Greek tragedy demanded aesthetic distance whereas mass culture demands raw identification

Evidence

It is hard to establish whether the spectators of Greek tragedy really experienced the catharsis Aristotle described - in fact this theory, evolved after the age of tragedy was over, seems to have been a rationalization itself, an attempt to state the purpose of tragedy in pragmatic, quasi-scientific terms. Whatever the case, it seems pretty certain that those who saw the Oresteia of Aeschylus or Sophocles’ Oedipus were not likely to translate these tragedies (the subject matter of which was known to everyone, and the interest in which was centred in artistic treatment) directly into everyday terms. This audience did not expect that on the next corner of Athens similar things would go on. Actually, pseudo-realism allows for the direct and extremely primitive identification achieved by popular culture, and it presents a facade of trivial buildings, rooms, dresses and faces as though they were the promise of something thrilling and exciting taking place at any moment. — Theodor W. Adorno, The Culture Industry, 235

Categorization

• XREF: The catharsis theory as post-hoc rationalization resonates with Adorno’s general suspicion of functionalist justifications — pairs with his treatment of administered free time. — connects to: Exposing characters’ motives dissolved tragedy’s sacred awe and birthed citizen theater — Édouard Glissant, Poetics of Relation, 315