Public Opinion - Softcover

Public Opinion by Walter Lippman, is a critical assessment of functional democratic government, especially the irrational, and often self-serving, social perceptions that influence individual behavior, and prevent optimal societal cohesion. The descriptions of the cognitive limitations people face in comprehending their socio-political and cultural environments, proposes that people must inevitably apply an evolving catalogue of general stereotypes to a complex reality, rendered Public Opinion a seminal text in the fields of media studies, political science, and social psychology. The work presents an incisive examination of democratic theory, the role of citizens in a democracy, and the impact of the media in shaping thoughts and actions.

Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) was an American intellectual who was a writer, reporter, and political commentator, who twice was awarded, in 1958 and 1962, a Pulitzer Prize for his syndicated newspaper column, "Today and Tomorrow".