# The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord

5 Hacker News commenters recommended The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended because readers find its critique still highly applicable today, and it works as a first read before Baudrillard.

## Why people recommend it

- Still applicable to today (1 comments): "When I reread this, I was alarmed at how applicable it is today." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45802925))
- Good to read before Baudrillard (1 comments): "it is useful to read Debord first, and then move to Baudrillard" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49370805))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Tao Te Ching by Laozi](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tao-te-ching-translated.md): 32 recommend
- [Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig](https://hackerapproved.com/p/zen-and-the-art-of-motorcycle-maintenance.md): 24 recommend
- [Meditations by Marcus Aurelius](https://hackerapproved.com/p/meditations.md): 17 recommend
- [I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter](https://hackerapproved.com/p/i-am-a-strange-loop.md): 16 recommend
- [Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard](https://hackerapproved.com/p/simulacra-and-simulation.md): 12 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1922491284?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9781922491282) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord", https://hackerapproved.com/p/society-of-the-spectacle/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).