文化工业：作为启蒙的大众欺骗术（阿多诺和霍克海默）英文原文

TheodorAdornoandMaxHorkheimer(1944)TheCultureIndustry:EnlightenmentasMassDeceptionSource:mostofonechapterfromDialecticofEnlightenment;Transcribed:byAndyBlunden1998;proofedandcorrectedFeb.2005.THEsociologicaltheorythatthelossofthesupportofobjectivelyestablishedreligion,thedissolutionofthelastremnantsofpre-capitalism,togetherwithtechnologicalandsocialdifferentiationorspecialisation,haveledtoculturalchaosisdisprovedeveryday;forculturenowimpressesthesamestamponeverything.Films,radioandmagazinesmakeupasystemwhichisuniformasawholeandineverypart.Eventheaestheticactivitiesofpoliticaloppositesareoneintheirenthusiasticobediencetotherhythmoftheironsystem.Thedecorativeindustrialmanagementbuildingsandexhibitioncentersinauthoritariancountriesaremuchthesameasanywhereelse.Thehugegleamingtowersthatshootupeverywhereareoutwardsignsoftheingeniousplanningofinternationalconcerns,towardwhichtheunleashedentrepreneurialsystem(whosemonumentsareamassofgloomyhousesandbusinesspremisesingrimy,spiritlesscities)wasalreadyhastening.Evennowtheolderhousesjustoutsidetheconcretecitycentreslooklikeslums,andthenewbungalowsontheoutskirtsareatonewiththeflimsystructuresofworldfairsintheirpraiseoftechnicalprogressandtheirbuilt-indemandtobediscardedafterashortwhilelikeemptyfoodcans.Yetthecityhousingprojectsdesignedtoperpetuatetheindividualasasupposedlyindependentunitinasmallhygienicdwellingmakehimallthemoresubservienttohisadversary–theabsolutepowerofcapitalism.Becausetheinhabitants,asproducersandasconsumers,aredrawnintothecenterinsearchofworkandpleasure,allthelivingunitscrystalliseintowell-organisedcomplexes.Thestrikingunityofmicrocosmandmacrocosmpresentsmenwithamodeloftheirculture:thefalseidentityofthegeneralandtheparticular.Undermonopolyallmasscultureisidentical,andthelinesofitsartificialframeworkbegintoshowthrough.Thepeopleatthetoparenolongersointerestedinconcealingmonopoly:asitsviolencebecomesmoreopen,soitspowergrows.Moviesandradioneednolongerpretendtobeart.Thetruththattheyarejustbusinessismadeintoanideologyinordertojustifytherubbishtheydeliberatelyproduce.Theycallthemselvesindustries;andwhentheirdirectors’incomesarepublished,anydoubtaboutthesocialutilityofthefinishedproductsisremoved.Interestedpartiesexplainthecultureindustryintechnologicalterms.Itisallegedthatbecausemillionsparticipateinit,certainreproductionprocessesarenecessarythatinevitablyrequireidenticalneedsininnumerableplacestobesatisfiedwithidenticalgoods.Thetechnicalcontrastbetweenthefewproductioncentersandthelargenumberofwidelydispersedconsumptionpointsissaidtodemandorganisationandplanningbymanagement.Furthermore,itisclaimedthatstandardswerebasedinthefirstplaceonconsumers’needs,andforthatreasonwereacceptedwithsolittleresistance.Theresultisthecircleofmanipulationandretroactiveneedinwhichtheunityofthesystemgrowseverstronger.Nomentionismadeofthefactthatthebasisonwhichtechnologyacquirespoweroversocietyisthepowerofthosewhoseeconomicholdoversocietyisgreatest.Atechnologicalrationaleistherationaleofdominationitself.Itisthecoercivenatureofsocietyalienatedfromitself.Automobiles,bombs,andmovieskeepthewholethingtogetheruntiltheirlevelingelementshowsitsstrengthintheverywrongwhichitfurthered.Ithasmadethetechnologyofthecultureindustrynomorethantheachievementofstandardisationandmassproduction,sacrificingwhateverinvolvedadistinctionbetweenthelogicoftheworkandthatofthesocialsystem.Thisistheresultnotofalawofmovementintechnologyassuchbutofitsfunctionintoday’seconomy.Theneedwhichmightresistcentralcontrolhasalreadybeensuppressedbythecontroloftheindividualconsciousness.Thestepfromthetelephonetotheradiohasclearlydistinguishedtheroles.Theformerstillallowedthesubscribertoplaytheroleofsubject,andwasliberal.Thelatterisdemocratic:itturnsallparticipantsintolistenersandauthoritativelysubjectsthemtobroadcastprogramswhichareallexactlythesame.Nomachineryofrejoinderhasbeendevised,andprivatebroadcastersaredeniedanyfreedom.Theyareconfinedtotheapocryphalfieldofthe“amateur,”andalsohavetoacceptorganisationfromabove.Butanytraceofspontaneityfromthepublicinofficialbroadcastingiscontrolledandabsorbedbytalentscouts,studiocompetitionsandofficialprogramsofeverykindselectedbyprofessionals.Talentedperformersbelongtotheindustrylongbeforeitdisplaysthem;otherwisetheywouldnotbesoeagertofitin.Theattitudeofthepublic,whichostensiblyandactuallyfavoursthesystemofthecultureindustry,isapartofthesystemandnotanexcuseforit.Ifonebranchofartfollowsthesameformulaasonewithaverydifferentmediumandcontent;ifthedramaticintrigueofbroadcastsoapoperasbecomesnomorethanusefulmaterialforshowinghowtomastertechnicalproblemsatbothendsofthescaleofmusicalexperience–realjazzoracheapimitation;orifamovementfromaBeethovensymphonyiscrudely“adapted”forafilmsound-trackinthesamewayasaTolstoynovelisgarbledinafilmscript:thentheclaimthatthisisdonetosatisfythespontaneouswishesofthepublicisnomorethanhotair.Weareclosertothefactsifweexplainthesephenomenaasinherentinthetechnicalandpersonnelapparatuswhich,downtoitslastcog,itselfformspartoftheeconomicmechanismofselection.Inadditionthereistheagreement–oratleastthedetermination–ofallexecutiveauthoritiesnottoproduceorsanctionanythingthatinanywaydiffersfromtheirownrules,theirownideasaboutconsumers,oraboveallthemselves.Inouragetheobjectivesocialtendencyisincarnateinthehiddensubjectivepurposesofcompanydirectors,theforemostamongwhomareinthemostpowerfulsectorsofindustry–steel,petroleum,electricity,andchemicals.Culturemonopoliesareweakanddependentincomparison.Theycannotaffordtoneglecttheirappeasementoftherealholdersofpoweriftheirsphereofactivityinmasssociety(asphereproducingaspecifictypeofcommoditywhichanyhowisstilltoocloselyboundupwitheasy-goingliberalismandJewishintellectuals)isnottoundergoaseriesofpurges.Thedependenceofthemostpowerfulbroadcastingcompanyontheelectricalindustry,orofthemotionpictureindustryonthebanks,ischaracteristicofthewholesphere,whoseindividualbranchesarethemselveseconomicallyinterwoven.Allareinsuchclosecontactthattheextremeconcentrationofmentalforcesallowsdemarcationlinesbetweendifferentfirmsandtechnicalbranchestobeignored.Theruthlessunityinthecultureindustryisevidenceofwhatwillhappeninpolitics.MarkeddifferentiationssuchasthoseofAandBfilms,orofstoriesinmagazinesindifferentpriceranges,dependnotsomuchonsubjectmatterasonclassifying,organising,andlabellingconsumers.Somethingisprovidedforallsothatnonemayescape;thedistinctionsareemphasisedandextended.Thepubliciscateredforwithahierarchicalrangeofmass-producedproductsofvaryingquality,thusadvancingtheruleofcompletequantification.Everybodymustbehave(asifspontaneously)inaccordancewithhispreviouslydeterminedandindexedlevel,andchoosethecategoryofmassproductturnedoutforhistype.Consumersappearasstatisticsonresearchorganisationcharts,andaredividedbyincomegroupsintored,green,andblueareas;thetechniqueisthatusedforanytypeofpropaganda.Howformalisedtheprocedureiscanbeseenwhenthemechanicallydifferentiatedproductsprovetobeallalikeintheend.ThatthedifferencebetweentheChryslerrangeandGeneralMotorsproductsisbasicallyillusorystrikeseverychildwithakeeninterestinvarieties.Whatconnoisseursdiscussasgoodorbadpointsserveonlytoperpetuatethesemblanceofcompetitionandrangeofchoice.ThesameappliestotheWarnerBrothersandMetroGoldwynMayerproductions.Buteventhedifferencesbetweenthemoreexpensiveandcheapermodelsputoutbythesamefirmsteadilydiminish:forautomobiles,therearesuchdifferencesasthenumberofcylinders,cubiccapacity,detailsofpatentedgadgets;andforfilmstherearethenumberofstars,theextravagantuseoftechnology,labor,andequipment,andtheintroductionofthelatestpsychologicalformulas.Theuniversalcriterionofmeritistheamountof“conspicuousproduction,”ofblatantcashinvestment.Thevaryingbudgetsinthecultureindustrydonotbeartheslightestrelationtofactualvalues,tothemeaningoftheproductsthemselves.Eventhetechnicalmediaarerelentlesslyforcedintouniformity.Televisionaimsatasynthesisofradioandfilm,andishelduponlybecausetheinterestedpartieshavenotyetreachedagreement,butitsconsequenceswillbequiteenormousandpromisetointensifytheimpoverishmentofaestheticmattersodrastically,thatbytomorrowthethinlyveiledidentityofallindustrialcultureproductscancometriumphantlyoutintotheopen,derisivelyfulfillingtheWagneriandreamoftheGesamtkunstwerk–thefusionofalltheartsinonework.Theallianceofword,image,andmusicisallthemoreperfectthaninTristanbecausethesensuouselementswhichallapprovinglyreflectthesurfaceofsocialrealityareinprincipleembodiedinthesametechnicalprocess,theunityofwhichbecomesitsdistinctivecontent.Thisprocessintegratesalltheelementsoftheproduction,fromthenovel(shapedwithaneyetothefilm)tothelastsoundeffect.Itisthetriumphofinvestedcapital,whosetitleasabsolutemasterisetcheddeepintotheheartsofthedispossessedintheemploymentline;itisthemeaningfulcontentofeveryfilm,whateverplottheproductionteammayhaveselected.Themanwithleisurehastoacceptwhattheculturemanufacturersofferhim.Kant’sformalismstillexpectedacontributionfromtheindividual,whowasthoughttorelatethevariedexperiencesofthesensestofundamentalconcepts;butindustryrobstheindividualofhisfunction.Itsprimeservicetothecustomeristodohisschematisingforhim.Kantsaidthattherewasasecretmechanisminthesoulwhichprepareddirectintuitionsinsuchawaythattheycouldbefittedintothesystemofpurereason.Buttodaythatsecrethasbeendeciphered.Whilethemechanismistoallappearancesplannedbythosewhoserveupthedataofexperience,thatis,bythecultureindustry,itisinfactforceduponthelatterbythepowerofsociety,whichremainsirrational,howeverwemaytrytorationaliseit;andthisinescapableforceisprocessedbycommercialagenciessothattheygiveanartificialimpressionofbeingincommand.Thereisnothingleftfortheconsumertoclassify.Producershavedoneitforhim.Artforthemasseshasdestroyedthedreambutstillconformstothetenetsofthatdreamingidealismwhichcriticalidealismbaulkedat.Everythingderivesfromconsciousness:forMalebrancheandBerkeley,fromtheconsciousnessofGod;inmassart,fromtheconsciousnessoftheproductionteam.Notonlyarethehitsongs,stars,andsoapoperascyclicallyrecurrentandrigidlyinvariabletypes,butthespecificcontentoftheentertainmentitselfisderivedfromthemandonlyappearstochange.Thedetailsareinterchangeable.Theshortintervalsequencewhichwaseffectiveinahitsong,thehero’smomentaryfallfromgrace(whichheacceptsasgoodsport),theroughtreatmentwhichthebelovedgetsfromthemalestar,thelatter’sruggeddefianceofthespoiltheiress,are,likealltheotherdetails,ready-madeclichéstobeslottedinanywhere;theyneverdoanythingmorethanfulfilthepurposeallottedthemintheoverallplan.Theirwholeraisond’êtreistoconfirmitbybeingitsconstituentparts.Assoonasthefilmbegins,itisquiteclearhowitwillend,andwhowillberewarded,punished,orforgotten.Inlightmusic,oncethetrainedearhasheardthefirstnotesofthehitsong,itcanguesswhatiscomingandfeelflatteredwhenitdoescome.Theaveragelengthoftheshortstoryhastoberigidlyadheredto.Evengags,effects,andjokesarecalculatedlikethesettinginwhichtheyareplaced.Theyaretheresponsibilityofspecialexpertsandtheirnarrowrangemakesiteasyforthemtobeapportionedintheoffice.Thedevelopmentofthecultureindustryhasledtothepredominanceoftheeffect,theobvioustouch,andthetechnicaldetailovertheworkitself–whichonceexpressedanidea,butwasliquidatedtogetherwiththeidea.Whenthedetailwonitsfreedom,itbecamerebelliousand,intheperiodfromRomanticismtoExpressionism,asserteditselfasfreeexpression,asavehicleofprotestagainsttheorganisation.Inmusicthesingleharmoniceffectobliteratedtheawarenessofformasawhole;inpaintingtheindividualcolourwasstressedattheexpenseofpictorialcomposition;andinthenovelpsychologybecamemoreimportantthanstructure.Thetotalityofthecultureindustryhasputanendtothis.Thoughconcernedexclusivelywitheffects,itcrushestheirinsubordinationandmakesthemsubservetheformula,whichreplacesthework.Thesamefateisinflictedonwholeandpartsalike.Thewholeinevitablybearsnorelationtothedetails–justlikethecareerofasuccessfulmanintowhicheverythingismadetofitasanillustrationoraproof,whereasitisnothingmorethanthesumofallthoseidioticevents.Theso-calleddominantideaislikeafilewhichensuresorderbutnotcoherence.Thewholeandthepartsarealike;thereisnoantithesisandnoconnection.Theirprearrangedharmonyisamockeryofwhathadtobestrivenafterinthegreatbourgeoisworksofart.InGermanythegraveyardstillnessofthedictatorshipalreadyhungoverthegayestfilmsofthedemocraticera.Thewholeworldismadetopassthroughthefilterofthecultureindustry.Theoldexperienceofthemovie-goer,whoseestheworldoutsideasanextensionofthefilmhehasjustleft(becausethelatterisintentuponreproducingtheworldofeverydayperceptions),isnowtheproducer’sguideline.Themoreintenselyandflawlesslyhistechniquesduplicateempiricalobjects,theeasieritistodayfortheillusiontoprevailthattheoutsideworldisthestraightforwardcontinuationofthatpresentedonthescreen.Thispurposehasbeenfurtheredbymechanicalreproductionsincethelightningtakeoverbythesoundfilm.Reallifeisbecomingindistinguishablefromthemovies.Thesoundfilm,farsurpassingthetheatreofillusion,leavesnoroomforimaginationorreflectiononthepartoftheaudience,whoisunabletorespondwithinthestructureofthefilm,yetdeviatefromitsprecisedetailwithoutlosingthethreadofthestory;hencethefilmforcesitsvictimstoequateitdirectlywithreality.Thestuntingofthemass-mediaconsumer’spowersofimaginationandspontaneitydoesnothavetobetracedbacktoanypsychologicalmechanisms;hemustascribethelossofthoseattributestotheobjectivenatureoftheproductsthemselves,especiallytothemostcharacteristicofthem,thesoundfilm.Theyaresodesignedthatquickness,powersofobservation,andexperienceareundeniablyneededtoapprehendthematall;yetsustainedthoughtisoutofthequestionifthespectatorisnottomisstherelentlessrushoffacts.Eventhoughtheeffortrequiredforhisresponseissemi-automatic,noscopeisleftfortheimagination.Thosewhoaresoabsorbedbytheworldofthemovie–byitsimages,gestures,andwords–thattheyareunabletosupplywhatreallymakesitaworld,donothavetodwellonparticularpointsofitsmechanicsduringascreening.Alltheotherfilmsandproductsoftheentertainmentindustrywhichtheyhaveseenhavetaughtthemwhattoexpect;theyreactautomatically.Themightofindustrialsocietyislodgedinmen’sminds.Theentertainmentsmanufacturersknowthattheirproductswillbeconsumedwithalertnessevenwhenthecustomerisdistraught,foreachofthemisamodelofthehugeeconomicmachinerywhichhasalwayssustainedthemasses,whetheratworkoratleisure–whichisakintowork.Fromeverysoundfilmandeverybroadcastprogramthesocialeffectcanbeinferredwhichisexclusivetononebutissharedbyallalike.Thecultureindustryasawholehasmouldedmenasatypeunfailinglyreproducedineveryproduct.Alltheagentsofthisprocess,fromtheproducertothewomen’sclubs,takegoodcarethatthesimplereproductionofthismentalstateisnotnuancedorextendedinanyway.ThearthistoriansandguardiansofculturewhocomplainoftheextinctionintheWestofabasicstyle-determiningpowerarewrong.Thestereotypedappropriationofeverything,eventheinchoate,forthepurposesofmechanicalreproductionsurpassestherigourandgeneralcurrencyofany“realstyle,”inthesenseinwhichculturalcognoscenticelebratetheorganicpre-capitalistpast.NoPalestrinacouldbemoreofapuristineliminatingeveryunpreparedandunresolveddiscordthanthejazzarrangerinsuppressinganydevelopmentwhichdoesnotconformtothejargon.WhenjazzingupMozarthechangeshimnotonlywhenheistooseriousortoodifficultbutwhenheharmonisesthemelodyinadifferentway,perhapsmoresimply,thaniscustomarynow.NomedievalbuildercanhavescrutinisedthesubjectsforchurchwindowsandsculpturesmoresuspiciouslythanthestudiohierarchyscrutinisesaworkbyBalzacorHugobeforefinallyapprovingit.Nomedievaltheologiancouldhavedeterminedthedegreeofthetormenttobesufferedbythedamnedinaccordancewiththeorderofdivinelovemoremeticulouslythantheproducersofshoddyepicscalculatethetorturetobeundergonebytheheroortheexactpointtowhichtheleadinglady’shemlineshallberaised.Theexplicitandimplicit,exotericandesotericcatalogueoftheforbiddenandtoleratedissoextensivethatitnotonlydefinestheareaoffreedombutisall-powerfulinsideit.Everythingdowntothelastdetailisshapedaccordingly.Likeitscounterpart,avant-gardeart,theentertainmentindustrydeterminesitsownlanguage,downtoitsverysyntaxandvocabulary,bytheuseofanathema.Theconstantpressuretoproduceneweffects(whichmustconformtotheoldpattern)servesmerelyasanotherruletoincreasethepoweroftheconventionswhenanysingleeffectthreatenstoslipthroughthenet.Everydetailissofirmlystampedwithsamenessthatnothingcanappearwhichisnotmarkedatbirth,ordoesnotmeetwithapprovalatfirstsight.Andthestarperformers,whethertheyproduceorreproduce,usethisjargonasfreelyandfluentlyandwithasmuchgustoasifitweretheverylanguagewhichitsilencedlongago.Suchistheidealofwhatisnaturalinthisfieldofactivity,anditsinfluencebecomesallthemorepowerful,themoretechniqueisperfectedanddiminishesthetensionbetweenthefinishedproductandeverydaylife.Theparadoxofthisroutine,whichisessentiallytravesty,canbedetectedandisoftenpredominantineverythingthatthecultureindustryturnsout.Ajazzmusicianwhoisplayingapieceofseriousmusic,oneofBeethoven’ssimplestminuets,syncopatesitinvoluntarilyandwillsmilesuperciliouslywhenaskedtofollowthenormaldivisionsofthebeat.Thisisthe“nature”which,complicatedbytheever-presentandextravagantdemandsofthespecificmedium,constitutesthenewstyleandisa“systemofnon-culture,towhichonemightevenconcedeacertain‘unityofstyle’ifitreallymadeanysensetospeakofstylisedbarbarity.”[Nietzsche]Theuniversalimpositionofthisstylisedmodecanevengobeyondwhatisquasi-officiallysanctionedorforbidden;todayahitsongismorereadilyforgivenfornotobservingthe32beatsorthecompassoftheninththanforcontainingeventhemostclandestinemelodicorharmonicdetailwhichdoesnotconformtotheidiom.WheneverOrsonWellesoffendsagainstthetricksofthetrade,heisforgivenbecausehisdeparturesfromthenormareregardedascalculatedmutationswhichserveallthemorestronglytoconfirmthevalidityofthesystem.Theconstraintofthetechnically-conditionedidiomwhichstarsanddirectorshavetoproduceas“nature”sothatthepeoplecanappropriateit,extendstosuchfinenuancesthattheyalmostattainthesubtletyofthedevicesofanavant-gardeworkasagainstthoseoftruth.Therarecapacityminutelytofulfiltheobligationsofthenaturalidiominallbranchesofthecultureindustrybecomesthecriterionofefficiency.Whatandhowtheysayitmustbemeasurablebyeverydaylanguage,asinlogicalpositivism.Theproducersareexperts.Theidiomdemandsanastoundingproductivepower,whichitabsorbsandsquanders.Inadiabolicalwayithasoverreachedtheculturallyconservativedistinctionbetweengenuineandartificialstyle.Astylemightbecalledartificialwhichisimposedfromwithoutontherefractoryimpulsesofaform.Butinthecultureindustryeveryelementofthesubjectmatterhasitsorigininthesameapparatusasthatjargonwhosestampitbears.Thequarrelsinwhichtheartisticexpertsbecomeinvolvedwithsponsorandcensoraboutaliegoingbeyondtheboundsofcredibilityareevidencenotsomuchofaninneraesthetictensionasofadivergenceofinterests.Thereputationofthespecialist,inwhichalastremnantofobjectiveindependencesometimesfindsrefuge,conflictswiththebusinesspoliticsoftheChurch,ortheconcernwhichismanufacturingtheculturalcommodity.Butthethingitselfhasbeenessentiallyobjectifiedandmadeviablebeforetheestablishedauthoritiesbegantoargueaboutit.EvenbeforeZanuckacquiredher,SaintBernadettewasregardedbyherlatter-dayhagiographerasbrilliantpropagandaforallinterestedparties.Thatiswhatbecameoftheemotionsofthecharacter.Hencethestyleofthecultureindustry,whichnolongerhastotestitselfagainstanyrefractorymaterial,isalsothenegationofstyle.Thereconciliationofthegeneralandparticular,oftheruleandthespecificdemandsofthesubjectmatter,theachievementofwhichalonegivesessential,meaningfulcontenttostyle,isfutilebecausetherehasceasedtobetheslightesttensionbetweenoppositepoles:theseconcordantextremesaredismallyidentical;thegeneralcanreplacetheparticular,andviceversa.Nevertheless,thiscaricatureofstyledoesnotamounttosomethingbeyondthegenuinestyleofthepast.Inthecultureindustrythenotionofgenuinestyleisseentobetheaestheticequivalentofdomination.Styleconsideredasmereaestheticregularityisaromanticdreamofthepast.TheunityofstylenotonlyoftheChristianMiddleAgesbutoftheRenaissanceexpressesineach