Why Was Adorno so Critical of Popular Culture - Assignment Example

Why was Adorno so critical of popular culture? Name and ID Course Name & Code Instructor’s Name 2nd February 2010 Culture is an important consideration in the society. The term culture originates from the Latin word cultura that means to cultivate, and it has different meanings (Storey, 2006, p. 14). The word culture is usually described in three basic senses, which are set of shared values, practices, goals and attitudes; excellence of taste in humanities and fine arts; integrated pattern of behaviour and human knowledge that is dependent upon social learning and symbolic thought. Moreover, culture can be understood further by analysing popular culture and consumerism (Hayek, 1963, p. 65). Popular culture also referred to as pop culture is the totality of perspectives, ideas, memes, attitudes and other phenomena that are usually deemed preferred as proper based on informal consensus within certain culture and specifically associated with Western culture of early to mid 20th century, and the emerging 20th to 21st century global mainstream (White, 1975, p. 34). Turner (1984) state, “popular culture and the mass media have a symbiotic relationship: each depends on the other in an intimate collaboration” (p. 4). Popular culture is usually viewed as being “dumbed-down” and trivial in order to ensure that consensual acceptance is accepted throughout the mainstream. Generally, the term was originally used to refer to the education and “culturedness” of lower classes. On the other hand, consumerism refers to the idea that personal happiness can be achieved through consumption, the purchase of services and goods. A phrase that is usually associated with consumerism is “Money can buy happiness” but this term is usually criticised by movements such as Enoughism and people such as Thorstein Veblen. Thus, the aim of this paper is to argue against the statement “why was Adorno so critical of popular culture?” Theodor Adorno (1903-1969) was a critical theorist who coined the term culture industry, and with the help of Max Horkerheimer in the article, The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception argued that popular culture is comparable to a company that produces standardised cultural goods through media - the use of magazines, film, radio, to enable manipulation of the masses into passivity. This means that pleasures that are easily available through the consumption of popular culture make people content and docile, no matter how adverse their economic condition (Storey, 2006, p. 143). Generally, from the views of Adorno, mass produced culture may be dangerous since such approaches may cultivate false needs, needs that are created because of capitalism, which operates against true needs that are associated with creativity, freedom and/or genuine happiness (Hayek, 1963, p. 21). Consumerism is associated with popular culture is usually used to describe the tendency of society to identify strongly with certain services and/or products that they consume, “specifically commercial brand names and those the society perceive as status symbolism appeal e.g. designer clothing, expensive jewellery or luxury automobiles” (White, 1975, p. 45). Thus, such culture that is championed by consumerism can be referred to as a market culture or consumer culture. Those who champions consumerism argue that unnecessary and luxuries consumer services and products acts as social mechanism in which people and society indentifies themselves, utilising its elements of status-symbolism to judge social stratification and socioeconomic status. Consumerism creates a cultural hegemony and usually forms part of a general process of social control (Danesi, 2008, p. 38). In the 1945 article, “The Culture Industry”, written by Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno employs Marxist idea of alienation of labour to differentiate condition of consumers on a capitalistic society. Adorno utilised most aspects of popular culture that were evident at that period, which include music, radio and movies, to argue that the sense behind modern capitalism deskills labour that translates into dumping down of culture. This means that the end result is an environment (world)in which people or mass public has trouble when they try to different between illusory world that is created by the culture industry and the real world; without components of culture industry (White, 1975, p 144). Adorno like other theorist associated with Frankfurt School critique the society based on the state of false consciousness that hides the reality of oppression and domination of the masses based on capitalism ideology (Storey, 2006, p. 98). In this case, the responsibility of media is to provide a framework in which it offers to consumer propaganda that lulls these consumers into accepting their state (condition). Different theorist and thinkers contest Adorno idea of culture industry. They argue that his views are not based on knowledge of popular culture forms, but it has an “end of history” tone in his analysis (Guins & Cruz, 2005, p. 78). However, the way that he states and presents his views do not apply in the current history. Adorno idea that popular culture is passive or dormant negates the principles or definition popular culture (Grassby, 1999). Popular culture continues to grow and develop because of innovations and creativity. Moreover, globalisation based on capitalism has ensured people can enjoy different cultures. This means that “popular culture improves societal development, people safety, security, and general positive success in the society” (White, 1975, p.90). Culture industry is associated with the principle consumers should come into a state of understanding of ‘reality’ of society. The major account posed by Adorn is that popular culture is creating illusion of things that consumers do not want (Williams, 1985, p. 54). However, the shortcomings of this view are that it does not “account for resistance that are within the institutions and forms of popular consumer culture” as stated by Freccero (1999, p. 65). Popular consumer culture is shaped by different factors such as behaviour, attitudes, family, and other constituents that different one consumer form another. Some groups of popular culture may negate principles of ‘reality’ and thus embrace illusions. Adorno in his writings emphasises on sameness and homogeneity, a factor that cannot account for the current happening (historical moment). Development in historical moment has created market segmentation and ever-increasing diversity that seem to characterise our culture industry (Danesi, 2008, p. 66). The idea of championing sameness and homogeneity cannot support fundamentals of capitalistic economy. For example, producers creates product based on certain requirements of consumers, and thus illustrates the importance of analysing market and economic world differently such as employing market segmentation (Lenin, 1999, p. 92). Mass production a term that is equated to popular culture contradicts the views of Adorno and this view tends to discredit culture industry (Hayek, 1963, p. 44). For example, Adorno arguing against ideologies behind mass production is misconstrued because if such an approach could not be popular, consumers could not enjoy them, and that culture is generally self-determining in its administration. This also denies Adorno with bases of supporting contemporary political significance (Williams, 1985, p. 77). Adorno argues that a policy in the society that is prosperous is more concerned with action rather than with thought. Moreover, most and especially young generation of critical thinkers ignore the contributions of Adorno because they are usually associated with inability to draw practical conclusions from his theories (McRobbie, 1994, p. 23). Furthermore, in his analysis Adorno shifts and thus lack consistency especially while implementing Marxism. For example, he utilises fundamentals associated with classical Marxist through showing existence of classes but he deviates from principles of Marx by not employing dialectic as a strategy to propose ways to change (White, 1975, p. 67). Moreover, Marx’s theory champions on the willingness of the working class to change or overthrow the ruling class, but in the case of Adorno, he postulates that culture industry has obstructed the revolutionary movement. Additionally, Adorno’s claim that masses of the people are the instruments of culture industry is associated to his feelings in that the time when the working class could be object of overthrowing capitalism is over (Danesi, 2008, p. 143). Media industry is an example of a factor that influences capitalism. Capitalism can be defined as a social and economic system in which capital – means of production is privately owned in that goods, labour, and capital are freely traded while revenues and profits are distributed to the investors or owners or are re-invested in industries and technologies (Guins & Cruz, 2005, p. 33). However, the term capitalism has numerous definitions based on the angel and perspectives on its analysis. For example, political economists, economists and historians differ on and how to define capitalism but all translates in that private ownership is championed in creation of goods/services, means of production all based on making profits while wages and prices are elements of capitalism. Capitalism gives birth to capitalist (Strinati, 2004, p. 83). Capitalist is an individual or entity that has capital, which is invested in business, or a person who favours capitalism (Williams, 1985, p. 185). Capitalistic growth champions the provisions of popular culture in the way that they support the society. Since the idea of capitalism is based on a society and economy that is entirely left in private hands thus only provides the government with the role of passing safe guards such as legal frameworks so that the society can develop (Guins & Cruz, 2005, p. 243). Thus, the policies and regulations that are in place ensures and champions capitalist growth because the society will easily come into informal consensus in it is within the mainstream of that culture. Presence of mass media ensures that people are informed of availability of resources or products contributing towards the success of such enterprises (Strinati, 2004, p. 37). Popular culture has created an environment in which consumers can determine what is best to them while capitalist maximises on their opportunities to ensure they produce high quality and cheapest products compared to their competitors in order to survive economically. This will translate in consumers consuming cheaper and better quality products (Guins & Cruz, 2005, p. 153). Popular culture is based on the understanding that people within a society appreciate certain environmental or individual conditions such as hard work. Capitalistic economy makes people to work hard in order to survive; opposed to fundamentals of welfare states and socialism and thus keeps everyone to work hard. This contradicts with the views of Adorno when he states that popular culture manipulate masses into passivity e.g. pop culture make people to be content and docile no matter the nature of economic conditions. The hard work associated with capitalism negates culture industry views, but champion idea of popular culture (Lenin, 1999, p. 283). Capitalism creates and provides an opportunity for people to maximise on their capabilities and capacities through strategies such as invention and innovations (Bowles, 2007, p. 271). Capitalist growth is associated with increase in the number of people who own business, and mostly these businesses are profitable in nature. Thus, combining the hard work that may translate into greater profitability usually contribute in improving human nature (Nachbar, 1992, p. 49). This differs with the fundamentals of socialistic states in which the government distributes money and thus there is little urge for economic betterment and hard work since not matter the contribution associated, the outcome is usually constant (Hawkwn & Lovins, 1999, p. 213). Generally, if the fundamentals of capitalism are not encouraged people would workless. For example, in the UK government receives more taxes from the taxpayers and funds extensively social programs, the less likely people will work hard and thus eliminates the benefits associated with betterment (White, 1975, p. 144). Popular culture can generally be defined as a thing that the society appreciates and usually see its importance. Popular culture like consumerism provides a means in which the society shares numerous and somehow similar products (Guins & Cruz, 2005, p. 90). For example, mass production is the product of similar products in which most consumers will be able to utilise. Adorno frequently criticises popular culture and consumerism based on the fact the society would be dormant and passive but the benefits of capitalism shows that people have to work harder to improve human nature, and this can only be achieved through consumerism and popular culture (Williams, 1985, p. 82). Thus, the idea of culture industry that does fully illustrates the shortcomings associated with popular culture or consumerism. Hence, argument based on Adorno views has not strength to show that popular culture does not champion development (Nachbar, 1992, p. 162). Culture is an important constituent in the society and can be understood through three basic forms, which are shared values, integrated pattern and excellence of taste. Popular culture and consumerism is associated with culture. Popular culture refers to totality of attitudes and memes while consumerism refers to the idea that personal happiness can be achieved through consumption. Adorno is a critical theorist who as expounded on culture especially culture industry explaining and arguing against mass production and popular culture. Popular culture is directly associated with capitalism, a factor that negates views of popular culture to the society as his culture industry presumes. Adorno theory associated with popular culture is that people live in a society that is illusionary rather than living in a real world. Culture industry down plays the capability of popular culture, but analysing it critically shows that consumerism and capitalistic economy prefers popular culture. To achieve capitalistic requirements, mass production is championed since it is required to satisfy large society requirements. Popular culture with consumerism has ensured increases in means which consumers can choose producers and services. Reference Bowles, P. 2007. Capitalism. London: Pearson/Longman Publishers. Danesi, M. 2008. Popular culture: introductory perspectives. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. Freccero, C. 1999. Popular culture: an introduction. New York: NYU Press. Grassby, R. 1999. The idea of capitalism before the Industrial Revolution. London: Rowman & Littlefield. Guins, R. & Cruz, O. 2005. Popular culture: a reader. New York: SAGE Hayek, F. 1963. Capitalism and the historians. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Hawkwn, P. & Lovins, A. 1999. Natural capitalism: the next industrial revolution. New York: Earthscan. Lenin, V. 1999. Imperialism: the highest stage of capitalism. New York: Resistance Books. McRobbie, A. 1994. Postmodernism and popular culture. London: Routledge Publishers. Nachbar, J. 1992. Popular culture: an introductory text. New York: Popular Press. Strinati, D 2004. An introduction to theories of popular culture, 2nd ed. London: Routledge Publishers. Shuker, R. 1994. Understanding Popular Music. New York: Prentice Hall Publishers. Storey, J. 2006. Cultural theory and popular culture. London: Pearson Education Williams, R. 1985. Keywords: a Vocabulary of Culture and Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press White, D. 1975. Popular Culture. London: Ayer Publishing. Read More