Mind Control

The Century of Self, released by the BBC in 2002, is a four part series that explores the link between Sigmund Freud theories, public relations and politics. I haven't watched the entire series but the first few segments were captivating.

From the BBC...

Sigmund Freud’s work into the bubbling and murky world of the subconscious changed the world. By introducing a technique to probe the unconscious mind, Freud provided useful tools for understanding the secret desires of the masses. Unwittingly, his work served as the precursor to a world full of political spin doctors, marketing moguls, and society’s belief that the pursuit of satisfaction and happiness is man’s ultimate goal.

Edward Bernays, Sigmund Freud's American nephew, invented the public relations profession in the 1920s and was the first person to take Freud’s ideas to manipulate the masses. He showed American corporations how they could make people want things they didn’t need by systematically linking mass-produced goods to their unconscious desires. His most notorious coup was breaking the taboo on women smoking by persuading them that cigarettes were a symbol of independence and freedom.

Bernays was convinced that this was more than just a way of selling consumer goods. It was a new political idea of how to control the masses.