The Century of the Self

Editor's Take

Adam Curtis's landmark series traces how Freud's ideas about the unconscious were turned into instruments for selling goods and managing populations. It follows the rise of public relations through figures such as Edward Bernays, connecting psychology, consumerism, and political persuasion across the twentieth century. Curtis's method is essayistic and associative, building a distinctive argument rather than a neutral history. It demands attention and rewards it, provided the viewer engages with the thesis critically.

The Century of the Self is Adam Curtis's landmark series on how the ideas of Sigmund Freud were used to shape mass consumer society and modern politics. It traces the rise of public relations through figures like Edward Bernays, showing how understanding the unconscious became a tool for selling products and managing populations. Across its length it connects psychology, advertising, and power in ways that reframe the twentieth century. It is an essential and influential work of documentary filmmaking. Free to watch in HD on Dr Documentary.

Courtesy of Documentary on YouTube. Watch on YouTube ↗

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