1. Max Horkheimer and Theodor W.
Adorno describe enlightenment as a way of thinking whit no place for the unknown.
Mythology and magic is believed to be a result of human fear. With
enlightenment human gets liberated from the fear and becomes masters of nature
through knowledge of science. According to the authors enlightenment tries to
explain nature in order to master it, which makes it a form of myth. By denial
of it’s basis enlightenment becomes blind to the connection it has with the
mythology.
2. Adorno & Horkheimer argues
that mythology is a different form of knowledge that was practiced by people
before enlightenment. Myths are not based on definite knowledge and are more of
a blind belief. They tend to disenchant a false representation of the world to
suppress our fears of the unknown.
3.The book was written a long
time ago so the concept of “old” and “new” can differ in modern time. But the
main point of their idea of old media is how you can sense the creativity and
the originality of the work. It represents a fine art, which according to the
authors, new media misses. In new media the main idea is business, which TV and
radio is used as the main tool.
4. Culture industry is defined
through its focus on the media and mass marketing. The same content of
entertainment is distributed to the people. This breaks the unique individual
person and makes them standardized consumers. “Films and radio no longer need to present themselves as art. The truth
that they are nothing but business is used as an ideology to legitimize the
trash the intentionally produce.” (Adorno & Horkheimer) The cultural
products that had a meaning lose their touch, affecting the individual.
5. By combining the culture
industry with mass media you get the concept mass deception. In some level it
is believed that, people are fooled to believe that the advertised artifacts
are necessary for their happiness. I understand mass deception as a form of
force that tries to control people.
6. Culture industry and mass
deception is two terms that I found interesting. Because it feels like we can
relate the terms to modern time. It would be interesting to see the development
of mass media.
Hej! I was curious about your thoughts on the development of mass media in the future years. When I was reading the text I found it hard to imagine a world where the mass media is any more deceptive than it already is! To me it feels like it is saturated at the current time. Do you think mass media will become more deceptive or more transparent?
SvaraRaderaHej Havva!
SvaraRaderaI liked how you described the standardization of culture products and how it leads to standardized consumers. As it was discussed in the seminar, "we are what we eat".
I was wondering, though, on your point of view regarding cultural products that are mass produced. Are they all trash?
Can you explain this sentence? "The cultural products that had a meaning lose their touch, affecting the individual". Do you mean the high art that Adorno and Horkheimer discussed? Or the cultural products that are mass produced? The way I understand it, both of them affect the individual-the first one in an intellectual way, while the second one by indoctrinating the individual.
I share you interpretation of mass deception as a "force", I even went so far as to say that this force acts like a "puppet master" to the people. It sounds kind of harsh but I firmly believe that this force can have this effect on people in some sense. I mean, not that long ago, let's say, 50 years, It was rare to have electronic gadgets as a part of your everyday life. And in my opinion, this need for technologic advancement is both for good and bad. We are made to believe that we might need it, but aren't we sometimes better of without it?
SvaraRadera