Cultural Industry. Enlightenment as a Way to Deceive the Masses

The essay "Cultural Industry" is one of the chapters of the landmark book by representatives of the Frankfurt School, Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, "Dialectic of Enlightenment" (1947). In this text, the founders of critical theory examine the culture industry as a means of manipulating the masses through standardized and uniform works of art, which hold no value for individuals and are mere commodities, the sole purpose of which is to generate profit. The culture industry parasitizes on the desire of late capitalism to seek quick entertainment in order to distract from the hardships of life, inequality, and oppression. Although Horkheimer and Adorno's analysis focused on radio and cinema, the very concept of "culture industry" serves as the basis for the study of entirely different media and remains relevant in today's digital age.