"The bastard form of mass culture is humiliated repetition... always new books, new programs, new films, new items, but always the same meaning." - Roland Barthes
Adorno states that the homogenization and commoditization of culture is dangerous to society because it insidiously extinguishes and suppresses individual creative potential, ingenuity, and freedom (Culture Industry Revisited 4). He was greatly concerned how in our capitalist liberal democracy culture had become a mere industrialized commodity in which assembly lines were constantly producing “standardized” products for mass consumption; therefore giving the masses not necessarily what they wanted, but what the culture industry imposed upon them. Capitalism puts an intense pressure on both objects and individuals to function as profitable economic commodities. In the culture industry, “standardized” products are created solely to function as commodities that appeal to the masses and are ultimately to be sold for profit. Consumers are manipulated with deceptively concocted formulas, psychological devices, and carefully calculated effects to buy, watch, and/or listen to products that they normally would not have any need or use for (How to Look at TV 226). The unrelenting need to conform to the demands of pre-formulated niches and “target” audiences causes these products of the culture industry to lack and severely restrict artistic creativity, expression, and interpretation. Though these pre-fabricated “standardized” products masquerade under the guise of being new and innovative, they are in fact just “recycled” byproducts (Culture Industry Revisited 4). Most alarmingly they lack the inherent ability that autonomous art has on “speaking” back on societal conditions and issues and ultimately prevent people from questioning, critiquing, and taking action about the status quo. Adorno strongly believes that the culture industry dominates and subjugates us, encouraging us, for the most part, to consent and conform, not to critique, challenge, or rebel against the status quo (How to Look at TV 220). It insidiously suppresses individualistic thinking and freedom and instead promotes the mindless consumption that dominates society and ultimately manipulates the population (Culture Industry Revisited 4).
The culture industry along with the mass media has rapidly continued to expand and gain power over our modern day society and the individuals who are members of it. Each day individuals are bombarded with commercials that bait and tempt them into to buying products that they probably do not need and seductive advertisements for the newest blockbuster movies, music, and TV shows that they “must” see. Over the years the culture industry has gradually perfected the art of the “capitalist” gaze and has therefore managed to effectively label and categorize consumers in order to exploit their tastes and make a hefty profit (Culture Industry Revisited 3). New products of the culture industry are being constantly being created to appeal to some specific target audience. For example, each season every major network plugs a variety of new TV series in hopes of “fulfilling” the needs of and appealing to a specific type of consumer audience. As long as the show is able to find a target audience it will be successful and therefore stay on the air. In the music world, it seems like there is a new artist “popping” up everyday. Record labels promote the artists' individuality and try to establish a following with a certain type of consumer; whether it be the punk, the hard core rocker, the pop princess, etc. Many modern musicians will often even be a part of several genres in hopes that they will have a greater chance of being taken up by a target audience that listens to and enjoys that particular type of music. It is more evident then ever that the culture industry is constantly conforming itself in order to entice more numerous and specific consumer audiences in the hopes of reaping greater profits off of the materialistic products that they constantly plug. It will continue to expand, flourish, and exert power over our society, as long as there is a profit to be made off of consumers (Culture Industry Revisited 4).
The stark contrast between the “eternal sameness” of the artistic products of the formulaic culture industry and the dynamic uniqueness of autonomous art is blatantly obvious in contemporary society (Culture Industry Reconsidered 2). ABC’s hit comedic medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy, is an excellent example of a “standardized” product of the culture industry. Chronicling the professional and personal lives of a group of interns and doctors at the Seattle Grace Hospital, the show is saturated with steamy sex scenes, hunky male and attractive female interns/doctors, tantalizing sexual tension among the characters, and excessively repetitive and clichéd plot lines. The viewer is indoctrinated into this “reality” and is given a temporary “distraction”; a safe refuge from the toil and turmoil of everyday life (Culture Industry Revisited 9). The savvy use of “standardized formulas”, enticing devices, and deceptive psychological mechanisms ensure that viewers will be religiously tuning in each week (How to Look at TV 235). On the other hand, Jackson Pollock’s famous painting, Blue Poles, is a dynamic example of artwork that is the visual personification of artistic freedom and a living testament to the wonders of unrestrained creativity. Free from the restraints and limitations of technical formality, the intertwining of paint splashes exudes a sense of haphazardness, unpremeditation, defiance, and unrestrained liberation. The inherently defiant nature of the chaotic dance of colors in this painting beckons the viewer’s complete and undivided attention. The viewer is challenged to extrapolate subjective meaning from the ambiguous melding of color, lines, form, spatial orientation, and eight vertical blue poles (How to Look at TV 221).This massive mural-sized painting demands the viewer to recklessly lose themselves and dive into unmarked territory; ultimately exploring the tenebrous labyrinth of their own subconscious. Pollock’s genius utilization of a radically innovative method of painting ultimately resulted in the production of art that has yet to be rivaled in its artistic uniqueness and originality. This painting elegantly epitomizes the ideals of unrestrained self-expression and individuality; two values that are nearly extinct in the culture industry (Culture Industry Reconsidered 4).
Adorno believed that since products of the culture industry were under such intense pressure to be commodities and therefore have an obvious economic value and purpose, the limitless imaginative and creative potential of individuals was sacrificed in order to make a profit (The Culture Industry: Enlightenment from Mass Deception 10). He was also very concerned how these types of “artistic” products distracted people from reflecting on relevant social concerns and issues, and therefore prohibited them from developing into free thinkers and actively shaping our society (Culture Industry Revisited 5). On the other hand, free from the pressures of having to be a “functioning” commodity, autonomous art permits the flowering of creativity and demands the unrestrained use of the artist’s imagination. Adorno believed that it was a living testament to the incredible masterpieces that can be created if only artistic ingenuity and intuition are allowed to take their course and be fully expressed (Culture Industry Revisited 1). Gracefully glorifying the inner self and applauding the unrestrained expression of individual creativity, it celebrates pure untainted artistic autonomy. Its unique design and execution challenges and encourages the viewer into deep self reflection and introspection. He believed that this type of art pushes “traditional” boundaries and norms and can even lead individuals to question and contemplate the economic/social/political status quo; it is therefore in essence the very type of art that Hitler, Stalin, Dondero, and many other prominent political figures passionately detested, feared, and denounced (Culture Industry Revisited 4).
Sources:
http://metatu.be/img/show/greys-anatomy.jpg
1 comment:
I enjoyed reading your post and agreed with most of what you said. I really liked certain phrases you used such as "decptively concocted, psychological devices" and "'capitalist' gaze" in your descriptions. In analyzing the images, you mention how the Jackson Pollock painting calls a viewers full and undivided attention. I think, however that Greys Anatomy does too, (not just because I am a fan) but I think popular television shows like that do so in a different way and for different reasons. As you mention, Pollocks painting allows for introspection, which Adorno says is where our creativity comes from, getting lost in the "labyrinth" of our own minds. The producers of Grey's Anatomy also want us to give our full attention to the show, but the primary goal is not introspection. It is precisely the opposite, rather than focusing on individual thoughts, you become one with the other something-million viewers, thinking the same thoughts (i.e. "how could George to that to his wife?") and become part of the "mass" Adorno dreads. This I think is the difference between products of the C.I. and autonomous art, one promotes individuality, and the other claims to promote individuality while actually creating a uniform mass.
Post a Comment