Post-Modernism, Post-War Critical Theory and Marxism

Paper Summary:

This paper embarks on an examination of the work of post-war critical theorists Adorno, Horkheimer and Marcuse who capture the dominant themes of post-war Critical Theory well. It proceeds to show how many parallels are evident between post-war Critical Theory and the more recently formulated postmodernist theories. An examination of postmodernist theories then ensues, taking as exemplars the work of Baudrillard, Jameson and Harvey. It concludes by arguing that postmodernist theories do indeed revisit the critique of modern culture, which post-war Critical Theory began and they do so without the political commitment to Marxism. An explanation for this follows, discussing the events which "shattered a whole generation of French intellectual's beliefs in the moral supremacy of Marxism" and sheds light on the climate which ultimately paved way for the emergence of postmodernism.

From the Paper:

"Advertising encourages individuals to view themselves primarily as consumers, and under the guise of entertainment, audiences are manipulated into accepting and conforming to existing society. Kellner captures this sentiment well claiming "advertising progressively fuses in style and technique with the entertainment of the culture industry, which in turn can be read as a series of advertisements for existing society and the established way of life" (1989:33). The culture industry is designed to discourage individuals from challenging the given order, to think critically and indeed, think for themselves. "The need, which might resist control, has already been suppressed by the control of individual consciousness" (1995: 121). Adorno and Horkheimer show how the products of the culture industry are similar to those produced in a factory, sharing their belief that "under monopoly all mass culture is identical". (1995: 121)."

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