Scratchings on "Society of the Spectacle"

Guy Débord's classic work only gains relevance as time goes on.

SOCIETY
CAPITALISM
GUY DEBORD
CONSUMERISM
MARKETING

By Liam Coley | Published 23/10/2023

It's a bit of a cliché to say ideas are as prescient now as when they were first written down, but there's no denying just how relevant Guy Débord's Society of the Spectacle is to today's hyperconsumerist, alienated society.

It's a difficult read, but the main thesis is presented within the first few paragraphs (aphorisms if I'm to be accurate), and the rest of the book builds on this with a presentation of related concepts, applications to different spheres of life and society, and the theoretical foundations underpinning the idea.

Often when ideas apply to nearly everything, that's because they're so broad as to be virtually useless. The spectacle is a rare instance where this is not the case. While I won't go so far as to say everyone should read this book, I think everyone should have the opportunity to engage with Débord's ideas.

Unfortunately, Débord gives little indication of how one might escape the spectacle (and his language seems to paint it as so all-encompassing that 'escape' is not possible). Any attempt to engage more directly with 'reality' is quickly subsumed into the spectacle; the authenticity of today is the spectacle of tomorrow. And if we take escape to mean living an unmediated life, is this even desirable? I imagine I'll be pondering these questions for some time.

In any case, Débord would've had a field day with social media.