Chap 29: The Culture Industry

Throughout Chapter 29, it basically discusses that as humans we have a tendency to relate our realilties to what we see on t.v or hear on the radio. In other words, "real life is becoming indistinguisable from the movies." (p. 387) My interpretation of chapter 29 is that we (humans) hope that through watching movies, listening to music that relates to our everyday lives, or art that can be expressed to fit our own perception, will create a sense of escape from our problems and hopefully provide a solution. We hope that these things will create truth to our lives by shaping new meanings to traditional social norms. However, what happens is that we forget that these things are nothing more than a form of business, a way to increase capital for those at the top of the "economic" class. What Horkheimer and Adorno is trying to say is yes, we have freedom and a choice in everything we do, but everything we do is always the same. For instance, when we go out on dates, its always the same; go to a movie, dinner, take long walks on the beach, blah, blah, blah, its always the same. Our lives are shaped by the Culture Industry, how we feel, what we feel, are just reflections from our culture. Thats not to say that movies, for example are not fun and cool, but if the Culture Industry was to accept that taking one's date to a strip club is acceptable, as a oppose to movies then what? And I know my example is farfetched but just try to understand, we do things the way we do them because this is what "culture" says ia acceptable, it is the social norm. "The stronger the positions of the culture industry become, the more summarily it can deal with consumer's needs, producing them, controlling them, disciplining them, and even taking away amusement." (p. 389) We must realize that what we perceive is our reality, and if we choose to allow movies, music, advertising for certain things be our reality then we are surely in need of a change because it is much more than that.