“Illusory universality is the universality of the art of the culture industry, it is the universality of the homogeneous same, an art which no longer even promises happiness but only provides easy amusement as relief from labour.”
Adorno argues against the Culture Industry due to its mass manipulation which in turn renders art less artistic. In that, the injection of mass consumerism and capitalism into art has led to the loss of authentic art. He argues that the culture industry is interested in creating art that is meant to give momentary enjoyment to the mass rather than cater to the aesthetic. The saturation of mediocre entertainment in the market contains less and less art as it aims to capture as much as possible. The prioritization of monetary profit in the commodification of art molds the culture industry.
“The culture industry is not the art of the consumer but rather the projection of the will of those in control onto their victims. The automatic self-reproduction of the status quo in its established forms is itself an expression of domination.”
Adorno further explains the mass manipulation that goes into making the culture industry viable in the eyes of the consumers. He expounds that knack of the culture industry is not in concealing that they manipulating the masses but to get the consumers to not care either way. Therefore, he compares this type of manipulation to the fascist ideologies that are embraced by the masses despite deteriorating their well-being. The assertion expresses this dynamic and how it also brings forth a class divide that sees the domination of the consumers in the market.
