The Society of the Spectacle

"The Society of the Spectacle" is a metaphor for a world where direct contact with reality is lost: "Everything that was previously experienced directly is now distanced into representation." The work is dedicated to the analysis and critique of both the western capitalist system - "the society of dispersed spectacle" - and the Soviet authoritarian system - "the society of concentrated spectacle." In the "Commentaries," the society of integrated spectacle is presented, encompassing both totalitarian control and the dictate of the consumer society.