Vance Packard

Vance Packard (May 22, 1914 - December 12, 1996) was an American journalist, social critic, and author. His million-selling book The Hidden Persuaders, about media manipulation of the populace in the 1950s was a forerunner of pop sociology: science-based thinking without the weight of detail or eloquence, geared for sale to the mass market.

Related Topics:
May 22 - 1914 - December 12 - 1996 - The Hidden Persuaders - Media - 1950s - Sociology

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Packard's work, though it sold well, was criticized as poorly thought out, light on facts, high on supposition, and frivolous for his serious topics. In truth, much of the emerging work of the time was frivolous by 21st century standards, as publishers produced works by sociologists and others of less than the highest level. The differences between such books and current publications are indicative of the development of thought at the time. These books did, however, deal thoughtfully with some important issues, such as class divisions. Packard's discussion of advertising in politics showed especial foresight; he predicted the way image and personality would rapidly come to overshadow real issues in the age of televised elections.

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One thing the critics could not argue with, however, was the success of "pop science" books, and their value in bridging a gap between the highly educated classes and the less educated ones.

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