A Discourse of Despair: The Semiology of Lonely-Hearts Language

Abstract

Drawing upon the writings of Adorno, Barthes, and Gadamer, this essay exposes the popular lonely-hearts column as a form of modern discourse. Parallels are established between lonely-hearts ads and other forms of advertising, as well as between the lonely-heart ad and other forms of popular media (e.g., the astrology column). The ads themselves are placed within a modern discursive practice whereby technical and instrumental motives and designs are seen to dominate. The discursive practice that supports such ads is analyzed in terms of its instrumental and technical features and its illusory claim to straightforward speech.