AMERICAN VULGAR: THE POLITICS OF MANIPULATION VERSUS THE CULTURE OF AWARENESS
In his new book philosopher Grudin examines postwar developments in American social consciousness, as we have moved from the nineteenth century ideal of the commonwealth to the contemporary fixation on the individual. Grading identifies how easily misled individuals can be by a class of “professional manipulators”: politicians, marketers and advertisers, and traces what he sees as a calculated effort to diminish and demean broad national awareness. He argues for a rebirth of individual awareness, which will lead to a more informed electorate.
Speaker Details
Robert Grudin was educated at Harvard and received his PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Berkeley. Until 1998 he was a professor of English at the University of Oregon, and has written a trilogy of philosophy books: TIME AND THE ART OF LIVING, THE GRACE OF GREAT THINGS and ON DIALOGUE. Dr. Grudin was a Guggenheim fellow in 1992-1993, and has also authored two novels.
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- Speakers:
- Robert Grudin
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Jeff Running
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