Horkheimer's Critique Of Mass Culture And Its Contemporary Implication

As the first generation main representative figure of Frankfurt school,Max Horkheimer founded the social critical theory which had opened up a social criticism road of the Frankfurt school,it is unique in the entire western Marxism field and far-reaching influence.He argued that the western modern Enlightenment has gone to its opposite,human reason has become one-sided instrumental rationality,the social elite culture which was originally unique,creative and free has also changed into mass culture and gradually reduced to the capitalist society's ruling tools.So,he took the criticism of mass culture as the starting point and launched an in-depth critique of modern capitalist society.Since the 1930 s,there have been some new changes in the capitalist society with the continuous recovery of western capitalist economy and the continuous development and wide application of science and technology.The effect of science and technology on social development is increasing.When science and technology translated into the power of industrial production,the elite culture of traditional society also began to transform into mass culture through mass production of cultural industry.The mass culture of capitalist society is permeated into People's daily life in various forms.In terms of form,it appears mainly in mass cultural products' forms such as newspapers,radio,television and movies,and is widely popular in the society.And in terms of content,it spreads and defends the ideology and values of the ruling class with a great deal of propaganda and demonstration.In essence,the mass culture has gradually reduced to the non-violent tool of the capitalist society to implement the political rule in satisfying the people's false spiritual needs,which is deceptive and controlled.In the pursuit and enjoyment of mass culture,people increasingly rely on social reality,more and more accept social reality,and gradually lose their subjectivity,freedom and creativity.Ordinary individuals in capitalist society have in some sense become ideological slaves of mass culture.Therefore,Max Horkheimer argued that as long as the public culture is deeply criticized,it can realize the criticism of modern capitalist society.Max Horkheimer's critique of mass culture has great ideological achievements,meanwhile,it also has many theoretical limitations.It not only had a direct effect on the development of Frankfurt school later,but also has some positive inspirations even in the development of the advanced socialist culture in China.