THE PACKAGING OF AMERICA: POLITICS AS ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT AS POLITICS
In: Dissent: a journal devoted to radical ideas and the values of socialism and democracy, S. 441-446
ISSN: 0012-3846
THE FUSION OF THE MASS MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT IS SHOWN IN THE WAY COMMERCIALS, MTV, AND OTHER TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION ARE INCREASINGLY MANIPULATED TO UNDERMINE THE INDIVIDUAL'S FREEDOM OF CHOICE. INDEED THE MEDIA PRACTICES A BLENDING OR HOMOGENIZING OF THE CULTURE ALL THE WHILE CREATING THE ILLUSION OF DIVERSIFICATION. IN MANY EXAMPLES, THE AUTHOR SHOWS THAT THE DISTINCTIONS HABITUALLY MADE BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE REAL WORLD OF PRODUCTS AND POLITICS WILL NO LONGER SERVE. PREVIOUS HABITS ARE BREAKING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF SIMULTANEOUS CHANGES IN MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT THAT COULD END UP BY RENDERING THE TWO OF THEM VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE.
