Művészet és tömegkultúra

In his paper Art and Mass Culture, Max Horkheimer (1895–1973) critically reads the prevailing scientific thought and art of the first half of the 20th century. Three main topics can be distinguished in this work. The first part calls attention to the dynamic between mass culture and the private sphere of the family. Mass culture, he argues, invades the private sphere through art and a new way of thinking about work time and changes its’ inner dynamics to a great degree. The second part analyzes and evaluates the conception of art in Mortimer J. Adler’s thought. Horkheimer reads Adler’s arguments as an attempt to legitimate the repressive tendencies of modern society. The concluding part of the text presents us with a pessimistic summary and evaluation of the European modern societies. The German philosopher understands art’s communicative function and theory that adequately reflects on contemporary conditions as possible tools for positive change.