Criticism or Affirmation of Reality?

Abstract

Marcuse, continuing on philosophy of German idealism and Marxism, emphasizes that the core of the dialectical movement is negativity. Marcuse’s approach shows us that it is not possible to interpret culture through classic Marx’s base-superstructure relation, where the culture is simply a picture of reality. Contemporary culture, which becomes one-dimensional, denies this thesis. Culture through media, art and education may be affirmative, while covering up misconceptions of reality. It can also be critical, and revile existing misconceptions of reality in the sense that philosophy may potentially find a solution to the aforementioned problem. Purpose is to change the world, not violently, but through the cultural media. The author of this study will try to show the difference between contemporary culture and the culture of previous periods and that the role of thinker is to show that it is possible to change reality through various media.

Keywords

• dialectics
• criticism
• culture
• affirmation
• media