Excerpts of the Neo-Marxism lecture:

These are just a few points that I took out of these powerpoint notes from my pop culture class that talk about culture industry, standardization, and pseudo-individuality. They’re sooo true. @.@ Neo-Marxists know my feelsThe culture industry claims to serve the consumers’ needs for entertainment, but conceals the way that it standardizes these needs, manipulating the consumers to desire what it produce

Although music and films may seem original and unique, Adorno would argue that there is so little that is “truly” new to watch, listen and experience. 

Consumers are always looking for something new and we get bored of a product we have used even in the short run and long for something new to spend our money on. Newness=profit. 

Pseudo-individuality: surface differences given to mass cultural products that are virtually identical so they can speak to consumers “individuality.” 
Although virtually identical, cultural products are superficially varied to enable them to speak to consumer’s individuality, unique taste, and freedom of choice.

Adorno and Hok argued that popular culture takes away individuality, forcing people to pursue one fad and fashion after another. 

STANDARDIZATION AND PSEUDO-INDIVIDUALITY IS A SMOKE SCREEN THAT MAKES THINGS LOOK LIKE GENUINE ARTISITC EXPRESSION AND PEOPLE ARE FREE.