Have you ever wondered why it’s called “The Culture Industry”? It is the fancy term, founded by the masters Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer explaining that shaping production is what makes you attracted to something specific like your favourite movie, music and even your favourite fast-food chain like KFC for instance; all of this is called the Culture Industry. It is how the mass production companies and the capitalists have transformed how it is made to gain our interest!
- Pop Culture: It is the most popular and noticeable product in the culture industry, it involves the most popular and the most entertaining movies like Star Wars and catchy pop songs like Ariana Grande’s songs. They are produced and marketed to reach the largest number of viewers/listeners possible to maximize their profits.
2. The Artistic struggle: Artists that create all of the products have to fit into specific criteria set by the commercial pressure to appeal to more people, which makes it hard to show their unique perspective because it might not always line up with the trends and people’s interests. For example, a singer would want to write personal songs but it might not match with the commercial radio.
3. Originality: It is very difficult to find any unique product, they are mostly the same.
4. Resisting the norm: Some indie artists, filmmakers, authors and subcultures try to push against commercialization, the stereotypes, celebrating diversity and they offer new, authentic and alternative trends. They prioritize their artistic viewpoint over fame and money.
5. Controlling your choices: Adorno’s and Horkheimer’s theory didn’t just end with producing movies and music, they further explained in their theory that the advertisements had a deeper, psychological reason. In the movies, there are hidden products or services and making it look like it should be in our everyday life and it is a promotion, to influence our purchasing. Celebrities have a huge influence on us as consumers, they endorse products from the smallest parts like food and drink to expensive Ferraris. These ways can have an impact on us without even realizing it. Trends are always changing and it is all controlled by the culture industry. It would make people buy specific products and change their behaviour because it has been popularized by the industry. It doesn’t stop here, they sneak in ideas that also shape our values, beliefs and views on success and beauty.
6. The Digital Uprising: And now the revolution of the internet and social media changed everything and how the culture industry works. It has both positive and negative sides to it. It offered so many opportunities for beginners but the concerns were also raised, the data and the privacy are easily revealed now. Adorno and Horkheimer would find it interesting because it made artistic freedom expand.
The culture industry has shaped how we consume things, it influenced our tastes, values and how we express things. In this digital age, we have to stay curious and support authentic artists. This is how we make sure that our world keeps evolving!
References:
Adorno, Th. & Horkheimer, M. (2006). ‘The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception’. iIn: Durham, M.G. & D. Kellner (2006), Media and Cultural Studies:Key Work , Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Durham Peters, J. (2003). ‘The Subtlety of Horkheimer and Adorno: Reading “The Culture Industry”’ in E
Fiske, J. (1989a), Understanding Popular Culture , London: Unwin Hyman. Fiske, J. (1989b), Popular , London: Unwin Hyman.Horkheimer, M. ‘Traditional and Critical Theory’.
Scannell, P. (2007). Media and Communication. London: Sage. ‘Chapter 2: Mass culture: Horkheimer, Adorno, Brecht, Benjamin, Germany/USA, 1930s and 1940s
Sourrce of the featured picture: Shalonvantine
