Culture Against Man

by Jules Henry

Illuminates the anxieties suffered by Americans of all classes and ages as they try to conform to the cultural norms

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology

495 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 1963

Reviews

[S. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Culture Against Man takes a thoughtful look at how American culture can work against the individual's (as well as society's) best interests, and even though it was published over fifty years ago, many of Jules Henry's concerns apply just as well to today's culture. Some of the more pertinent sections within the first half of the book examine the negative influences that advertising, technology, and the labor market can have on people as an individual and as a group. The second half of the book deals mostly with children, with many surveys from actual students used to illustrate his points.

[Alaíde Ventura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leí este libro hace mucho, en una época en la que no había Goodreads, y ahora que estoy retomando la senda de la Antropología, volví a topármelo y ahora no puedo soltarlo. Es increíble. Cumplió 50 años y todo lo que plantea sigue vigente: el hombre lucha contra la cultura que quiere volverlo obsoleto.

Habla de las instituciones de encierro y de las instituciones totales, casi como un discípulo fiel de Foucault y Goffman (pero estuve buscando información en Google y todo parece indicar que no: más bien era pupilo de Boas y de Ruth Benedict). Como sea. Su análisis de la deshumanización adentro del asilo es impresionante, y además escribe padrísimo.

Pd. También analiza la publicidad, el consumo y todo lo que sale en Mad Men.

[Peter Kingsmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting perspectives from a prominent social scientist in the 1960s!

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting because it gives us a look into the mind of a man perturbed by changes in the next generation in the '50s and '60s.

[alzabo · Rating 2 out of 5]

antiquated psychological views and other sixties pseudo scientific nonsense. it was interesting to read some old timey ads though -- Who put the men in menthol smoking? Alpine, that's who!