Walter Benjamin’s “aura,” is a term he uses to describe the presence of an original piece of art. This unique piece is considered more desirable, with reproductions assumed to be of a lower quality and value. Presently, mass production dominates irrepressibly on a global scale and according to Benjamin, “Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space...”(Benjamin 1968)
As the opinion of the masses becomes more prevalent in our internet dominated society, the uniqueness or “aura” fades. Additionally, the authenticity of a work of art is diminished by its separation from the very tradition and ritual that created its initial air of importance and value. The correlation between the rise of reproduction and the ease of access then ultimately leads to abuse of media purely for the purpose of politics, opinion and/or profit.
Concurrently, industry and mass media appears to be cheapening our culture by standardizing our ideals and desires into prepackaged sameness. Even the appearance of choice is carefully constructed to make us feel as though we’ve had one at all. Touting technical progress as if the very meaning of it was tied only to advancement and our “civilization” as a culture, we are dually are being pulled inward to ourselves and our own greatness and outwards into a diverse global environment our ancestors never dreamed of.
Just as “mechanically differentiated products are ultimately all the same...” we differentiate ourselves into categories announcing our importance individually, and also in the groups we use to define ourselves which ultimately weakens us against the “subjective intentions of board chairmen.”(Horkheimer & Adorno 2002) The very definition of the badges we wear to represent our “culture industry,” whisk us further away from understanding our true origins and the importance of their preservation as we reach a global society.
Our time, is riddled with questions about how to preserve our differences in a time of great indifference and globalization. How do we preserve a culture consumed and stamped by mass media itself? How do we prevent other cultures from losing identity and presence as their access to industry increases? How does anyone protect themselves from a “culture industry” whose products are manufactured to break through our very consciousness even in a state of distraction? Most importantly, how many individuals truly care about the protection and development of the integrity of our societies, when it’s time to water their crops in farmville?
Works Cited:
Benjamin, W. (1968). Illuminations. New York: Schoken Books
Horkeimer, M. and Adorno, T (2002).. Dialectic of Enlightenment. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
As the opinion of the masses becomes more prevalent in our internet dominated society, the uniqueness or “aura” fades. Additionally, the authenticity of a work of art is diminished by its separation from the very tradition and ritual that created its initial air of importance and value. The correlation between the rise of reproduction and the ease of access then ultimately leads to abuse of media purely for the purpose of politics, opinion and/or profit.
Concurrently, industry and mass media appears to be cheapening our culture by standardizing our ideals and desires into prepackaged sameness. Even the appearance of choice is carefully constructed to make us feel as though we’ve had one at all. Touting technical progress as if the very meaning of it was tied only to advancement and our “civilization” as a culture, we are dually are being pulled inward to ourselves and our own greatness and outwards into a diverse global environment our ancestors never dreamed of.
Just as “mechanically differentiated products are ultimately all the same...” we differentiate ourselves into categories announcing our importance individually, and also in the groups we use to define ourselves which ultimately weakens us against the “subjective intentions of board chairmen.”(Horkheimer & Adorno 2002) The very definition of the badges we wear to represent our “culture industry,” whisk us further away from understanding our true origins and the importance of their preservation as we reach a global society.
Our time, is riddled with questions about how to preserve our differences in a time of great indifference and globalization. How do we preserve a culture consumed and stamped by mass media itself? How do we prevent other cultures from losing identity and presence as their access to industry increases? How does anyone protect themselves from a “culture industry” whose products are manufactured to break through our very consciousness even in a state of distraction? Most importantly, how many individuals truly care about the protection and development of the integrity of our societies, when it’s time to water their crops in farmville?
Works Cited:
Benjamin, W. (1968). Illuminations. New York: Schoken Books
Horkeimer, M. and Adorno, T (2002).. Dialectic of Enlightenment. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
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