Lecture

To Read

Hebert Marcuse, One Dimensional Man, Part 3

_Routledge Classics_ Herbert Marcuse - One-Dimensional Man (1964) (2006, Routledge) - libgen.li.pdf

drive.google.com

Audiobook

Herbert Marcuse - One Dimensional Man by Listen Left

One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society is a 1964 book by the Freudo-Marxist philosopher Herbert Marcuse, in which the author offers a wide-ranging critique of both contemporary capitalism and the Communist society of the Soviet Union, documenting the parallel rise of new forms of social repression in both these societies, as well as the decline of revolutionary potential in the West. He argues that "advanced industrial society" created false needs, which integrated individuals into the existing system of production and consumption via mass media, advertising, industrial management, and contemporary modes of thought. This results in a "one-dimensional" universe of thought and behavior, in which aptitude and ability for critical thought and oppositional behavior wither away. Against this prevailing climate, Marcuse promotes the "great refusal" (described at length in the book) as the only adequate opposition to all-encompassing methods of control. Much of the book is a defense of "negative thinking" as a disrupting force against the prevailing positivism.

soundcloud.com

In Part III of One-Dimensional Man, Herbert Marcuse explores the possibilities for social change and liberation within a society dominated by technological rationality and one-dimensional thought. He questions whether the existing system can be transcended and if a true alternative to the current mode of production and thought can emerge. Marcuse critically examines the ways in which the established order absorbs and neutralizes dissent, making genuine opposition difficult. He argues that the potential for change lies in marginalized groups and the possibility of a new sensibility that can break free from the constraints of technological rationality.

Key Terms: Great Refusal, Radical Praxis, Transcendence of the System, Counter Discourse

To Watch

Guiding Questions

• What does Marcuse mean by "the Great Refusal," and how does he see this as a potential force for social change?
• How does Marcuse envision the "new sensibility" as a departure from one-dimensional thought, and what role do marginalized groups play in this process?
• What are the challenges and possibilities Marcuse identifies for transcending the existing power structures, and how does he suggest these alternatives could materialize?

Facilitation Schedule

Critical Media Theory Fall 2024

docs.google.com