On The Same Denial And Rejection - Existential Interpretation In Adorno's Critical Theory

Modern people pay more and more attention to the connotation of existence, which concerns mainly about man. What Theodor Adorno's critical theory extremely cares about is the existence situation of the contemporary. Through absolute critic, he tries to build a society without any restrain and control but with every one's freedom to realize the nature of human life. This is a typical existence philosophy, that is, critical existence philosophy. Adorno's criticism includes ideology,reanableness of took popular culture and Heidegger's ontology, all of which are penetrated with the spirit of Identity. Identity has an invisible restrain of individual existence. Adorno bravely blames and resists Identity. His resistance gives a thorough exposure of its base, the foundation of Identity coming from restraint and control of man. In a word, Adorno builds his existence theory, from beginning to the end, with criticism about Identity as the clue, and with resistance to Identity as the striking topic in process of his thinking.Identity becomes absolute and supreme to control and merge others. This restraining and controlling Identity came from and has been the orthodox theory in western countries for thousands of years. Such disaster as happened in Auschwitz Camp is an indisputable example to illustrate Identity of ideology. Adorno fights firmly against the identity of ideology. He agrees with Non-identity existence, which is built in the destruction of Identity. This process avoids heading for nihilism. In essence, the notion of Non-identity not only criticizes the absolute restraining Identity, but also is refusal to any form of identity. Non-identity existence is constructed by introduction of Constellation—a multiple, co-existence living model. That Non-identity criticizes Identity makes it come true to liberate and promote people in modern times. By resisting the restraint of Identity, Adorno focuses himself on Non-identity, which foresees a probably comprehensive existence in the future. Here Adorno's critical theory stands out with the striking theme to liberate man, that is, aim for such values as man's freedom and liberation. The critic is to the point and therefore gives a great consternation to the traditional philosophy. Base on what is mentioned above and on the fact that Adorno ignores the connotation of existence in the research of his critical theory, the writer comes up with and proves the necessity to understand Adorno's critical theory from the connotation of existence, go further into analysis and organization of the building of Adorno's critical existence philosophy, conforms its significance in recent time, at same time has a retro-inspection about the theory. It reads as follow:Part 1: What Adorno criticizes first is the traditional ideology represented by Hegel because this conventional creed is the criteria to decide all the other values and because it means an absolute Identity and restraint itself. Therefore the feature of Identity connotes restraint from the absolute Totality for Difference. When Nazi co-operate with Heidegger with his ontology, it becomes a legend to make human as slaves.Part 2: In real existence, Identity becomes a tool, an ideological tool which cultural industry will make full use of to cheat people in public. Here Identity obscurely controls and deprives people of their rights to live freely.Part3: Once Identity develops into extreme form, there will be violence and finally evolves into disaster. Mad massacre happening in Auschwitz Camp is a good example. It also illustrates the base of the miserable consciousness of Adorner's Existence Theory.Part 4: Identity is so terrible that it integrates man from head to foot, depresses and eliminates his nature. Thus it is urgent to rebuild a non-identity living style which is suitable for man to exist. Constellation multiple co-existence system advocates an equal, open and reasonable existence. Modern art is more eager and active to express subject.To sum up, the critical Existence Theory of Adorno helps us to have an automatic awakening. Although the theoretic system is not perfect, the existence philosophy keeps man's thought alive, maintain his dignity, contributes a constructive project to him with non-identity, and fully expresses humanism about the nature of human life. Accordingly, the writer feels that we should have respect for Adorno.