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Reviewed by:
  • Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and The Triumph of Spectacle
  • Herb Hirsch, Professor of Political Science, Co-Editor
Chris Hedges , Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and The Triumph of Spectacle. New York: Nation Books, 2009. Pp. 232, cloth, $24.95.

At first glance, a book that is a critical analysis of US culture might appear not be relevant to the study and prevention of genocide. This would be a profound mistake. Chris Hedges' analysis is not only applicable but important. Hedges, author of the National Book Critics Circle-nominated War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning (2002), has given those who consider themselves genocide scholars much to think about and to apply to their concerns. With the possible exception of chapter two, "The Illusion of Love," he digs into modern American culture and casts a critic's glare on what is wrong and how it might eventuate in possible violations of human rights or even genocide. By way of reviewing his argument, I will attempt to spell out these connections.

Hedges is uniquely qualified for his journey through the depressing explication of the illusions of modern American society. A senior fellow at the Nation Institute and a former foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans, he previously wrote for the New York Times.

Hedges concentrates on the mechanisms used to divert individuals from confronting the political, economic, and moral realities that surround the modern citizen. Instead, he argues, reality is disguised by rituals of denial and entertainment spectacles. In a very real sense, the connection to genocide is not difficult to advance: similar rituals are used by states wishing to deny that they have perpetrated or allowed others to commit genocide. We will see how this works as we advance through the complexities of Hedges' argument.

The book begins with an over-long introduction, fourteen pages, that compares contemporary American culture with professional wrestling—both are characterized by ritual and spectacle and devoid of content. A culture of "celebrity" dominates, and "real life, our own life, is viewed next to the lives of celebrities as inadequate and inauthentic" (19). It is no stretch to note that this type of diversion also draws attention away from the realities of life in other parts of the world and from what the United States is or is not doing in response to human-rights crises elsewhere. A culture focused on ritual and celebrity has no room for more substantive—and, one might add, depressing—realities. If, consequently, the US citizen is so diverted, it is highly unlikely that he or she will in any way pressure the US government to be concerned. This means, of course, that important issues remain on the periphery of consciousness and that, therefore, they are not on the agenda and will not be addressed.

But, Hedges argues, there is no reason to worry, since this celebrity culture provides expiation for whatever guilt may exist. Since, as portrayed in US culture, those [End Page 219] who win are the "Best and the Brightest," it follows that "those who lose deserve to be erased. Compassion, competence, intelligence, and solidarity with others are forms of weakness" (30). The losers are "responsible for their rejection. They are deficient" (30). Here we find a ready-made rationalization for allowing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide to proceed unimpeded and, in many instances, unrecognized, as the media do not cover them and the population does not care about them.

Hence, as Hedges writes, "celebrity culture plunges us into a moral void. No one has any worth beyond his of her appearance, usefulness, or ability to 'succeed.' The highest achievements in a celebrity culture are wealth, sexual conquest, and fame. It does not matter how these are obtained" (32). This focus masks the problems within US society and diverts attention from problems anywhere else. In fact, Hedges accurately notes that "the fantasy of celebrity culture is not designed simply to entertain. It is designed to keep us from fighting back" (38). Apathy and ignorance feed the majority values of the culture, and we become not victims or perpetrators but bystanders. We watch...

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