Adorno And Horkeimer's Theory

The Culture Industry
Adorno and Horkheimer were philosophers and took on the term 'culture industry' to argue that the way in which items were produced was comparable to how other industries manufactured vast quantities of consumer goods. What this is stating is that the culture industry is always made up of the same things and a pattern can be seem between how some items are produced compared to other items within the culture industry. Adorno and Horkheimer also argued that the culture industry showed an 'assembly-line character' which could be observed in the synthetic, planned method of turning out its product. Adorno and Horkheimer's point here is that they (the industry) just want to make as much money out of them (the product) as possible in a short amount of time.

The X-Factor Machine
Adorno and Horkeimer 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. What Adornon and Horkeimer is stating here is that we've become so adjusted to these pop artists that we really don't expect anymore so this is why it is becoming more and more easier to make things that will wow an audience as the audience only need a little something changed with regards to the artist or their songs in order to make it more special than the last artist who was loved by the public.

Who's In Control
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 'mass' taste and who were concerned that the potential for artistic creativity in music, literature and painting had been co-opted and corrupted by the production methods and administrative regimes of industrial capitalism. Adorno and Horkheimer's views here are that it is disappointing to see that everything has become the same within the industry and it's horrible as now anything that is for a mass audience is just the same and is produced the same way each time. Also 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.

The X-Factor
Adorno and Horkheimer argued that the 'culture industry' operated in the same way 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.Adorno and Horkheimer is arguing that everything is dragged out to the longest possible point in order to gain more money from the viewers, X factor is an example of this as their series runs for a long time consisting of; auditions, boot camp, judges houses, live shows, semi final (celebrities) and the final.

Standardisation
Adorno and Horkheimer argued that all products produced by the culture industry exhibited standardised features. The argument here is that there is nothing spontaneous about the process of cultural production. It has become a routine operation that can be carried out in an office by the application of specific formulae. Adorno noted that songs which became successful over time were often referred to as 'standards', a category that clearly drew attention to their formulaic character. From the 'plan' to the details, songs were based around repetitive sequences and frequently recurring refrains. This as done for quite calculated commercial reasons, so that the song would imprint itself on the mind of the listener and then provoke a purchase. For Adorno, the production of bit songs had become a mechanical and manipulative operation motivated purely by commercial gain. Think about the popular songs that you might hear throughout an average day (radio, shopping, television, club or bar). Are songs becoming too predictable? are they becoming standardised.This is stating that we have to look far and else where to find something that is unique and doesn't sound like a different song that you've already heard.

Pseudo Individuality (Pseudo meaning false)
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 invoked the image of the lock and key, an item that is mass produced in millions, whose uniqueness lies in only very minor modifications. Adorno and Horkheimer are stating here that with regards to the X factor the winners who come from that show are all the same and have very minimal differences.

To Conclude
Adorno and Horkheimer believe that the culture industry allows people to become 'masses' and be easily manipulated by capitalist corporations and authoritarian governments. Adorno and Horkheimer thus present us with a powerful arguement about what happens to culture when it is subect to the structural control and organisation of industrial capitalist production, it becomes merely a standardised, formulaic and repetitive element of 'mass culture'. It has no aesthetic value whatsoever and leads to a very specific type of consumption that is passive, obedient and easily manipulated for the purpose propaganda or advertising.