Post Blog 10/24 Courtney Sparling

After Wednesday's class, I feel like I have a much better grip on the Adorno and Horkheimer reading.

I really started to understand the idea of cultural unity through visible similarity when the example of the Abercrombie and Fitch stores was brought up in discussion. I have been in that store many times before and have made purchases there as well. I know that basically what they sell are the same shirts in different colors with a moose on it and/or "Abercrombie & Fitch."Customers who shop here are buying into this subculture of sameness.

I was also intrigued and shocked by the quote "Mass culture gives tragedy permanent employment as routine." I immediately thought of how the 9/11 terrorist attacks were turned into films for money. We have this huge national tragedy and here it is being recreated into films to watch in movie theaters.

I thought it was also very interesting how we brought up Santa Claus and how he is a myth that even though we know is not real, still cling to in our religious traditions. This made me also think of the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy, that are equally unreal as Santa Claus. I believe we cling to these mythical things because it provides us with something other than what reality can offer us. Similarly, people still try to achieve the American Dream, even though sometimes it just cannot be obtained.