I feel that this chapter is a true representation of today’s society. It is a society laden with propaganda and fake news. The today’s truth is twisted especially by politicians to suit their needs. Guy Debord notes that “Truth is considered profane” (Debord, 1995) . The role of the media has been greatly reduced to spreading rumors. This is especially in some developing countries where prominent politicians own specific media houses. In some countries, some governments even control what is broadcasted. The use of the term “spectacle” is genius in this chapter. I feel it is a word that symbolizes a twisted view of reality. As a noun, one can view it as a magnification of the so called reality but in the wrong prisms. I love the use of the world spectacle because it illuminates the many efforts human beings make in order to belong in a pressure filled society. Individuals in the society have to act in a specific plastic way to be regarded as “cool” (Purje & Morgan, 2016) .
I find that the term spectacle exemplifies the nature of the current advertisement. Some adverts have its content spiced up with some interesting lies. This is disastrous to the consumers of the various commodities. This is allowed by the governments of the day thus showing that no one really cares about anyone and the truth. I love the way Debord uses some words paradoxically to illustrate the fact that truth is no longer valued in the society. He notes “In a world that is really upside down, the true moment is a moment of false” (Debord, 1995) . The American Dream can be seen as the representation of the spectacle. Most Americans work hard to amass wealth. In a capitalist world, the only truth and reality is wealth. Humanity in this case is subjugated to wealth accumulation. It creates a spectacle that life is all good. However, the loss of humanity and truth in the quest of immense wealth leads to an emotionally empty society.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
References
Debord, G. (1995). The Society of the Spectacle. New york.
Purje, L., & Morgan, T. (2016). An Illustrated Guide to Guy Debord’s ‘The Society of the Spectacle’. Hyperallergic .
