Sociology 2271A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Erich Fromm, Mass Media, Totalitarianism

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 2271A/B
• Professor: Katherine Pendakis

Document Summary

Part 1: the frankfurt school: between german nazism & american consumer culture. America and germany were very different in terms of freedom and democracy. In the 50s and 60s, these members were very ahead of their time. Began as a research institute in frankfurt, germany, in the 1930s to study the emerging nazism and xenophobia. Made up of jewish-germans social theorists, later exiled by nazis. Members migrated to the us, resettled institute. Critiques both nazi germany and american consumer culture, drawing parallels between them. Esta(cid:271)lished the (cid:862)criti(cid:272)al theor(cid:455)(cid:863) s(cid:272)hool, (cid:449)hi(cid:272)h (cid:272)o(cid:374)ti(cid:374)ues to i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)e the so(cid:272)ial s(cid:272)ie(cid:374)(cid:272)es a(cid:374)d humanities today. Karl marx critique of capitalism; idea of false consciousness; hope in revolution & socialism; belief that economic organization is a main determinant of a society. Max weber critique of instrumental rationality & bureaucracy that strip individual of an authentic & autonomous self.