What have I learnt about the culture industry?

With reference to: Production of Culture/Cultures of Production (ed) Paul Du Gay, Sage 1997


In this lesson we were put into groups, in which each group represented one of the four judges. We were asked questions about acts, which helped us to think from an industry's point of view.

We all agreed that with each act there were things you would say to their face, e.g. you have stunning vocals, or you have good stage presence. But there would be things you would think to yourself and not share with the contestants. Such as, how well would they do i.e. how many number ones, how many singles sold etc. All of the contestants do not have 'the X Factor' - they all have the potential to fit into a box.


Adorno and Horkheimer came up with the term 'culture industry' which describes the ways in which cultural items were produced was analogous to how other industries manufactured vast quantities of consumer goods.  They argued that the culture industry exhibited as an 'assembly-line' character which could be observed in the synthetic, planned method of turning out its products.

With X-Factor, JLS have created many different products to sell alongside their music career. Not only do they have their singles and concerts producing money, but they have a condom range, JLS dolls and many bedroom accessories.
     
Adorno and Horkheimer linked the idea of the 'culture industry' to a model of 'mass culture' in which cultural production had become a routine, standardised repetitive operation that produced undemanding cultural commodities which in turn resulted in a type of consumption that was also standardised, distracted and passive.

      

Before JLS went through the XFactor machine, they were more unique and had good harmonies in their first audition. They were stripped down and actual, real singing was shown. After going through the XFactor machine, they sang more 'safe', r'n'b songs and were like boyz 2 men. After this, they performed on the live shows with the band, Westlife. It is said that when you go through a machine like the XFactor one, you will change. You will be standardised and certain songs will be chosen.

Adorno and Horkheimer's view of cultural production has, with some justification often been portrayed as the pessimistic lament of cultural elitists who were dismayed at what they perceived to be the homogeneity and vulgarity of the 'mass' taste, and who were concerned that the potential for the artistic creativity in music, literature and painting had been co-opted and corrupted by the production methods and administrative regimes of industrial capitalism.

The capitalist companies are the ones in control and they predict who is popular. It is said that even if we argued against pop, we can't changed it.

The capitalist corporation seems to enjoy an almost omnipotent form of domination and both the consumers and the creative artists are not separate from but are directly connected to this system of production. Adorno and Horkheimer stressed the structures of economic ownership and control of the means through which cultural products are produced and argued that this directly shapes the activities of creative artists and consumers.

Adorno and Horkheimer argued that the 'culture industry' operated in the same was as other manufacturing industries. All work had become formalised and products were made according to rationalised organisational procedures that were established for the sole purpose of making money. The metaphor of the 'assembly-line' was used to stress the repetitive and routine character of cultural production.

Boy bands Take that, boyzone, Westlife, JLS and 1D all went through this 'machine.' They all appeal to a girl audience, they all create commercial songs. 1D are a new update to boybands, and JLS have an element of dance - Take That used to.

  

Adorno and Horkheimer were also critical of what they referred to as pseudo individuality. By this they meant the way that the culture industry assembled products that made claims to 'originality' but which when examined more critically exhibited little more than superficial differences.

Adorno and Horkheimer evoked the image of the lock and key - an item that is mass produced in millions, whose only uniqueness lies in very minor modifications.