The decay of humanist values during massive democratization. Scattered observations about the destiny of ethical and aesthetic norms amidst latin american popular culture

Abstract

La cultura popular latinoamericana, especialmente bajo los regímenes populistas, es considerada habitualmente como contrapuesta a las tradiciones occidentales del capitalismo e individualismo y por lo tanto como valiosa a largo plazo. Pero examinando cuidadosamente esta cuestión según los lineamientos de la Escuela de Frankfurt, se percibe que esa cultura popular es en el fondo comercial y superficial y que, al mismo tiempo, favorece la tradición del autoritarismo y no representa ningún avance en cuestiones éticas y estéticas.Latin American popular culture is considered, especially under populist regimes, as a culture usually opposed to western traditions of capitalism and individualism, and so far as a valuable proposal in the long run. But examining this question carefully according to outlines of the Frankfurt School, one perceives that this popular culture has basically a commercial and shallow character; at the same time it favours the tradition of authoritarianism and does not represent any advancement in ethical and aesthetic questions