship and emotional support
A commitment to love

Functions
Safeguard from internal and external threats (sovereignty &
Government security)
Supervision and resolution of conflicts
 Regulation of the economy
Enforcement of social and civic rights
Provision of essential goods and services
Public administration

Functions
Maintenance of social control / Promotion of social good
Law and Constitution Protection of public order
Resolution of conflicts / disputes
Protection of certainty & durability of systems
Facilitation of orderly change
Justice and Restitution

Functions
Expression of the mysterious / imagination
Arts Communication
Entertainment
For political change
For psychological and healing purposes
For social commentary / subversion / anarchy (different from
political change)
Propaganda / Commercialism

Functions
For understanding of people and societies
History For understanding of changes and developments in societies
For personal understanding
Contribution to moral understanding
Provision of identity
Foundation for citizenship
For preserving social order

Functions
Conveying of Information, Opinions and Ideas
Language Maintaining social relationships
As an identifier of social groups
To influence thinking and development of ideas
As an art form

Functions
For personal expression (including religion)
Music Commercialism
Creation and Maintaining of Group identity
For transmission of culture and traditions (including telling
stories)
Propaganda / Nationalism
Comfort and solace
Symbolism (historical events, generation, era)
Protest / Agent of social change

Functions
Test of skills and abilities
Sports Commercialism
Transmission of cultures and values
Diplomacy and Reconciliation
Creation and maintaining social bonds