Neo-Marxism__

The Frankfurt School

- The Neo Kids on the Block -

Learning Outcomes

• All will be able to recap the key points relating to Marxism.

• Most will understand how this developed into Neo Marxism

• Some will be able to apply the ideas and concepts of the Frankfurt School.

Marxism Neo Marxism?What is Marxism?

Marxism Neo Marxism?

Marxism Neo Marxism?

“Proletarians of all countries, unite!”

(…they didn’t!)

Marxism Neo Marxism?

• Karl Marx died in 1883.

– The revolutionary social change predicted by Marx hadn’t happened.

– Fascism, and capitalism, was emerging in Europe, eventually leading to the rise of the Nazis.

– A capitalist consumer culture, promoted by the mass media, grew in the West.

?

Marxism Neo Marxism?

• Marx’s ideas were therefore picked up – and updated – by a group of scholars who made up The Frankfurt School.

Marxism Neo Marxism?

Who? Jewish, Marxist intellectuals.

When? Formed in 1923 by Felix Weil.

Where? The Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt.

What? It is a school of thought, an ideology, a group of theories… and not a particular institution.

Marxism Neo Marxism?

Who? Jewish, Marxist intellectuals.

When? Formed in 1923 by Felix Weil.

Where? The Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt.

What? It is a school of thought, an ideology, a group of theories… and not a particular institution.

Key Points about the Frankfurt School:

They held a very negative view of the mass media and its effect on the masses.

It was, in Marixst terms, a means of production to legitimise capitalism.

Their work focused on the emerging “culture industry”

What do you think is included in the culture industry today?

Frankfurt School terms & theories

Commodity fetishism

Standardisation

Pseudo-Individualisation

One-Dimensional Man

Frankfurt School terms & theories

Commodity fetishismStandardisation

Pseudo-Individualisation

One-Dimensional Man

Commodity Fetishism

• What is it?

• “Exchange-value” (the marketplace value of an object. It’s PERCEIVED value).

IS GREATER THAN

• “Use-value” (the usefulness of an object).

• This leads to conspicuous consumption. Lavish spending on goods and services that are acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth.

Commodity Fetishism

Is this still relevant today?

Yes. More than ever!

We have become compulsive consumers.

Advertising has developed methods and techniques which make us fetishise commodities.

Commodity Fetishism

Is this still relevant today?

Yes. More than ever!

We have become compulsive consumers!

Advertising has developed methods and techniques which make us fetishise commodities.

Analyse and deconstruct this ad. Write a PEEL paragraph:

How is the ad constructed to encourage its audience to fetishise the commodity?

Frankfurt School terms & theories

Commodity fetishism

StandardisationPseudo-Individualisation

One-Dimensional Man

Standardisation Adorno believed that the media was being

dominated by standardisation.

He used the example of pop music – generic, formulaic songs were being hidden by superficial variations.

“Standardisation defines the way the culture industry squeezes out any kind of challenge, originality, authenticity or intellectual stimulation…while pseudo-individualisation provides the ‘hook’.” (Strinati, 1995: 65).

Standardisation Adorno believed that the media was being

dominated standardisation.

He used the example of pop music – generic, formulaic songs were being hidden by novelties and stylistic variations.

“Standardisation defines the way the culture industry squeezes out any kind of challenge, originality, authenticity or intellectual stimulation…while pseudo-individualisation provides the ‘hook’.” (Strinati, 1995: 65).

Work your way through the culture industry handout.

Take notes on Adorno’s view of standardisation.

What is standardisation and how does it relate to Marx’s ideas?

What examples did Adorno reference in his works?

Frankfurt School terms & theories

Commodity fetishism

Standardisation

Pseudo-IndividualisationOne-Dimensional Man

Pseudo-Individualisation

Pseudo-individualisation is a process (Adorno argued). Audiences are being duped into a false consciousness.

E.g. Pop music today. Lady Gaga is sold to us as this UNIQUE artist. She is ‘packaged’ in a way that is highly individualised…

IS SHE REALLY THOUGH? It’s still just pop music isn’t it? She still sings about the same things as other artists; her songs still have verses and choruses; she still releases singles and albums; makes music videos; collects awards.

Is she therefore not just another ‘means of production’ in a highly standardised industry?

http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeWBS0JBNzQ

As we watch, take notes in 2 columns:

1. Standardisation: what are the generic conventions Gaga displays that we are used to seeing. How is she just another pop artist?

2. Pseudo-individualisation: how is she sold to us (audiences) as different? How are they trying to ‘trick’ us into thinking she is unique?

Frankfurt School terms & theories

Commodity fetishism

Standardisation

Pseudo-Individualisation

One-Dimensional Man

One Dimensional Man

Herbert Marcuse looked at the impact standardisation was having on society.

What do you think the consequences might be if we live in a culture whereby ALL output is of the same values and low in quality?

One Dimensional Man

Herbert Marcuse looked at the impact standardisation was having on society.

What do you think the consequences might be if we live in a culture whereby ALL output is of the same values and low in quality?