First of all, do your reading:
Guy Debord Society of the Spectacle / Comments on the Society of the Spectacle / Panegyric
Raoul Vaneigem, Treatise on Savior-Vivre for Use by the Younger Generation
I.S. # 9 The World of Which We Speak:
Christopher Gray, Leaving the Twentieth Century
Gianfranco Sanquinetti, On Terrorism & the State
Anselm Jappe, Guy Debord
Greil Marcus, Lipstick Traces
And more...
But, but way of a simplified introduction:
Q. What is the difference between simple power and spectacular power?
A. Simple power presents a situation of injustice/catastrophe. The public asks "what can we do about it?" Simple power answers, "Nothing." Spectacular power presents a situation of injustic/catastrophe. The public asks, "what can we do about it?" Spectacular power answers, "Well, you can buy tickets to this fundraiser, and watch this TV special, and go to this benefit concert, and clink a link online - why, there's all sorts of things you can do!" If later, the public asks, "what benefit has come from our contribution?" spectacular power answers, "Well, it's really tough to say, but don't you feel good for having participated?"
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