# The Century of Self by Adam Curtis

10 Hacker News commenters recommended The Century of Self by Adam Curtis and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a way to understand modern society and how consumer culture shaped it. One critic warns that visual mediums can be deceptive.

## Why people recommend it

- Explains consumerism and modern society (2 comments): "it remains the singular top recommendation I have to anyone who wants to understand modern society." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46167508)) "I'd recommend the consumer culture exposition in Adam Curtis" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48194046))
- Essential viewing for everyone (2 comments): "everyone should see Adam Curtis' "The Century of Self"" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46166854)) "should be required viewing in high school" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46167177))
- Strong treatment of its topic (3 comments): "Adam Curtis' "The Century Of Self" is nice to watch on that topic" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46525069)) "The 'Century of the Self' really drives this point." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48463103)) "The century of the self must be recommended also." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49462142))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Connections by James Burke](https://hackerapproved.com/p/connections.md): 33 recommend
- [Triumph of the Nerds](https://hackerapproved.com/p/triumph-of-the-nerds.md): 31 recommend
- [All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace by Adam Curtis](https://hackerapproved.com/p/all-watched-over.md): 10 recommend
- [The Secret Life of Machines](https://hackerapproved.com/p/secret-life-of-machines.md): 8 recommend
- [Texico](https://hackerapproved.com/p/texico.md): 8 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Century of Self by Adam Curtis", https://hackerapproved.com/p/century-of-self/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).