“ Today , with society continually pushing in and with the shrinkage of inviolate places ,” says VANCE PACKARD, “the idea that one can . . . lead a private, unfettered life is losing much of its force. “ The following discussion of the individual’s constitutional right to privacy is taken from Mr. Packard’s new book, THE NAKED SOCIETY, to be published by David McKay.
If information is power, arguesVANCE PACKARD,Americans today should be uneasy about the amount of detail now being ferreted out about them by agencies both public and private. This article and its sequel. “ The Right to Privacy,” which will appear in the MarchATLANTIC, have been drawn from Mr. Packard’s new book,THE NAKED SOCIETY,soon to be published by the David McKay Company.
A former newspaperman, magazine writer, editor, and teacher, VANCE PACKARD is the author of a number of controversial books, chief among them THE HIDDEN PERSUADERS, THE STATUS SEEKERS, and THE WASTE MAKERS. In the article which follows he discusses developments in the transmission of television which may lead to a dramatic improvement in the programs offered.
VANCE PACKARD regards his work as social criticism, although,he adds, “others would use other labels.”However controversial they hare been,his books have been immensely successful; foremost among them are THE HIDDEN PERSUADERS, THE STATUS SEEKERS,and THE WASTE MAKERS.
Author of the best-selling book, THE HIDDEN PERSUADERS, VANCE PACKARDturns his attention here to certain operations of some public relations firms which mislead the gullible.
Since 1940 advertising budgets have increased fivefold. With this expansion has come “motivational research,”a new probing in depth into the mental, moral, and even emotional processes of the buying public. VANCE PACK. ARD is the author of the pioneer study in this field, The Hidden Persuaders, which has been making a place for itself well up on the best-seller list.