As in his earlier study of advertising and consumer culture,
Captains of Consciousness (1976), CUNY Communications prof. Ewen
manages both to entertain and inform as he documents here the
ascendance of style over substance in modern and postmodern
culture. Ambitious in scope, informed by theory, this often
brilliant work of social history never bogs down in jargon nor
loses sight of its political and psychological dimension. Acutely
aware of advertising's role in the creation of contemporary notions
of style, Ewen here broadens his purview to include the other
grounds where art and public meet: in architecture, fashion,
appliance and product design, and movies and photography. Ewen's
extensive quotations from primary sources - whether high-minded
designers like Peter Behrens or simple-minded admen - speak for
themselves, forming a damning indictment of those who offer a
democracy of images, not a real share in decision-making, nor even
in the creation of durable objects. Historically, mass-produced
goods, and workers willing to buy them, created the illusion of
classlessness. But along with the putative democracy came an appeal
to privilege - just about anyone could purchase furnishings that
imitated luxury. At the same time, as the individual lost his
unique role in the workplace, he was encouraged to exercise his
individuality in the marketplace. The not surprising result was the
beginnings of status anxiety - a psychic state best relieved by
fashioning a new self. How style shapes these selves, and our
relations to power, takes up the latter half of Ewen's pointed
survey. Just as space replaced matter in architectural design, so
too did abstract systems of credit and exchange triumph over cold
cash. Style, as Ewen persuasively argues, not only becomes a means
of social control - maintaining hierarchy under its different
guises - but also appropriates and absorbs political discontent.
Written from a thoughtful, radical perspective, this engaging work
of cultural critique will also console those it implicitly condemns
- they'll see how good a job they've done at manipulating our
imaginations. (Kirkus Reviews)
A provocative, compelling, and entertaining look at how the power
of images dominates every aspect of our lives.
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