The Century of the Self

The Century of the Self is a provocative and thought-provoking 2002 documentary by filmmaker Adam Curtis. The four-part series focuses on how the field of psychoanalysis, most notably the work of Sigmund Freud, has been deployed to manipulate and control the masses in the context of the 20th century consumer society.

Curtis features historian and economist Robert Reich and public relations pioneer and psychology expert Ann Bernays among many noted contributors. Their valuable insights help to shed light on an era marked by consumer culture, public relations, and political maneuvering.

The first part of the series, 'Happiness Machines,' begins by taking us into the transformed and increasingly consumer-focused world of the early 20th century. It explores how Freud's nephew, Edward Bernays, used his uncle's ideas about the unconscious mind to manipulate people's desires and, in turn, drive consumption. Bernays, working as a public relations consultant for several top American corporations, shifted the focus from meeting needs to fulfilling desires, paving the way to our current consumer society.

In the following episode, 'The Engineering of Consent,' Curtis discusses the trend of politicians and corporations employing public relations techniques to control and guide the desires and emotions of the collective public consciousness. The ideas popularized by Bernays, including the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits of the masses, were used not only to promote products but also to shape public opinion and political trends. The episode also discusses how the spread of these strategies played out during World War II and subsequently materialized in the rise of mass-consumer culture.

In the third part, 'There is a Policeman Inside All Our Heads; He Must Be Destroyed,' Adam Curtis concentrates on the emerging 'self' culture of the 1960s and 70s, emphasizing the growing influence of human desires on society. The evolution of Freud's theories into a focus on self-expression and satisfaction of inner desires, led by Freud's daughter Anna and his nephew Bernays, played an essential role in this shift.

The series' final episode, 'Eight People Sipping Wine in Kettering,' returns to politics and investigates how the concepts of self and identity were harnessed for political gain by both left-wing and right-wing factions in the 1980s and 90s. It shows how politicians used focus groups to understand public desires and fears and to shape their political strategies, messaging, and policies to appeal to people's sense of self.

The Century of the Self is centered around the powerful interplay between human psychology and the spheres of public relations, advertising, and politics. The documentary series presents a critical examination of modern consumer culture and its implications, showing how techno-socio-economic engines have allowed for the uncanny manipulation of our desires and minds. The series poses difficult questions about the consequences of a society driven by consumer culture, manipulated desires, and the pursuit of individual happiness.

Adam Curtis uses an enthralling array of historical footage, interviews, and narration to explain these complex themes. His comprehensive and chronological narration, blended with the insights from Reich, Bernays, and others, provides an evocative understanding of the psychological mechanisms behind our consumer behavior while inviting the viewer to question our societal norms and values.

Intelligent, compelling, and, at times, unsettling, The Century of the Self is a must-watch for those interested in understanding the complex relationship between modern society and psychology, and for those keen to explore the depths of how society has shaped - and has been shaped by - the understanding of the self. It is a riveting voyage into the evolution of modern society, exploring some of the core mechanisms and strategies that form the foundation of our current consumer culture.