Unlike Habermas, Lyotard actually brings up multiple Habermas theories and questions them. Since they were from the same period and had similar ideology about modernism and postmodernism, they needed to critique each other to define their uniqueness. This is seen in the pop music industry when there are similar artists.
For example, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna came up at the same time and competed with each other to be more unique and more popular. Madonna ended up ahead because her critiques of the pop world were more drastic than Laupers. Today, artists like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Ke$ha, and Miley Cyrus all critique each other and push the limits to gain a few more fans and a lot more attention. In terms of the reading, Lyotard explains that "Habermas considers that the remedy for the splintering of culture and its separation from life can only come from changing the status of aesthetic experience when it is no longer primarily expressed in judgments of taste" (39). Lyotard argues that when the aesthetic experience is then put into existing problems, it changes the way in which those experiences refer to each other. I agree with Lyotard because he takes the Habermas theory of cultural separation one step further by explaining the experienced implications of dividing cultures. Thinking about future implications and the ways individuals realistically use aspects of culture is the thought of a postmodernist. Habermas seemed to be enticed in the idea that modernity was not completed while Lyotard was looking forward. Similarly to Habermas, Lyotard addressed the significance of mass media, including photography and film. Lyotard mentioned the advantages of new mass media by saying "photographic and cinematographic processes can accomplish better, faster, and with a circulation of a hundred thousand times larger than narrative or pictorial realism" (40). Both Lyotard and Habermas understood the advances and opportunities of new media, but Lyotard had a more optimistic approach when addressing them.
For example, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna came up at the same time and competed with each other to be more unique and more popular. Madonna ended up ahead because her critiques of the pop world were more drastic than Laupers. Today, artists like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Ke$ha, and Miley Cyrus all critique each other and push the limits to gain a few more fans and a lot more attention. In terms of the reading, Lyotard explains that "Habermas considers that the remedy for the splintering of culture and its separation from life can only come from changing the status of aesthetic experience when it is no longer primarily expressed in judgments of taste" (39). Lyotard argues that when the aesthetic experience is then put into existing problems, it changes the way in which those experiences refer to each other. I agree with Lyotard because he takes the Habermas theory of cultural separation one step further by explaining the experienced implications of dividing cultures. Thinking about future implications and the ways individuals realistically use aspects of culture is the thought of a postmodernist. Habermas seemed to be enticed in the idea that modernity was not completed while Lyotard was looking forward. Similarly to Habermas, Lyotard addressed the significance of mass media, including photography and film. Lyotard mentioned the advantages of new mass media by saying "photographic and cinematographic processes can accomplish better, faster, and with a circulation of a hundred thousand times larger than narrative or pictorial realism" (40). Both Lyotard and Habermas understood the advances and opportunities of new media, but Lyotard had a more optimistic approach when addressing them.
I really like that you explained in with a media industry because that also somewhat explains Benjamin's point. You noted how Madonna and Cyndi (proper spelling) Lauper competed to be unique and popular. Benjamin, or at least my understanding of him, would be mortified by the notion that art competes for commercial gain. The mechanical reproduction of art transforms art from an expression to a commodity. Much like Benjamin predicted, artists have a business team to ensure that they are the top product in the industry which diminishes the potential each artist has. Furthermore, in class we talked about how authenticity is a major buzz word in the art community in the new age of mechanical reproduction; the same is true for music as singers that use auto-tune are marketed differently than natural talent.
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