Horkheimer and Adorno argue that the culture industry does not simply meet audience needs; it shapes what audiences want. This weakens people’s ability to think independently and encourages them to accept the existing social order. The commercialisation of art illustrates this theory.
In “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception”, Horkheimer and Adorno argue that the use value of art is being replaced by its exchange value: “enjoyment is giving way to being there and being in the know” (Horkheimer and Adorno, 2002, p. 65). In other words, the value of art is shifting from the experience of appreciating an artwork to what it can be exchanged for, such as prestige and social recognition. When people come to value art for the recognition it brings, their desires are steered towards what the industry supplies.
Many exhibitions are now designed for taking pictures, using interactive installations and check-in spots to encourage visitors to take pictures. Exhibitions built this way suggest that cultural production is shaped by what can be rewarded socially. It is common to see visitors taking quick photos in front of famous artworks, sometimes after long queues, and social media posts often show people dressed up and posing with art. I saw at an exhibition: a visitor was reading an artwork’s introduction when the person photographing the artwork told them to move away so they would not block the shot. In that moment, getting the photograph took priority over understanding the work, which broadly corresponds to the shift from use value to exchange value. This is consistent with the authors’ theory, although a single observation cannot prove it.
Nevertheless, the theory has limitations. Horkheimer and Adorno wrote about radio and film, one-way media in which audiences could only receive. Social media changes this: people can comment and share opinions, which creates opportunities for discussion and lets people who cannot visit galleries see artworks. Furthermore, the authors argue that social valuation becomes consumers’ “only use value” (Horkheimer and Adorno, 2002, p.66 ), but visitors can enjoy an artwork and want to share it at the same time. The authors might reply that such enjoyment is itself shaped by social valuation, but this makes the claim difficult to test, since any response can be read as confirming it.
Art can carry social and commercial value without necessarily losing its artistic value. The theory helps us recognise the influence of commercial logic on cultural consumption, but we should also consider the other values of art as communication technology develops.
Reference：
Horkheimer, M. and Adorno, T.W. (2006) ‘The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass deception’, in Durham, M.G. and Kellner, D.M. (eds.) Media and Cultural Studies: Keyworks. Rev. edn. Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 41-72
