Analysis: A Macat Analysis of David Riesman's The Lonely Crowd

A Study of the Changing American Character

By: Jarrod Homer

Narrated by: Macat.com

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.

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product of its time

thie summary of the original book, some 400 pp or so, was excellent, i assume---not having read the original or its 2 revisions.
im not sure what a younger person might grasp. i was alive in 1950, grew up with the post war years, and found the premace interesting. the changing influences, the references that are familiar, etc.

the book is historical--a museum piece--like art, that reflects the origin of its time. for me, it was relevant, meaningful, insightful; even in trying to grasp the pathetic attempt at peer scceptance and meaning in the 21st century, with the grotesque presence of crt, antifa, blm, woke cancel culture, etc.

the book is a reminder of change, influences of the times, and yes---consumerism run amock.
peer groups, media, politics, religion or lack of it, the loss of tradition vs. the self, are prophetic to my mind, rather than old hat or antiquated.

once again, i didnt read the book. i dont know its flaws or strengths other than this review. i chose it because it was mentioned today, in a churchillian seminar---as typifying the changes that mustve been similar for winston, during his years as a liberal during his wholly conservative life: polarities... (1902-1911). i investigated the reference.

thank you...