Final answer:
Adorno believed mass culture had uniform effects that promoted conformity, aligning with the Frankfurt School's view that new media technology dulls critical thought.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adorno believed that the effects of mass culture were largely uniform and universal, cementing a type of passive conformity among individuals. Mass culture, particularly through new media technology, promotes a culture of consumption, and according to thinkers like Herbert Marcuse, dulls the revolutionary potential of the working class by immersing them in consumerist culture.
This perspective suggests that mass culture has a homogenizing effect that undermines individuality and critical thought, aligning with the central tenets of what came to be known as the Frankfurt School. Marcuse explains how the counterculture could foster radical thinking to challenge capitalist systems, aspiring for a revolutionary change in society.
However, the cultivation theory posits that media heavily shapes individual perceptions of reality. This implies that the impact of mass culture is not completely uniform, as different media can cultivate distinct realities. But at the same time, Durkheim's reflections on societal conformity and individuality hint that the social pressures to conform tend to produce similar behaviors and beliefs, showcasing the pervasive power of mass culture.
Therefore, Adorno's views on mass culture point to a universal effect in promoting conformity and a comedic disintegration of individual substance, aligning with the broader discourse on the homogenizing impact of mass culture on society.