As for the public, the PR man, like the advertising expert…
““As for the public, the PR man, like the advertising expert and others who deal with people in the lump, including a number of would-be-statesmen and redeemers-at-large, conceive of that body as composed of non-ideographic units which are to be regarded not as ourselves but as, ultimately, gadgets of electrochemical circuitry operated by a push-button system of remote control. In fact, in dealing with the public in a purely technological society, the very notion of self is bypassed by various appeals to an undifferentiated unconscious, such appeals often having little or no relation to the vendible object or idea; in this connection history gives us to contemplate the fact that the psychologist J.B. Watson, the founder of American behaviorism, wound up in the advertising business. So history may become parable.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Warren critiques how modern media treats people as manipulable objects, reducing individuality to predictable reactions controlled by technology.
In simple terms: Media reduces people to gadgets controlled by tech.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and resist dehumanizing narratives.
Themes
media criticism
technology
individuality
manipulation
psychology
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- marketing strategies
- political campaigns
- social media platforms
- public health messaging
Key Concepts
behaviorism
advertising
control
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view affect trust in institutions?
- Can individuals reclaim agency in a tech‑driven society?
A Different Perspective
May overlook genuine human agency and emotional complexity.