Adorno and Hebdige

Theodore Adorno argued that capitalism fed the people with products of a 'culture industry', which is the opposite of 'true art' and was used to keep the people passively satisfied and politically apathetic. He also believed that 'false needs' were being created by the culture industry and given to the people. These are needs that capitalism has created to replace peoples true needs, for example freedom and creativity.

Dick Hebdige viewed Adorno's ideas as too pessimistic and dismissive of mass audiences as passive and easily manipulated. Hebdige has the view that consumption is more of an active process and audiences are free to resist the power of large capitalist companies by ignoring, undermining and finding other alternative products to consume.