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The Society of the Spectacle

Aleksandar Dimishkovski - 9/2/2007

"In societies dominated by modern conditions of production, life is presented as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has receded into a representation." – Guy Debord

Where marketing and public relations are gaining force as more important than the quality of the "products" themselves, the striptease of local politics and the seduction of global economic movements are the direct representations of the Society of Spectacles. Everything is a farce, a show for the mass crowd. What begun as a measure to increase of sales, now represents the sale itself. Marketing and public relations are on sale now, not the products which they should stand for.

Spectacles are the new trend. Whatever the common people run into is spectacular, magnificent - but only verbally, not backed with actions. It is served to them constantly, and it is a part of the daily routine for everyone: from the consumers of these spectacles to the ones that create them. Absorbed by both, spectacles are an inescapable part of society, especially in the developing and post-transition countries. We are all living trough them and with them.


Blockage of communication

In post-transition countries, one of the most frightening by-products of this social trend is the blocking of communication channels. The mass media are becoming pornographic literature by evading their raison d'etre and by agreeing to be used for one purpose only: towards a neo-liberal democracy in which behind every political actor is a business interest. They thus allow themselves to be abused!

They stand for one purpose only: political, economical, or private, it doesn't matter. Their whole life is dedicated to one occasion only. Thus, by doing this, the mass media are contributing to the loss of the meaning of the phrase "true value" and to the erosion of the essence of democracy.

In this constellation, it seems like everyone could be a star for a day or two. This is because the majority of the people are given a chance. Or, it may only seem so. Actually, the chance to speak openly, to criticize, to react, is given to the majority, excluding the ones that really know what they are talking about. Otherwise, their words may be dangerous. Someone could say that the striptease of the local politics is pure pornography, because it lacks on tease. Or, some brave sole could refer to the seduction of the global economic movement as a long term process, not as a one night stand relationship.

Liberalization of trade, for instance, surely cannot be referred to as a negative measure for the decrease of market differences and the increase of sales, thus creating global corporations as by-products. But it can and it should be a carefully conducted process tailored for every country specifically, having in mind the country's size, population, political order and especially its economic potential.

For example: in practice, it's easily noticeable that in this Society of Spectacles, the boxing match of the various economic competitors is unfair. Firms from developing and post-transition countries are forced to fight it out in the heavy weight category, although they fought all of their previous battles as feather weights. And, unfortunately, in these countries, the liberalization of trade is often presented as fair play!?!


Political – spiritual ritual

The political fights are also offering an amusing spectacle, especially on the local level. For instance, in post-transition countries, the elections are usually the most pornography-filled programs. Naked messages are sent from everywhere, from the political players to the voters themselves. Sadly, even they are willing to contribute to igniting the fireworks that lead their society to a collective orgasm. And the consequence of this unsafe sex is the fact that the communication channels are contaminated for years afterwards, well up to the next elections, or at best, pregnant for a while, carrying a heavy burden from the constant "fight with corruption".

The spreading of democracy is the biggest spectacle of all. It is present everywhere, from the most developed countries to the least developed ones. A paradox in essence, the measurement of democracy has been used for political pressures and even for starting wars. Lives are lost because someone is feeling obliged to help non-democratic societies become more democratic.

All of this acting, marketing, PR and make up, create mass ecstasy which is also a reason for the blocking of all communication channels. Though there is no tease, pornography still sells. It lacks on seduction also, but in any case, a sale is a sale. And, from the micro to the macro level, the communication is soiled to the point of dysfunction. Because of the ensuing blockage, there simply is no place for a creative debate, creative criticism, creative people, creative…

They make an appearance only in textbooks as examples of a spectacle.

In the Society of Spectacles every spark lights a fire, but, not every fire keeps the people warm!