The Jargon of Authenticity: How Adorno Predicted Our Empty Language of Trauma and Self-Care

Theodor Adorno, a prominent figure in the Frankfurt School of critical theory, asserted that the commodification of language and experiences in capitalist societies results in a superficial understanding of complex human conditions. His critique of cultural discourse highlights how the language surrounding trauma and self-care has been diluted into mere buzzwords, often lacking the depth necessary to convey genuine suffering or promote authentic healing processes.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework employed in analyzing this phenomenon is rooted in Adorno’s critical social theory and negative dialectics. Adorno posits that the dialectic of enlightenment has profound implications for subject formation. He argues that the commodification of experience and the rigid structures of capitalist society obscure genuine human suffering.

The culture industry perpetually cheats its consumers of what it perpetually promises.

Theodor W. Adorno

Adorno contends that philosophy must engage in a negative dialectic, moving away from traditional forms of synthesis that perpetuate identity thinking.