A Macat Analysis of David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character
American lawyer-turned-sociologist David Riesman published his first book, The Lonely Crowd, in 1950. Aimed at academics, it nonetheless gained a large popular audience. In it, Riesman explores the links between social character-the ways in which members of a society are similar to one another-and social structures. He argues that as the United States became predominantly consumer-driven, rather than production-driven-particularly after World War II-American social character changed. Riesman said that prewar Americans had been largely inner-directed: they based their behavior on their own internal values and beliefs. Postwar Americans were becoming other-directed, with external groups including peers and the media now a key influence on the way they behaved. Riesman was observing, rather than judging, this change. The public, however, read his book as a criticism of the United States' newly developing social character. Riesman's work popularized sociology, helping to establish it as an academic discipline, and today it provides a fascinating window into the 1950s American psyche.
"1131875715"
A Macat Analysis of David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character
American lawyer-turned-sociologist David Riesman published his first book, The Lonely Crowd, in 1950. Aimed at academics, it nonetheless gained a large popular audience. In it, Riesman explores the links between social character-the ways in which members of a society are similar to one another-and social structures. He argues that as the United States became predominantly consumer-driven, rather than production-driven-particularly after World War II-American social character changed. Riesman said that prewar Americans had been largely inner-directed: they based their behavior on their own internal values and beliefs. Postwar Americans were becoming other-directed, with external groups including peers and the media now a key influence on the way they behaved. Riesman was observing, rather than judging, this change. The public, however, read his book as a criticism of the United States' newly developing social character. Riesman's work popularized sociology, helping to establish it as an academic discipline, and today it provides a fascinating window into the 1950s American psyche.
11.25
In Stock
5
1
A Macat Analysis of David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character
A Macat Analysis of David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character
FREE
with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription
Or Pay
$11.25
11.25
In Stock
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169254105 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Macat |
| Publication date: | 07/15/2016 |
| Series: | Macat Library |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Videos
From the B&N Reads Blog