On Adorno’s Critique Theory Of Culture Industry

As one of the representative of Western Marxism, Adorno advanced his theory ofculture industry in the mid-20th century. His critique of culture industry is theimportant theory resource for contemporary culture research. The theory founded onspecial historical background and sources of theory. The actual state of Germanydominated by facist, The tide of popular culture in the consumer society of the unitedstates of America,and Commodity fetishism of Karle Marx, Mechanical reproductionof W.Benjamin and Materialization Theory of Lukacs, all these are backgrounds andthe main sources of his theory.This paper focuses on the analysis of Meaning and Inherent characteristics ofAdorno’s critique of culture industry,and all sorts of harm coming from it. In Adorno’s opion, there are some relationships and differences between culture industry and thetraditional mass culture, Commercialization, Standardization, False and Technologyare four major characteristics of culture industry. Adorno emphasized the negativeeffects of culture industry. He pointed out that the devoid of artistic personality,exhausted of Artistic creativity and out of spirit of resistance are the innegligibleharm.Adorno’s critique of culture industry are both positive meaning and limitations.This paper believes that we shoud have a comprehensive understanding and grasp ofthe theory, only in this way, we can correct understand the double value of theculture industry, also can play the practical significance of the culture industry as acritical theory.