Music / NewsMusic / NewsKanye has discovered Adam CurtisThe rapper has been sharing links to The Century of the Self on TwitterShareLink copied ✔️May 22, 2018May 22, 2018TextSelim Bulut Kanye West gave people an insight into what he’s been watching recently on Twitter yesterday. While still seemingly on his “free thinker” tip, this time the rapper thankfully wasn’t watching dorks like Charlie Kirk or the Dilbert guy but the actually good video essayist Adam Curtis. Kanye linked to a YouTube upload of The Century of the Self, Curtis’s four-part 2002 documentary for BBC Two exploring how Freudian psychoanalytical theories have been applied in advertising and government messaging. “It’s 4 hours long but you’ll get the gist in the first 20 minutes”, he wrote. “Basically Sigmund Frued’s (sic) nephew Edward Bernays capitalized off of his uncle’s philosophies and created modern day consumerism”. the century of self https://t.co/JVvJby2TFq It’s 4 hours long but you’ll get the gist in the first 20 minutes Basically Sigmund Frued’s nephew Edward Bernays capitalized off of his uncle’s philosophies and created modern day consumerism— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 21, 2018before Edward Bernays Americans purchased things based off needs There was a a time in the 20s when women didn’t smoke in public so Edward Bernays masterminded a campaign to make it culturally acceptable so that companies could sell more cigarettes..it’s that kind of vibe..— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 21, 2018 He continued, “before Edward Bernays Americans purchased things based off needs There was a a time in the 20s when women didn’t smoke in public so Edward Bernays masterminded a campaign to make it culturally acceptable so that companies could sell more cigarettes..it’s that kind of vibe..” We asked Adam Curtis how he feels about getting the Kanye seal of approval. “I think he (Kanye) is really interesting,” he says over email. “It would good to talk about the modern dream of ‘self-expression’ and its relationship to advertising and politics and power. He is right at the intersection of those things.” Revisit our 2016 interview with Adam Curtis here, and watch The Century of the Self below. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREListen to Sissy Misfit’s essential afters playlistICE Out, the Grammys, and the fight for cultural power in the USRoger VivierWhat went down at an intimate Roger Vivier book launch in ParisGrammys 2026: The biggest snubs from this year’s awardsThe only tracks you need to hear from January 2026This new event series aims to bring spirituality back to live musicMargo XS on the sound of transness: ‘Malleable, synthetic and glossy’The Boy who cried Terrified: Ranking all the tracks on fakemink’s new EPA massive exhibition on Black British music is coming to V&A EastAtmospheric dream-pop artist Maria Somerville shares her offline favouritesA 24-hour London will save the city’s nightlife, says new report‘It’s a revolution’: Nigeria’s new-gen rappers are hitting the mainstreamEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy