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Pseudo Individualism In Culture

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Knowledge of the culture industry and pseudo individualism are pertinent concepts in the understanding of culture and its consequent effects on people as consumers. We consume cultural products on an almost daily basis, whether aware of it or not, and sometimes the effects of our consumption patterns go unnoticed. The culture industry shapes us as individuals in many ways – it changes our lifestyle, routine, habits and our identities. The culture industry is thus also able to influence our attitude towards matters such as politics. Focusing on the Singaporean society, consumption of cultural products such as popular music or fashion might largely depoliticizes us as citizens, although the consumption of technology could in fact bring us closer …show more content…

According to Adorno and Horkheimer, pseudo-individualism “causes the individual trait to be reduced to the ability of the universal so completely to mold the accidental that it can be recognized as accidental”. (Horkheimer, Adorno and Schmid Noerr 2002) In other words, pseudo-individuality is marketed under the false pretense of originality, and when more critically examined, are shown to exhibit only minute and superficial differentiations. The production process of the culture industry thus shapes us as individuals, causing us to lose our …show more content…

Many today enjoy unprecedented levels of affluence. An increased level of affluence undoubtedly increases purchasing power, which allows us to enjoy products of the culture industry. As a consequence however, we end up depoliticized as citizens.

Popular music, indispensible to people of today’s society, was a notable part of Adorno’s work. In his view, Adorno saw popular music as a standardized product, and believed it to be a noteworthy example of pseudo-individualism. Adorno referred to the listeners of popular music as “rhythmically obedient” and “slaves to the rhythm”. (Longhurst 1995) Pseudo-individualism takes the front seat in the popular music phenomenon, and can in fact be easily detected in different types of songs and components of songs. The details of a popular song may be changed, but the essential structure or form remains the

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