The Century of the Self S1E1 — Happiness Machines

8.5

The Century of the Self•Season 1•Episode 1

Happiness Machines

8.5/10 · 311 votesMar 17, 200258 min

Ranked #1 of 4 in Season 1•+0.2 vs season avg

Discussion

The story of the relationship between Sigmund Freud and his American nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays invented the public relations profession in the 1920s and was the first person to take Freud's ideas to manipulate the masses. He showed American corporations how they could make people

Directed byAdam Curtis

Next episodeE2 · The Engineering of Consent

Seasons1

All 1

Season 1 Episodes4

E1 8.5Now viewing

Happiness Machines

E2 8.4

The Engineering of Consent

E3 8.3

There Is a Policeman Inside All Our Heads. He Must Be Destroyed

E4 8.2

Eight People Sipping Wine in Kettering

Cast12

Adam Curtis

Narrator

Anne Bernays

Self

Martin Bergmann

Self

Robert Reich

Self

Edward L. Bernays

Self (archive footage)

Sigmund Freud

Self (archive footage)

Anna Freud

Self (archive footage)

Wilhelm Reich

Self (archive footage)

Tony Blair

Self (archive footage)

Margaret Thatcher

Self (archive footage)

Bill Clinton

Self (archive footage)

Ronald Reagan

Self (archive footage)

Crew1

Adam Curtis

Director

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Episode Summary

"Happiness Machines" is episode 1 of The Century of the Self season 1. It scored 8.5/10 from 311 votes, ranking #1 of 4 episodes this season (season average 8.3). Directed by Adam Curtis, it aired on March 17, 2002.

Next: E2 · The Engineering of Consent Best of Season 1