Walter Benjamin and Society's Submission.

What may be viewed again, as previously mentioned in an earlier blog, as being slightly prophetic, Walter Benjamin acknowledges Duhamel’s statement that, in reference to film, it’s simply ‘a diversion’. Benjamin picks up on the slightly manipulative side of film, suggesting that the ‘equipment free aspect of reality… has become the height of the artifice’(media and cultural studies keyworks: 28). He uses an analogy of camera man versus painter to describe how engrossing film can be; ‘the painter maintains in his work a natural distance from reality, the cameraman penetrates deeply into its web’(media and cultural studies keyworks: 29). Unlike a painting, which is simply an image, of which you can focus on, film is constantly changing. He states that ‘No sooner has his eye grasped a scene than it is already changed’ (media and cultural studies keyworks: 32). This psychological point, really does highlights the difference between traditional art and technological art. Technological art forces the audience, not to think for themselves, but follow and submit to the artificial world they’re watching.

While in discussion with others, we thought that psychological submission would perhaps account for society’s submission to a celebrity culture; more and more people want fame, and attempt to get it through any medium they can. Benjamin acknowledges this, stating that Duhamel once said, in reference to film, it ‘awakens no hope other than the ridiculous one of someday becoming a “star”’ (media and cultural studies keyworks: 28).