Adam Curtis
Narrator
Series
Watch The Century of the Self (2002) Online
Synopsis
“A secret history of the 20th century.”
The legacy of famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud informs the lives of people throughout the world even to this day, though it's a phenomenon to which most are unaware. The film is an exhaustive examination of his theories on human desire, and how they're applied to platforms such as advertising, consumerism and politics.
Episodes
Miniseries
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1. Happiness MachinesNow viewing2002-03-1758m8.5The story of the relationship between Sigmund Freud and his American nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays invented the public relations profession in the 1920s and was the first person to take Freud's ideas to manipulate the masses. He showed American corporations how they could make people want things they didn't need by systematically linking mass-produced goods to their unconscious desires.
2. The Engineering of Consent2002-03-2458mThe programme explores how those in power in post-war America used Freud's ideas about the unconscious mind to try and control the masses.
3. There Is a Policeman Inside All Our Heads. He Must Be Destroyed2002-03-3158mIn the 1960s, a radical group of psychotherapists challenged the influence of Freudian ideas in America. They were inspired by the ideas of Wilhelm Reich, a pupil of Freud's, who had turned against him and was hated by the Freud family. He believed that the inner self did not need to be repressed and controlled. It should be encouraged to express itself.- 4. Eight People Sipping Wine in Kettering2002-04-0758mHow both the Labour Party in Britain and the Democrats in America have sought to gain power through use of the focus group, invented by psychoanalysts to fulfil desires of the inner self.
Cast
Top Billed Cast
Anne Bernays
Self
No photo Martin Bergmann
Self
Robert Reich
Self
Edward L. Bernays
Self (archive footage)
Sigmund Freud
Self (archive footage)
No photo Anna Freud
Self (archive footage)
Wilhelm Reich
Self (archive footage)
Tony Blair
Self (archive footage)
Margaret Thatcher
Self (archive footage)
Bill Clinton
Self (archive footage)
Ronald Reagan
Self (archive footage)
Availability
Where To Watch Legally
No legal streaming, rental or purchase options for The Century of the Self were reported for this region.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Century of the Self available to watch online?
Vidbox does not currently have a legal streaming, rental or purchase option on record for The Century of the Self in this region.
How many seasons does The Century of the Self have?
The Century of the Self has 1 season and 4 episodes.
When did The Century of the Self first air?
The Century of the Self first aired in 2002.
Is The Century of the Self still running?
The Century of the Self's status on TMDB is: Ended.
What genre is The Century of the Self?
The Century of the Self is classified as Documentary, War & Politics.