In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Max Horkheimer, the German philosopher and sociologist who helmed the Institute for Social Research—better known as the Frankfurt School—and pioneered the concept of Critical Theory. We trace his journey from a wealthy Orthodox Jewish family in Stuttgart to his exile in New York and Los Angeles after fleeing the Nazi regime in the 1930s.

Join us as we break down Horkheimer’s mission to integrate the insights of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud, moving social research away from orthodox Marxism toward a broader critique of material and spiritual culture. We examine his most influential works, including Eclipse of Reason and the seminal Dialectic of Enlightenment, co-authored with his close friend