The Hegemonic World of the Drug Cartel

Before learning about hegemony, I never really realized that most of the TV shows and movies that we watch are dominated by hegemonic ideas. One of my favorite shows, Breaking Bad, is a particular instance of this. The show depicts a father by the name of Walter White, that is diagnosed with cancer and is basically given a death sentence because of it. As a high school chemistry teacher, he refuses to accept the norm of living with a disease as fatal as cancer is. In order to finance the best treatments that money can buy, he enters into the methamphetamine trade that currently resides in the Southwestern portions of the United States. With his chemistry skill, he is able to craft one of the finest products that anyone has ever seen. While struggling to keep up with the growing demand and the concealment of his true profession from his family, he racks up enough money to finance the treatments that he sought after. The show, throughout the seasons, covers his new industry and how the repercussions of the drug trade affect him and his family. The reason this relates to hegemony is the fact that Walter deviates from the norm by entering into one of the biggest drug cartels in the history of the world. Instead of accepting his fate of living out his days with cancer, he refuses to leave his family with the burden of his death. He uses one of his greatest skills, chemistry, to excel at a profession that is both highly profitable, but dangerous. It is a risk that he is willing to take, but in the end will his hegemonic decision only lead to further turmoil? That is for you to find out.