Walter Benjamin: a contemporary of his own time

Abstract

In this article, we intend to discuss the contemporaneity of Walter Benjamin in relation to his own time and ours. First, we define what Agamben is calling contemporary. Then, we understand why Benjamin can thus be characterized as such by his writings on Modernity and especially on the cinematographic image in Modernity. Finally, we will contrast Benjamin's ideas with those of Theodor W. Adorno in order to think about the possibility of taking advantage of the effects of shock to our benefit - considering that shock and trauma are key notions for understanding the functioning of today's societies. Here we want to highlight the sensitivity of Benjamin's critical exercise and his remarkable ability to understand subjective transformations during different times, to predict dilemmas, and to propose consistent and current approaches, as seen in contemporary analyses of media, body, art, cultural politics and, above all, as already mentioned, the cinema.