Published: Apr 21, 2026written by Simon Lea, PhD Philosophy Summary Adorno’s Culture Industry theory argues mass media is designed to keep the public docile and accepting of the status quo. The Dialectic of Enlightenment claims the Enlightenment paradoxically led to social domination rather than true human freedom. Adorno saw intelligence as a moral category, arguing that a lack of critical thought is what allows evil to flourish. He rejected holy fools for prioritizing feeling over thinking, advocating for a balance between intelligence and emotion. Show more   Along with his colleague Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno coined the term ‘Culture Industry’ to refer to the mass production of low-brow media, which he claimed was designed to keep the masses docile and accepting of the status quo. According to Adorno, popular culture not only creates a psychological dependence on simplicity, but also reinforces the idea that the status quo is legitimate and simply the way things are and ought to be. Adorno challenges a key idea promoted by mass media that simplicity is good and intelligence bad.   Who Was Theodor Adorno? Mural of …