52 pages 1 hour read

Herbert Marcuse

One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1964

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

One-Dimensional Man by Herbert Marcuse is a critique of advanced industrial society, highlighting how technology and capitalism create a one-dimensional existence that suppresses critical thinking and genuine liberation. Marcuse argues that people are subdued by the comforts provided by the technological system, which flattens societal tensions and enforces a form of subtle but pervasive totalitarianism.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Herbert Marcuse's One-Dimensional Man is praised for its incisive critique of modern capitalist societies, resonating with readers concerned about conformity and mass consumer culture. However, some critics argue that Marcuse's dense prose and pessimistic outlook can be challenging and potentially alienating. Overall, it remains a seminal work in critical theory and philosophy.

Who should read this

Who Should Read One-Dimensional Man?

A reader who would enjoy One-Dimensional Man by Herbert Marcuse is likely someone interested in critical theory, socio-political critique, and philosophy. Similar to audiences of Adorno’s Dialectic of Enlightenment or Horkheimer's Eclipse of Reason, they appreciate deep analyses of societal structures and ideological control.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Philosophy

Politics / Government

Psychology

Themes

Society: Economics

Society: Politics & Government

Values/Ideas: Art

Genre

Education

Psychology

Philosophy