Studying the Popular & From ‘Mass’ to Popular Culture

Adorno’s essay Culture Industry Reconsidered raises questions about the relationships
between consumers and the media. It contemplates the fluidity of this connection, whereas
the consumers (audiences or those exposed to the culture industry) are no longer in charge
of what they want to be served with, but are fed with stimulated, created demands.

The author says that ’The concepts of order which it hammers into human beings are always
those of the status quo.’ (Adorno, 2009: 20) and the second episode (15 Million Merits, 2011)
of the series Black Mirror (2011-) is arguably inspired by or rather exemplifies this theory.
While the protagonist (Bing) of the episode wishes to confront the status quo and his
determined rebellion takes him months to prepare, yet when confronted with those who
shaped the very thing he wanted to rebel against, he becomes powerless. And eventually he
becomes a tool for those in power, another servant of the system, one, that keeps the human
mind’s secret rebellion asleep. Adorno’s view supports this reading when he says that ‘the
power of the culture industry’s ideology is such that conformity has replaced consciousness.’
(Adorno, 2009: 20).

Without approaching the media, the cultural industries critically, with caution, we might even
miss the point of 15 Million Merits (2011). The episode’s ending suggests that those who
might represent a opposing opinion in the media or those whose image might seem truer
than others’ still are parts of the system and their message can be just as constructed or
faked as of those are transparently manufactured. Bing’s decision to ‘sell-out’ might be
justified by his belief that he still fights the good fight, but in reality he contributes and takes
full advantage of the consumerist, capitalist world that surrounds him. The judge who realizes
Bing’s ‘potential’ is only really realizing that there’s market for rebellion, and by satisfying it
on his stream with the boy’s seemingly passionate, ‘anti-system’ speeches he can prevent
any similar attacks on the status quo.

Adorno mentions ‘The phrase, the world wants to be deceived, has become truer than had
ever been intended.’ (Adorno, 2009: 19). 15 Million Merits (2011) arguably represents the
ugly truth of what humanity might become with the constant, disillusioned paddling towards a
better life that is already a fake, idealized picture, held up by the cultural industries to
encourage more consumerism. The episode also asks the viewers to realize, that finally
moving forward or up in our lives towards these idealized dreams might mean giving up what
kept the fire in us in the first place. Also, finally moving forward might only mean switching a
small screen veiling the truth from us to a bigger one, that might makes us even more blind.

Bibliography:

Adorno, T. W. (2009) ‘Cultural Industries Reconsidered’ in Thornham et al. (eds.) Media

Studies: A Reader, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 15-21.

Black Mirror (2011) ’15 Million Merits’ (Season 1, Episode 2), directed by Euros Lyn

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