July-->Horkheimer & Adorno

From the reading about The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception I picked out two quotes that were significant to me and for my classmates to consider when reviewing this section. The first quote, “What is not mentioned is that the basis on which technology is gaining power over society is the power of those whose economic position in society is strongest (pg. 42). Hegemony plays a major role in this quote because new inventions and media have been producing rapidly but there are steps to this market production. Before these creations are put out on the market it has to receive administrative approval. The administration considers currency productivity before materials are released because it has to compensate for the money put into the product. Karl Marx supports this quote by stating that “The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas: i.e., the class which is the ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force.”

Most products and forms of media displayed on the market are for pleasure rather than for beneficial reasoning. This leads to the quote, “Not only does it persuade them that its fraud is satisfaction; it also gives them to understand that they must make do with what is offered, whatever it may be (pg. 55).” Consumers consume for different reasons but one common motive is being economical. Products promise satisfaction when being advertised, but some don’t live up to their expectations which result to recalls or banishment from the market. America is a short term orientated country, which means we produce at a rapid pace rather than a long and progressive rate. Dr. Rog relates to this type of productivity, he once stated in class that “Our values depend on what it is worth.” Instead of consumers doing their research on their investments they often end-up with dissatisfaction.