I have recently been watching two of Adam Curtis' TV series: 'The Century of the Self' and 'The Power of Nightmares'. They abound with extraordinary documentary footage and are both very well made. I was especially impressed in the former by the encounter with Edward Beranyis - the father of the PR profession of whose role in the history of American politics and ideology I had no idea.
The proposals the two serieses promote, however, are rather problematic and I was wondering if others have seen them and what do people think about his portrayal of the relationship between the emptying out of American liberalism and the role of nihilism and the value society to the ease with which these were manipulated after september the 11th attacks. In particular I wonder what people think of the similarities Curtis draws between the rise of extreme islamism and that of the neo conservative movement in the US (and the extensive role of Leo Strauss' political philosophy in this process) as an expression of the Zeitgeist. There is a sense of facile conspiratorial connections made by Curtis that are typical to a common type of left-wing paranoia. And yet, the general sense 'The power of Nightmares' leaves us with seems to be very relevant to our times.
Have people seen these and if so what are your thoughts about them?