Originally published in France in 1968 The Society of the Spectacle is a brilliantly lucid analysis of the forms of social control and domination under modern capitalism. Since its publication it has had an enormous underground influence both on active revolutionaries and on radical cultural and political theory. Prescient in its condemnation of the image as the tool used by Capital to alienate us from the reality of our everyday lives, The Society of the Spectacle is more relevant than ever in the era of information and virtual technologies.
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NEC's view
Society of the Spectacle is a long-time favorite of ours and a classic text in its own right. Debord’s thesis—that modern life is mediated through images which serve the interests of capital and power—feels as true today as when he wrote it, perhaps even more so.
What stands out for us is not just the critique but the form. Written as 221 short theses, the book reads like a series of jolts, sharp fragments that build into a total worldview.
We think of it as essential reading for anyone trying to understand how advertising, consumerism, and performance shape contemporary life.
