11 critical theory and sociology of knowledge sp 2012

7/30/2019 11 Critical Theory and Sociology of Knowledge SP 2012

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Key Concepts

"Ideology and Utopia" - Karl Mannheim

Particular v. total ideology

False consciousness

Ideological v. utopian thought

"The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception" -

Horkheimer & Adorno Mass culture and culture industry

Cultural products and consumer desires

Role of pleasure, meaning of art, meaning of freedom

"One-Dimensional Man" - Herbert Marcuse Capitalism and false needs

Sublimation, desublimation

Cycle of stupefaction, Happy consciousness, meaning of freedom

The Merchants of Cool Frontline documentary


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Karl Mannheim and the Sociologyof Knowledge

IDEOLOGY includes opinions, statements propositions, and systems of

ideas

Two types: Particular: Representation of things in the world that

might take into account specific interests or points of view.(one person skeptical of another)

Total: Entire categories of thought that define how people

see the world around them. (ideas of an era) Those with interests attached to certain ideas hold on to them.

An ideology becomes an ideology when the perspective of adominant group is unable to perceive the new facts that haveundermined its social dominance

Thus, dominant ideology promotes a kind offalseconsciousness.


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Ideological v. Utopian Thought

Utopian thoughts challenge existing ideologies, threateningto overturn status quo social order. Ideology and utopia drive social change in a dialectic process Utopias often thought of as unrealistic Intellectuals often bearers of utopias E.g. Christianity, Liberalism, Socialism

Representatives of the existing order Label as utopian those ideas that threaten order, and

thus, can never be realized. Ex. universal health care

What is defined as ideology vs. utopia depends upon theinterests of the judger. Depends on experience, socialcontext.

Both ideology and utopia transcend reality(are notaccurate descriptions of the existing order).


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Critical Theory in Sociology

Frankfurt School 1923 Institute for Social Research Influences

Neo-Marxism

focuses on why class consciousness didnt develop as predicted byMarx

Critiques capitalism not just as a form of economic domination, butalso as a form of cultural domination

Freudian psychoanalysis: we have deeply suppressed desires

Weber: importance of ideology in social change; role ofrationalization in social life and the iron cage

Historical context Totalitarianism, bureaucracy on the rise Promises of Enlightenment unfulfilled

Marxist predictions unfulfilled no class revolution

Need for new explanations in modernity


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Horkheimer & Adorno Art VS. Mass Culture


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Horkheimer & Adorno: Homogenization inthe Culture Industry

The decline of religion, the dissolution of the feudal order, socialdifferentiation and specialization have NOT lead to cultural chaos in factculture now impresses the same stamp on everything (385). Theculture industry works to homogenize everyday life.

We have become cogs in the machine not just as producers but asconsumers.


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Horkheimer & Adorno: Art in the Age of Monopoly Capital

economies ofscale

consumer

needs

the homogenous

cultural product

decisions of industrypersonnel

e.g. big budgetmovies designed

to appeal to

millions

Under monopoly capital (capitalism dominated by mega-

corporations):

1 mass cultural products all mass culture is identical 2 cultural products dont have to pretend to be art any more

3 they are defined as business which in turn justifies the poor

quality of their offerings in terms of market needs and economies of

scale.


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What are the effects on how we see reality?

The whole world is made to passthrough the filter of the culture

industry.

Their example: the sound film (!)

Too close to reality leaving noroom for imagination

Requires quickness from the

audience but leaves no room for

reflection Uses formula and genre to create

automatic expectations of narrative,

etc. which have become

standardized and unchallenging.


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True Art Vs. Culture industry products

The art object The mass culture product

Should address universal questions Follows the principle of amusement,insulated from deep thought and/or thebroader social implications (thetotality)

Art tends to express loss, with desireitself shown to be a mirage.Sublimation transforms basiceveryday desires (sex, power, etc)into more complex registers.

Gives us the happy ending and thesuccessful fight cheapresolutions/satisfactions


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The principles of amusement [pleasure] (389)

1. Amusement defends society To be pleased

means to say Yes.

2. Amusement requires not seeing the bigpicture (insulation from the totality of the social

process)

3. Amusement means not thinking deeply about

anything, especially about forms ofsuffering(which might make the audience say no)

4. it is flight; not from a wretched reality, but

from the last remaining thought of resistance.


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H & A: The culture industry

creates fake individuality

Cultural representations shape -

How we relate to each other (Ways of talking,

presenting oneself)

How we understand ourselves (our inner lives)

H&As example: Romantic scripts produced and

circulated in the entertainment industry/mediashape our desires and dating practices.


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Meaning of Freedom in CapitalistConsumer Culture

All are free to dance and enjoy themselves, just as they

have been free, since the historical neutralization of

religion, to join any of the innumerable sects. Butfreedom to choose an ideology since ideology always

reflects economic coercion everywhere proves to be

freedom to choose what is always the same (389).


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Freedom of Choice?


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Herbert Marcuse: One-Dimensional Man

Technological rationalityincreases in modernity

Integration of people into

capitalist consumer thoughtnecessary for smoothfunctioning of one-dimensionalsociety

Mass consumer culture >Individuality

Critiques of Enlightenment,meaning of liberation

Herbert Marcuse (1898-1979)


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Sublimation/Desublimation

Marcuse draws on Freudian logic: Social realityforces people to discipline their basic impulses(libido)

and sublimate the impulses into acceptableactivities (work, recreation, etc.)

This tension is painful, causes discontent, yetcan also be creative and liberating.

Capitalist culture allowspartialdesublimationexpression of our basic desires

through consumption of cultural products.


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Example: Partial Desublimation


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One-dimensional man?

Advanced industrial capitalism instills in us a set of falseneeds via the mass media, advertising, education, etc.

free choice between

brands and gadgets

Desublimation

Giving up our liberties in favor of material and sensory candy.Example: sexuality is a source of freedom andexploitation.

Happy Consciousness

Euphoric acceptance that the current system is as good as it gets.


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Happy Consciousness!

The belief that the system delivers thegoods (i.e. needs and happiness).


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Cycle of Stupefaction

We work until were stupified, then relax with TV.

Average American watches over 4 hours of TV per day

Mass culture industry is designed to produce euphoria in

unhappiness.

Advertisements promote having fun, sexuality. Ex. Beauty culture, auto culture, white teeth smiles.

Promote a Happy Consciousness a false, superficial,

substitution for real happiness, satisfaction, and

fulfillment.


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Marcuses Liberation

Real human liberation based on

creative sublimation, demands high degree ofautonomy & comprehension.

A return to Eros in all aspects of life: sensual,spontaneous enjoyment of life.

Break the iron cage!


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Frontline Documentary: The Merchants of Cool

1) What is the paradox of cool? How does the film illustrate notions of:

commodification; false needs; one-dimensional man; critiques of culture,freedom, individuality, authenticity?

2) Homogenization of culture: How are notions of masculinity, feminine

beauty, sex, and cool mass produced? Record specific examples.

3) What is the giant feedback loop? Is there an escape, according to the

documentary? According to the critical theorists? According to you?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

11 critical theory and sociology of knowledge sp 2012

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