“The Society of Spectacle” by Guy Debord response by Natalie Embrey

In The Society of the Spectacle, author Guy Debord points out that the society of production presents the image as a spectacle. This frozen image contradicts the way life was prior to its use because it presents spectacle to the viewer without them being involved. In Debord’s view this destroys the ”former unity of life.” (par.2) He continues claiming that the collection of images are no the spectacle but the spectacle is the ”social relationship between people that is mediated by images.” (par.4) The spectacle evolves into a means of unification among the society because we have all adopted images into our daily communication and visual consumption. The spectacle is a world view “that has been actualized, translated into the material realm.” (par. 5) The spectacle is referred to as “both the outcome and the goal of the dominant mode of production.” (par. 6) The goal of the dominant mode of production is to saturate our society with image based media and the result of the goal is the understanding of image based media by the society. “The spectacle epitomizes the prevailing model of social life.” (par. 6) Debord goes into a discussion of reality versus the image. The spectacle is invented but it is the “product of real activity.” (par.8) Debord speak s of the spectacle having positivity. “All it says is: ‘Everything that appears is good; whatever is good will appear.’” (par. 12) I have trouble believing that our society deems all images to be inherently good. Some images are made to be artful and yet hold a message and a subject matter that are decidedly not good. Is Debord saying that we assume it is good to make the image regardless of subject matter? He says that the spectacle is redundant. Essentially that the goal of perpetuating the creation of imagery is the continued perpetuation of more imagery or as he puts it; “basking in the perpetual warmth of its own glory.” (par. 13) “For the spectacle, … ends are nothing and development is all.” (par. 14) The cycle of perpetual creation is the driving force. The creators of images have no reason to cease creating in a world driven by the image. He closes by saying that “the spectacle is the chief product of present-day society.” (par. 15) While not all jobs are directly involves in the making of images, most modern fields will rely on image based content at some point in their marketing.