Walter Benjamin: "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

“The mass is a matrix from which all traditional behavior toward works of art issues today in a new form. Quantity has been transmuted into quality. The greatly increased mass of participants has produced a change in the mode of participation. The fact that the new mode of participation first appeared in a disreputable form must not confuse the spectator. Yet some people have launched spirited attacks against precisely this superficial aspect. Among these, Duhamel has expressed himself in the most radical manner. What he objects to most is the kind of participation which the movie elicits from the masses. Duhamel calls the movie “a pastime for helots, a diversion for uneducated, wretched, worn-out creatures who are consumed by their worries a spectacle which requires no concentration and presupposes no intelligence which kindles no light in the heart and awakens no hope other than the ridiculous one of someday becoming a ‘star’ in Los Angeles.” Clearly, this is at bottom the same ancient lament that the masses seek distraction whereas art demands concentration from the spectator. That is a commonplace.”

http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm

I chose this passage because it explains how society has lost its meaning and understanding of art. Our social mentality has become one of mindless consumerism in which all we care about is quantity and not quality. Just like the mechanized transformation of the food industries, mechanized art focuses in providing quantity with no regards to the true qualities of art. I love Duhamel’s statement about movies “a pastime for helots” . Today more than ever movies have become just a way of distracting your mind as oppose to engaging it.

1. What is the difference between cult value and exhibition value in art? How does Benjamin see these values in relation to politics?
The cult value refers to the art status in magic and rituals; exhibition value refers to the content or the "information" contained within the piece. Both values are always present in any art work. Benjamin believes that political ideology like fascism attempt to recreate "cult value" because it supports social order by making it seem mystical, when in reality the prevailing form of  value is exhibition value.

2. What is the difference between Erfahrung and Erlebnisse? How does it relate to art?

Erfahrung means integrated experience and it occurs by understanding the historical origins of objects that you come into contact with.  Erlebnisse is isolated experience and that is when objects are encountered in isolation.

Mechanical reproduction changes the experience of art from an integrated experience to isolated experience.

3. Explain some of the positive and negative effects of the destruction of the "aura" in art.

On of the positive effects of “aura” destruction is that it destroys the mystical aspect of art and   it allows us to approach art in a more realistic way. It also removes the supernatural domination that in effect serves to protecting dominant classes in society.

The negative is that when you destroy the “aura” in art you destroy its unique existence and It takes away from the sense of mystery and otherworldliness  which the person experiences upon beholding the work of art.

4. How would you judge or evaluate the impact of forms of mass culture like film in contemporary life? Have they changed human perception? Are they are important part of creating political consciousness in the public?

I believe the impact of mass culture in our lives is so great that   no qualitative definition can be given to describe its influence. Much like in the pass, today it is used to control and shape public opinions on all aspects of our lives. Mass culture serves up the illusion of different political parties in the U.S and if we take a close examination of the conditions of our modern day proletarian, nothing has change, except the rich get richer and the poor stay poor. It seems that mass culture has given the capitalistic system an advantage to change our human perception; just watch TV or open a magazine, look at the images and analyze what they mean. I guaranteed that they all sell a product or project a certain look that we must posses in order to be happy, and that requires the purchase of an item or several to obtain that look. Unfortunately mass culture does not create political consciousness in the public, on the contrary it is used to steer us like mindless sheep in a herd to what ever direction they wants to go. It could be a vote for Bush, Obama, or to buy products or get behind a certain movement, we are presented with the illusion of having all the options when in reality we are being steered.