(Originais Teachy 2023) - Question Medium of Sociology

Contemporary society is permeated by a wide range of cultural products, and mass culture stands out as a phenomenon that deeply influences social, political, and economic life. Produced on a large scale and disseminated through various means of communication, these products shape behaviors, ideas, and collective identities. According to the German sociologist Theodor W. Adorno, in his work 'The Culture Industry and Society' (1947), mass culture tends to standardize taste and homogenize perceptions, making the individual increasingly susceptible to social control. Adorno argues that 'the culture industry is the integration into mass society of structures that originated in privileged social groups'. Considering the contemporary context and Adorno's perspectives, analyze how the intersection between mass culture and digital media can both reinforce and challenge the concept of 'standardization of taste' and 'homogenization of perceptions' proposed by the sociologist.

Mass culture refers to the set of ideas, values, and cultural products produced and disseminated on a large scale by the media, such as radio, television, cinema, and the internet. This culture reaches a vast number of people from different social classes, influencing the behavior, opinions, and tastes of a large part of the population. Considering this concept of mass culture and its relationship with the media, 1) analyze how this dynamic affects cultural diversity and the formation of individual and collective identities; 2) discuss the influence of cultural industries on the process of globalization and its consequences on the world stage; and 3) present possible criticisms of this culture, pointing out strategies for resistance and valorization of local and regional cultural expressions.

Economist Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, in his book 'The Price of Inequality', discusses the social and economic consequences of income disparity, stating that 'inequality is not just a matter of social justice, but has significant implications for economic efficiency and growth'. In a recent study on social mobility, researchers from the Institute of Advanced Studies in Toulouse evaluated longitudinal data from different countries, relating investments in education and social policies to individuals' ability to ascend socially. Considering Stiglitz's arguments and the results of this research, analyze how economic inequality can act as a barrier to social mobility and discuss the importance of public policies focused on education and social well-being in reducing this disparity.