The End of Psychology, Again: Revisiting Adorno in the Age of Digital Capitalism

This paper explores the enduring relevance of Adorno’s thesis on the “end of psychology,” originally developed in response to the post-liberal capitalism of the 1940s and 1950s, as a framework for analyzing contemporary societies and emerging forms of authoritarianism. Contrary to common interpretations, I argue that for Adorno, the abolition of psychology under authoritarian conditions is not a completed process but an ongoing tendency within a dialectical reality shaped by counter-tendencies. Rather than being a pessimistic diagnosis, this perspective reveals a continuous struggle between forces driving both the dissolution and the persistence of psychology—in other words, between tendencies toward heteronomy and autonomy. The central argument of this paper is that, despite the profound transformations modern societies have undergone, the dynamics that Adorno identified continue in new forms. The rise and crisis of neoliberalism, along with new modes of domination shaped by digital capitalism, can be understood as specific manifestations of the ongoing conflict between the end and persistence of psychology. As I contend, understanding these developments from an Adornian perspective is crucial for grasping both the continuities and distinctive features of contemporary authoritarianism.