Adorno and Horkheimer's ideology revolves around the notion of driving our culture towards sameness. This kind of homogenous attitude results in conforming those who are different into a hegemony. Furthermore, this can lead to certain ethnic groups being intolerant of other distinct groups. Aside from the obvious intercultural conflict, this also shapes the way one culture tries to embody. Let's use the United States of America for example.
American television show usually revolves around a typical theme: flaunt money & the riches such as Teen Cribz, they target specific audiences in order to assure favorable ratings. Disregarding reality TV, fictional characters represent typical people, television networks secure audiences that are seeking to identify with a specific group. As these characters demonstrate idealized standards of attractiveness, the bar is set for viewers as to how they should look. The popular media also sets a basic norm for how one should act, talk, and dress. Furthermore, the escalated drama presents problems that are plausible but the heightened intensity causes viewers to apply poor communication skills to their lives.
For one of the CMC 100 projects, my group and I examined The O.C and Dawson's Creek - two popular teenage sitcoms one taken place in the 90's and the other in the millenia. We looked at how the social scene portrayed as been changed over the course of time. Not only are the clothing and lifestyle way more "glamorous," a lot of the scenes are more vulgar and is borderline PG13 because it challenges a certain ideal which most people are not able to reach.
In other words, these shows are your life, only better (this reminded me of how te virtual is better than the real and the real is jealous of the virtual.) I say this because teenagers gravitate towards shows with such outrageous themes because it gives us a "myth" to live up to.
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