Bibliograph

Empire of illusion, the end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle, Chris Hedges

Type

Label

Empire of illusion, the end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle, Chris Hedges

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 209-215) and index

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Empire of illusion

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

301887642

Responsibility statement

Chris Hedges

Sub title

the end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle

Summary

Chris Hedges argues that we now live in two societies: one, the minority, functions in a print-based, literate world, able to cope with complexity and to separate illusion from truth. The other, a growing majority, is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. In this "other society," comforting, reassuring images, fantasies, slogans and a celebration of violence push reality, complexity and nuance to the margins. The worse reality becomes, the less a beleaguered population wants to hear about it and the more it distracts itself with squalid pseudo-events of celebrity breakdowns, gossip and trivia. These are the debauched revels of a dying culture.--From publisher descriptionIn the tradition of Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism," Pulitzer Prize-winner Hedges charts the dramatic and disturbing rise of a post-literate America that craves fantasy, ecstasy, and illusion

Table Of Contents

The illusion of literacy -- The illusion of love -- The illusion of wisdom -- The illusion of happiness -- The illusion of America

Creator