Dialectic of Enlightenment THEODOR W. ADORNO & MAX HORKHEIMER ‘Translated by John Cummingist pb Dist der Auflaung ipa etl aes Aton In (German eoe copyright ©. cher Ver ‘Gate Panton 960 Engl vasnonGntpbishd inthe Usd SerofAmereaia by Capt Heder He, le, 1972 rn poise in Gre Bib Aba Lae, 1973 ‘ero Ban, 19796 NL Vets. Mead Suet aon Wi ‘Sion eton 1986 Stood inpreson 198 Pra Great ainy Booka (Bond CONTENTS, 8 120 168 209THE CULTURE INDUSTRY: ENLIGHTENMENT AS MASS DECEPTION “Te sciologil theo thatthe os fhe suport of bjtvely Mualubed felon fe isolation of the fst remnants of preopalson topeier with fecha and soc dierent [ioe oe spetstion, have led to cultural chaos disproved very day fo culture now impresses te same tarpon er) thi Pl Tadlo anf aguas make up © stem wil trib ad whol and ery pre Even he ase Ua potcal oppo re oe In tei enh bed ee toe hyn ofthe ion system The dvortive nds Imancyemect bug, and exhibition centers ip autortanan ctr ae mcm eT a Be ing towers iat shot up eceyrere are outward igs of the ingenious punning erstona soncero, owed whieh the Tkeshed nprenetia stem (hose monuments ae a mass St loony bowes sd bunts premise pin, ses its) was already bstenng, Even now the ole hones st tatie he cont iy cones Hook ke hms ad the Pew ‘Sopulone on the outs eat oe th he fing races ‘Stor is inte pas of ech propes and erbuiin ‘Smund to be dsesrde aera sot wile ike emp fod cans. ‘ext ty housing pots signed to prpetunte he india tsa supposedly ineeoden ont nal hype Sweliog fake alte ov subervet to is adversary the absor Iie power of copa Besse te inhabitants, a predoces tnd consumer, drawn sf the cemr in tach of work Sh pleasures allie ving utes ito weld Since. The ing tly of coca and maces 120 we presents men witha modelo ther culture: the fas dest of ‘egret ana he paroular- Unde soapy al mass ere “W Menen, and the Tne a Wari amework lege to ‘show throogh. Te people a the tp are vo longer so ier in concealing monopaly: at is violsnce becomes more ope, so is power grows, Movies and radio ned no longer pete to be fan The tuth tat they are jest sins made foto an Kde= ‘Slgy in odes to jsly the rubbish they delterataly produce ‘They cal themsetesiadasiten, and when their eer” i comes are poblshd, any doubt about the social tit of he Fnahed product is emote. Taterested pares explain the culture industry in tcinolog- cal terms. I's alleged that because milion parteipe in ‘rain reproduction processes are necessary Wat Ineisbly Te. ‘ie dental needs n innumerable paces to be tse With ‘Genial goods. The technical coast teeen the fw pro ction centers and the lage umber of widely dapersed onsumplion points is sid to demand opanzution and pan ing 6) management. Furthrmoe, iti clined that ards were Based in the fst pce on conser oa (oe that reason were accepted wit 40 ie reste "The rel the ce of alpen and TeroutNe hed in Si heey of te tn pws ener sage 0 a ton is'made of th fst thatthe tase on whieh tecsloyy tes powcr ot society isthe ower ofthat whe eo nome ad ove socty get Aesop ae isthe rationale of domination ill Te the StS ae {aie af set alate fa TSA, ona, and ‘movies ep the we thng fpr wt the even le ‘nent show ir erent nthe very wren whch i fue. Iehas mace the techolgy ofthe entre ndty 0 ae tan the acsvement of stndsceaton and mass pretense fciog whatever involved dsttion betwee the lope he ‘ork and ht ofthe soci system. Ths te eu ot of 3 lew of movement in technology sch but oft fncion in today's economy. The need wich mig est etal cot has aleay teen repped by fhe alo the nd consiousoes The ep from th tlepone to te aio has 12eal distingisted the roles, The former silallowed the sub- Sesiber to pay th role of sb, and was Iter. The late ‘emocraie: tts all parti into nenes ad suc tae subjects them fo brosdcastprogems which ste all ‘xa the sme, No machinery of render has been devised, fan pate bonis are denied an feed, Thy ae con. Fred fo the sporyphal eld of the “amateur,” and ao have To atcepl organism from above Botany tae of spontaneity Thom the pubbe noel eosdeasting i convled and ab- sorbed by tlt Scouts, studio competitions and oficial pro fats of every hind selected by protesionaly, Talented per Flomees belong tthe industry tng before i eplaye tem; ‘tere they ld not bes eaprto tin. The aude of {he publ, wich ortensibly and actually fave Ths SSH the Glare indy, 3 part of he stm and ao a ence {Or Te brash at foo the sae ora 3 One ery diferent medium an content if the Gramatic ii lof broadcast soap operas hecomes no mor than vst materia for showing vt to master fehnical problems at bth end the scale of musa experensreal arr or cheap inate, ‘or 4 movement Troms. Bectnonen symphony erwely “dap for af sousrak it the same way 582 Tosoy to sats the somaneous wishes ofthe public no more than hot al We ae cle othe face fe explain thse phenomena 1 inherent inthe technical and pecans! appari which dove os as eo, self forms pur of the ommomie meh nism of selection In addon there isthe agrecicn—oF a (ess The-erermation—of all exective authorities at to produce or sanetin uthieg tht in anyway ifr om their es trom es aot emu, or hove al he nour age the objective socal tendeney Is Incarnate in the hidden subjective purposes of company director, the forest famoog whom arin the most overt actors of inaay— secl, petleum, etry, and chemicals, Clare monopole fre weak and digendent in comparison. They cannot fod to ‘neglect their appeasement ofthe ral hldes of power if thie 12 sphere of activin mas society (a sphere prodoiag aspect typeof comodly which anyhow i il too coely bound up ‘wih easyglng Heras and Jewish intellectuals) & aot to Undergo a eens of purges. The dependence of th es: pone {ul broadcasting company on te lec industy, oof Ue | oon ptr indy tthe bank, erates of the ‘ole spor, wwe india! ances are thmicher eco Simca conven all rela such slow comet Bat the Cxrene concnction of mesa foc alow emmreaton thes tance diferent Stand techni branche be ve The les ny inthe ete indy eines t ft wil bapgen in polis. Marked dierenatioy sch 3 ‘fine ofA lB Has or sores mains ect prise anges, depend aco mh on sj mater a nla Tn. ‘rgnisng. and Ibstingsoneumer.Sometig pro ‘ded forall 9 that none may evcper Easton EmpRause sod evended. The pole cteed Tor Sh a ercheaT ange of mtepdoced pode varyng gully, thon advancing the ule of compl qamifeston. Ecsta inet tone fee sponscuny) ie acodance ni i Frovownly ermine! nd indeed lel, sd shoe ete fy ls rnd ope Conc a income pups lt gre, and bite sca the cage & that wed trey tps af roped ow formalize the proces is can te een when the mechs diferettel produ pone to be all alte nthe nc. That the ference tween the Cryer rae and Gen En Moto produce bac ibsory se every hid Sith hon eres in ace, Wa cece dest at {os or bud pins eve only fo papers the enc of Sxapeton tod range of chats’ The same spl 6 Ue Warner Brothers and Metro Goldwyn Mayer provacsone Dt cen the diernces between the mote expeive and cheaper ‘dels pt oot bythe same frm sendy. minh ato mobiles the av ach ierncs a the oot fede ‘ibe cacy, de of pated gaps and fo oe tee Se te uber of site extern we ot lonley islabo, snd equnment, ad the introduction ofthe atest psy ‘hologeslfomns. The snieral een of mec iste Amount of “conspicuous proction” of Mata ea vet ent The varying Budget inthe estore dusty donee beat ihe tightest ron to fica valves, to the caning ofthe rodocs themsdves, Even the tna mada ae releesiy forced ito unite. Television aime at «synthesis of rao te, ad's held up only besase te inereted partes bane ‘ot yet reached green, butt comequess il be quite aormous and promise 1 nensly the npoveshment of ae {bet mater 0 drat, hat by tomorrow the thinly veld ‘deny of aids eur potas ean come tumphanly ut at the ope, deriselyTulling the Wagneran dream of the Gesamthunsnerk-he fason of ll the site in one work “The aace of nod, igs, and moi Wall he move ose than in Tvisan because the senwuous elements ‘wich al) ap- ‘rovngy rect the srace of socal realty are fm pre bode in the sme tinal proces, hey of wah be Somes is distintve content. Ths proces inept al the ‘emeas ofthe production, rom the ove (shape with an ee fo the fn) fo the tat sound fet It i he trump of foe ‘sted capital, bose tle ae absolute nase hed Sep int ‘abe of the dupont the employment toe eS ImERTTGTT conten of very Hes, WEAN la be Potion (tan may Have tected. “he man with Mure has to asp wht tecture manuf {ure ofr hn. Kans oral expected a Soattion tom he idl ho wa thought Wo vel the aed evens of the sess to anda once ba nd {ots th niu! fis con prime see to te eo tomer ito dos stern for Bm Rar Sd ta ere tes sce ha i tefl wich prepared etme tos th sachs vay tht they cul! be dt te stem af pore reson, ny ht se atten epee, While tee ecanm oa appears ed bye who serve up tbe data of expr tat bythe sere nd, is 42 tat fred ape te later bythe power of sn. which 6 remains irrational, However we may ty to raonlz and this necapabe force procesed by commirclalageaies so that they ete an rife! impression of feng i command eb nothing ft forthe consumer to clay. Predocert ne Wor i Ae YO The uses har stops Te ‘Sie ated eats balked at Everjomag- denver tow eon ‘Sous Tor Malbrache and Bekele, rom the concious rest of Gods in mast ar, fom the conciousness of He ro- ‘duction team. Not only are the Nt soaps, sts, and Soap ‘pers eellyecurten and gly lavatable types, St the ‘Sfee cont ofthe entertasneat tl is derived fom them Shi only spears to change, The deals are interchangeable. ‘The show interval sequence which was efecine fn 8 a 0c, the her's momeacay Yall from grace (which he accept = goo sport), the rough treatment which the beloved gets fro the tral star the later upged discs ofthe soit sites, ae, Ike all the eter deta ready-made cchéeto be sated In where they never do Srhing more tan aR he orp ste then te eral pl Tir WRG ras de 0 ct Tg Ws Santen prt, As soon te fm bee {esis quite ezar bow t wil en, and who wl Be revarded, ue forgotten Toph RUSH OnE ae ar MOS [ESRTiRE Wat aor of the ht song, an guess whats oming sd fel tered wen it doce cone The average lng f the Short sor hs o be igi adhered co. Even gg, efs, and jokes are caleulted like the sting in which they are placed. ‘They are the responsibly of seca experts and tec marow range makes i easy for them tobe apportioned in the ofiee “The development ofthe culture indy ha led tothe pom ance ofthe eect, the obvious touch andthe techalel detail ‘over the wodk self—ich once expesed an idea, Cul Was Tuite vgether with the iden When te dal woe fee dm it became rebeliou and, in the pried fom Romantics to Eapressionsm,aseted el as fee expression, a a vehicle ff proves spun the organiation. In mis the single aoe fect oblirated the awareness of form a a whole i flang the indiidial color was strsed atthe expense of pital nsonnponon; ad in the novel pycholgy became more impor tant tan stuctre: Tho taal af the eure industry bas put tm edt this Though cascerned exlasvely wih eet it ‘rusher thir insubordiation and makes them suteere the Formal, which replaces the work The sam fate infied on le snd pars ake. The whol nevi bere no relation 0 "he detail joe ke the ener ofa siccsfl man nt wich terthing me to aniston oF a post, whereas SS nothing more than the sum of al hoe koe cients The ‘scaled dominant ic fies fle which esses der but not eberence, The wo and the pat are alt; there sno atte tsi and no cometen. Ther rearranged harmony 4 mock. {fy of what had tobe szven ter othe grea bourgeois work ff art Tn Germany the graveyard sles of the dictatorship Seedy hung ower the gayest Hime of the democratic ee “The whole world made to pase through the filtro the cul tore industry. The old experience of the movie-pet, who se ‘he world etsice aan excnion of he lm he bas ot et (be Cause the later islet pon reprodcing the word of exer day pecesions), 6 now the producer puideline, The more intently and ftesly hi eceigues duplste tnpteal be Jets the easier i today forthe lion to peeval tht the Sented on the ercen Ths purpore bas besa furthered by Te ‘hel repodaton snc the iting takeover) the sound fim Ral ile teaming iniingulshabe from the movi, The sind fim, far sarang he these of son, eaves ne room for imagination or election on hepato he audience who Snable fo rspend within the srare ofthe fm, et devise ftom its pec detail without losing the thread ofthe so hence the Hm oes is veins to equate i ety With tes ‘iy. The stoning of the massed consumer powers of gh sion sn spontaneity doesnot have tobe teaed back to ay psjhologiel mechanismey he must ascte the kus of those Ebates to she objective mature of the prod themselves {specially tot moat characteris of them the sound fn, ‘They are so desea that quickness, powers of abervstion, and 126 experince are undeniably needed to apprehend them at yet fuslained heuphtout of the question i the spcatr iss to is the lenis eis of fate Eventhough the efor regres Behe respome is sombantonali no rope @ br the Imgginaion Those who are so abvoried by the word of the rovie—by ie mages gestures, and words fey um thie to suply what realy msios i'n word, do noe fave (0 ‘wel on peruse polts of Hs mechans dung a snening Ail he other Hs and products ofthe enertlmentiusty Which they have sen have taught chem what co expec they reset aiomaticaly. The might of indo society loge in tes minds. The efrsiments manufacturers krow ht thet Prodets wll he consumed with slertess even when te coe tomer is dstraugh, foreach of them is model of ths Mage ‘conomis machinery which has alse sistined the masses, Iver at work oF at leuro—ahich fakin fo work. From ‘very sound lm and every broaéast program the svi eet ‘ai be infeed which i exlise to aoe but shared by all, ‘Ths cure industry a whol he molded men aa p= Snalingly reproduced so every prs. the apes of ths proces, fom the producer to the women's cu ake good aretha te simple reproduction of this mental ate at "The af istorians and guaians of euure who compan of the ertinton in the West of base sseetrninng powse {ue woop. The stereotyped appropriation of eveything. 0 the inchoate, for the purposes of mechanical reproduction su pes the igor and general eutency of any “real ile” ithe Sense ia whieh earl cognosrent celsate theorem Pe ‘aplalt pest. No Palestina could be more. of 2 peit eliminating every unprepared and resolved dicord tan the Jaz arranger in sappresing any development which des ot fontorm tothe jargon. Whe jzlag up Mazar he changes ha ot only when he Is foo serous of too dial but wien be armontzes the melody in dierent wi, ethaps mosey than fe castomary now. No msdival hier can have aru zed te subs for church wingows and seulpres wes Picouly than the studio Msrarchy sree work by Bales nt | |er, te ache1speepshow, ssf rp "5 ideo for oP by tec sil han fhe Sl epemeral contents stand in shed by en- roesy thy ate erooraged by te Tbe make ins area, Demand has no et = felece, Avs wel how, te Re fm Indy stort baore Worle W freee o erp ches bar het neat i he pioneer, Siarchoy; one his (Ot coureacted, os i wer, ms what at represectaton fpomibe The ule indosey does By repeatedly exporing the objects ning sweater ortho raked oso ofthe ter the unsublimated forepleasure slong since rhced 10/8 ss ‘to cro situation bic, wile to indicate onmiiakay The Hays Otis merely com i and prodch Lave om. the aise mach permed: i spcaiy a te guot teasing rig The mi prgcton of Te schince is repeniog Bee of is hom on nan al i ve ery en ve comes 0 tua fas of Text cesta mde by whom Holly eod bas ion of testy, wich earedly serves 180 me- caves no oom for tht ch nar ence util to teal. The tumph over beauty Is edlebraed by humor—the Schedem that every sce depeation cal for There is "parenting gh at. Laver, waeter ble, always oscure when some fee pass. ie rm peal danger oF fore bp et loge. Covina) Inpite a Beard arte echo of a8 Erbe tom powcr te bro Kind enreomes feat by captor ng to the fore wich a to he fared te eho of owes seothng 140 feripe when the sal cceasion aes Sch a lnhing std face is 2 parody of humanity. Ke members are mona ‘Gulated tothe pleaute of blag tend foe 3 [ene of everyone es, Their harmony ira eavetire af ‘Brig. What i fens about this false receives naive confirmation ia the grav {he lover who with frebocing commis i moment In the ene indy, oval de ‘ofthe pin found in eesany and V9 2 tion once again Gomis demonstrated end ie victim. To offer and to deprive them tnd the samc, The what happens in rosin. rece than for 8 oe overeat ell as popular ul Cones Fenounce the threst of a Te outlast the organized aceptance of the fms wich are produced o that end, ang inva fhe today is 0 longer pane, atough ft stil seeks in the form of worn’ organization, bu te Nees) Inherent inthe system not to leave te eustoner sons, not for ‘moment fallow him any suspicion tht feree which bing io Mack Tosi fins a emphases which fn the sma flow thesheen propos of the principeopel deolte cineoray int the arm of the sar A ow Tha is join in re lien a the sytem ai even foros, Otervse be rey carer and spe sd Counts In fc par ofthe rationst it teproducs (0 certain Ggee ony the Tnembers, The standard of He enjoyed ex torte degre to whieh clases and ingivide ‘Eis are esentaly bout ups he system, The manage can ed upon, as can te lesser employee Dugwood—s be TS the come ogss or itl Ife. Aayone who goes cold and Hungry, even his prospects were once goods branded. He is and, apt from seta capital evins, the most fms he somes, aod principle made the masses read-wianes by dhe manages of fedundant as producer tna to Believe the eo} ate a Fs not prone for ‘Shams The five welfare for tone unde the ad Thuan sldariy of men i 3 wor forgotten, everysere tere ae eihbors and wellare workers, esis and posorphlaophers whose eats ae in the lace and wh, by thir Kind intervention as of an to fore inna cases of oil perpetated ise et esheets the vervoual Ge pravity of the unfortunate. The promotion of Inwphere ae advised by managemcat experts eat Beetac- ne tobe wnt "human re sbaiatr forthe ntional lenders, who Sally de ‘and think they ean prevent 2ny ard against the reproach tiuth isnot eepeced,whereae it relly Being. adopted regret To the commer who-—culorlly—hse seenrender to the cllectve power which wears him out. In fms, those permancally desperate harcter appears ea csura}) es 10 rauy oe Jp tom the county remarked tte old hey cold| | | | pos ‘unled automobile and soap ma ep ny es, the the enaauneto a tas fom teste ot Teta arene. ate by te pretense en emma of he Fer Ta Sarco ge sitmtich ape eag emis Sear part of the soil proc soa te alld to theme the th se o's pacar soy powder The Fuver more de ce ing direct orders for bath the fens agaist, “The abolition of edarational privilege by he {vce of clearance sales docs aot pen for the masses the shies from ‘whch they wote formerly excluded, buy given ‘xing sot rites ie "tat ad te props of tv meanings, Thee "These mere the hs supe toward Be blograpbialcout- nd cr paces to mich & work of aft subjected Tay Even ine ers, prosperus das of sie, etcange- ‘lor dear ae vale as mere appendix but had developed Torts own exes his was scaly p> ft exeresed some festa o fhe Boo= ingot therein ned 0 ay the Iter suceeded y Consumer now fad ietogy combined since, When 3c AOm dehaned works of {oper withthe rubbSH to which the tad asimites ‘hem, are secretly rejected by the fortunate tei! supposed 10 be sae by the mere fet ‘Everything canbe obtained. The sesenos the movi heater, he eompetions for ues tare products. Th symptony bee femmes a reward fo tte rad, andi wchnolgy fads way-the fm would be deleted io poy Happens ith che radi. tis moving tomard the comers system. Television pons the way toa development which might cenly enough force the Warner Bothes ino hat would ct= se the patcipani. Fascism, however, hopes fo ing the Ealtre industry hat ‘ven thee ecpets ‘onder to organize them int tom forced batalons, tre i paadoxieal commodity. So compete to the law of exchange that ‘consumed in te th malate 2 00 gerbe wc The th averising. Tie rove mci Ter money the more omic hel) enon. One ede ‘oesste em omg “tin ae cascigttte i ‘bond between the consumers and the big combines. Only the aio ‘ es charged by the adver {he pecoiomarket te sll. ‘The eos of iy i the pockets of the ‘he synthetic planned method of turing out its prod tore not ely the tao bat mor Os athe rom any connected 9 the work. The eft, he Bolted repeatable devi, hve alas been wed oc ods for advertising purposes, and today every monste fen tepetion of the ame culture prot has comme 19 be the 5 that of the propaganda slogan. To demand for ellectveness takes tehpete fore instead of making enomenon long before to- taltarian advertising bosses eaforsed the genet Hines of ce ture. When the Getcourcon—everywhere proves ays the same. Ths Wan Products even though ty see through