Cultural Industries

Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno co-wrote the article titled “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception”. This article deciphers the construction of modern culture. Our culture is one based on capitalism. We are very focused on commodities. It only makes since that a society whose ideologies support consumerism would treat their culture itself as something to be bought and sold. In this article it is argued that culture is bought, sold, and operated like an industry. The entertainment business is identified as the mediator and controller of consumers. The entertainment business reinforces the ideals of the culture, and therefore ensures its survival. This article reminds me of Roland Barthes article concerning art in an age of mechanical reproduction. Both articles discuss this concept of buying and selling culture in reference to art. Art has no concrete definitions or characteristics that allow people to judge whether it is good or bad, but instead art’s status is determined by ‘who’ says it is good or bad. Art has been transformed into a commodity because the value of art is closely associated with its price. A piece of work considered valuable is also expensive. Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno continue to analyze this culture industry and determine that this cultural style not only affects how members of a society spend, but also every other facet of their lives. Culture determines how people think. A specific example of culture controlling thought is given above with the example of art. Entertainments initial construction claimed to be for distraction purposes. It claims to be an escape for viewers. However, violence, stereotype, propaganda, and other cultural messages are displayed within media/entertainment daily. Therefore, the viewer must be actively aware of such messages and try to decipher truth from fiction, making entertainment anything but an escape. Overall, a cultural industry is based on capitalism, and the ones who profit from the ideologies that the culture expresses make the money.