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"A provocative, original, and thoughtful writer, someone who addresses topics that are central to our culture from a fresh vantage point, and someone who is willing to challenge orthodoxies--right, left, and center--which prevent theorists of other stripes from seeing what's in front of their eyes." Henry Jenkins, author of Convergence Culture
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"A provocative, original, and thoughtful writer, someone who addresses topics that are central to our culture from a fresh vantage point, and someone who is willing to challenge orthodoxies--right, left, and center--which prevent theorists of other stripes from seeing what's in front of their eyes." Henry Jenkins, author of Convergence Culture
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4 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Thought-provoking analysis of the cultural landscape
26 Aug 2008
Format:Paperback
I'm a big fan of Grant McCracken's blog, so I was eagerly anticipating his new book, which postulates that, as he titles his preface, "Entertainment is dead, long live Transformation". Instead of passively watching entertainment, people have become active consumers of the world around them, using ideas from all cultures to drive change within themselves. McCracken traces transformation possibilities throughout history, starting with tribal ritualistic transformations of rites of passage, passing through the industrial conception of working to improve one's social status by imitating the upper class, on to the 50s warring transformations of beatnik dropout culture vs. technophilic "brightwork" culture, and then to the postmodern transformations available to us today. We have moved from a world where one's birth determined one's destiny (sons of tailors became tailors) to one where we reinvent ourselves on an ongoing basis. McCracken takes the reader on a tour of several categories of postmodern transformations, including the capitalistic swift self and the Eastern-philosophy leaning radiant self. I highly recommend this book - it's so dense with new ideas and incisive observations that every few pages I would have to put it down and think for a while.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Fun to read, but lacking a persuasive thesis
18 Nov 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I can't be as enthusiastic as the three earlier reviewers. While
McCracken has insightful analyses of trends in the arts, and I picked
up some interesting observations that he makes along the way to his
main thesis, I don't find his big picture--the justification for
writing the book--that compelling. For every current example of
transformation he gives, I could find an example of somebody doing it
centuries ago, and McCracken gives minimal attention to such
historical parallels. If more of that kind of transformation is going
on now, perhaps it's because there are more people alive, or more
wealth and leisure, or more freedom in all things. Finally, while I
was impressed with his breadth of scope, I sometimes thought he drew
his view too broadly and forced a lot of things into his thesis that
are described better with other frameworks.
McCracken has insightful analyses of trends in the arts, and I picked
up some interesting observations that he makes along the way to his
main thesis, I don't find his big picture--the justification for
writing the book--that compelling. For every current example of
transformation he gives, I could find an example of somebody doing it
centuries ago, and McCracken gives minimal attention to such
historical parallels. If more of that kind of transformation is going
on now, perhaps it's because there are more people alive, or more
wealth and leisure, or more freedom in all things. Finally, while I
was impressed with his breadth of scope, I sometimes thought he drew
his view too broadly and forced a lot of things into his thesis that
are described better with other frameworks.
Be someone else--but who? Maybe more than one "self"
19 Jan 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The author studies transformation as a contemporary phenomenon. This book is intended for academic audiences, but it's also a fun read.
If you remember "Dress for Success" or watch "What Not to Wear," this book will grab you and keep you turning pages!
If you remember "Dress for Success" or watch "What Not to Wear," this book will grab you and keep you turning pages!
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