The Society of the Spectacle

A radical critique of mass media, commodification, and the alienation of modern life.

Originally published in 1967, this foundational text of the Situationist International argues that life has been reduced to appearances, and that reality has been replaced by a representation of itself—a “spectacle” that alienates people from genuine experiences.

Still startlingly relevant in the age of social media and digital simulation, Debord’s aphoristic style invites reflection on everything from advertising to celebrity to political propaganda.