The Culture Industry

What is The Culture Industry? 

Adorno and Horkheimer adopted the term 'the culture industry' to argue the way that cultural items were produced, were the same as how other industries manipulated the quantities of consumer goods. They argue how artists become products, and that they move away from the music industry and into other industries. They state how everything that is produced is the same. They say that organizations are only there to make money and that they corrupt what is seen as 'unique.' Audiences are so used to this, that they do not even question it. Its said that the culture industry is associated with standardization where things that are produced, are all similar.

Standardization is the biggest fault in the music industry, the audience are brainwashed into believing what is the 'right' type of music. It's when talent shows and the music industry place through acts that are all the same, they are just a repeat of previous artists.

The Psuedo Individuality is the way that the culture industry assembled products that are claimed to be unique and have 'originality' but when looked at more they are little more then superficial. Its said how artists are like keys and the music industry are locks. The artists are all keys where they look the same, but only small things make them different. Adorno and Horkheimer believe that the culture industry allows people to become masses and be easily manipulated by capitalist corporations and authoritarian governments.