Have you ever noticed that many Netflix shows seem to follow similar structures or storylines? or how TikTok seems to keep recommending the same types of videos? Nowadays we might think we are in total control over what we watch but how much of that choice Is actually ours? This is something that links towards the Culture Theory developed by the German Philosophers Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer.
What is the Culture Industry Exactly?
Adorno and Horkheimer (2002) argue that under capitalism, culture becomes a product of making money. Music, film and television are sources of profit, not just entertainment and gratification. They believed that they could make entertainment less about the main idea of creativity but more about what sells and makes money. Their main concern was that society would accept popular culture just as the way it is and not question it whatsoever.
Why does everything feel so similar?
One of the theories main key ideas is Standardisation. This is when a media company uses repeated use of formulas that have already been proven as successful. A good example is Superhero films, The key characters in those films may change but the main idea stays the same. A protagonist faces an antagonist, overcomes any problems or challenges and saves the day in the end. Companies know that these sort of formulas always seem to work but then the real question is why should you risk changing something that already seems to work?
There’s another important concept called pseudo-individuality. This implies that although we feel like we are making our own choices and decisions, those choices have been heavily influenced by the entertainment industry (Adorno and Horkheimer 2002).
For instance, the platform Netflix offers thousands of movies and shows, giving the audience an impression of infinite choice. However, the content shown is heavily influenced by algorithms meaning that the content is specifically tailored to be promoted to us not others.
Can this theory still be applied to today?
Although Adorno and Horkheimer developed their main key ideas ages ago, they do still raise interesting questions about today’s modern entertainment. Key examples include platforms such as Netflix, TikTok and Spotify where they tend to use recommendations to influence what people may discover. I have personally seen this happen to myself too with my algorithm heavily being influenced by recommendations placed onto me by the platform which align with my hobbies and interests.Hesmondhalgh (2019) explores the idea of how digital technology and commercial interests shape cultural industries, showing about how questions about influence remain relevant.
Although the theory does have criticism, Fiske (1987) argues that audiences are not just simply passive audiences who consume information. People tend to interpret media differently and may challenge meanings that are presented to them. This is quite interesting in today’s society since social media enables people to create their own content, instead of consuming the content of many large companies.
So, do we actually have control?
The Culture Industry does not necessarily imply that enjoying popular entertainment is regarded as a negative thing. Instead, it makes us question and encourages people to think more deeply about who creates media and who benefits from the media. Although we have more entertainment sources than ever before, major companies still have major influences over us. So the next time we are scrolling on social media platforms we should ask ourselves: Are we choosing what we are watching? Or is the platform choosing what we are watching?
References:
Fiske, J. (1990) Television Culture. London Methuen.
Hesmondhalgh, D., 2019. The cultural industries. SAGE Publications, Ltd.
Horkheimer, M., Adorno, T.W. and Noeri, G., 2002. Dialectic of enlightenment. Stanford University Press.
