CMNS 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Westview Press, Edward Bernays, Raymond Williams
Document Summary
Mass culture simplifies and glosses over real world problems; lacks intellectual challenge/stimulation and instead provide escapism and fantasy. Immediate false pleasures are celebrated over serious, intellectual, time- honoured, authentic values as it voids both real world realities (such as death, failure, etc. ) and simple spontaneous pleasures. Begins to define social reality for mass public. Equalizer; almost everyone participates in mass culture when trying to meet basic needs. Topics: 20th century as the century of the self, mass culture and mass society according to dominic strinati, the roaring twenties, mass production/printing press/the copy. Smoking in 1920-30s became feminist through consumer advertising. Edward bernays: the founder of public relations (modern advertising), created war propaganda, invited hollywood actors to the white house, inspired millions of women to smoke bernays realized there was a mass mind that could be tapped into using psychology. The roaring twenties (documentary): a new optimism in economy, industry, etc.