title of spectators of suicide and the mentioning of a 'spectacle' in democracy coma are based on the situationist theory of guy debord, which he explains in his critique of the alienation and commodification of consumer capitalism; 'Society of the Spectacle' (1967), which became the main text of the worldwide student-led cultural revolts in May 1968.the phrase 'spectators of suicide' itself is taken from an article in the 'internationale situationniste', # 10 march 1966, called 'decor and the spectators of suicide', about people watching suicides like they're watching a tv-programme, which stresses the situationist theory that people are no longer in touch with reality and experience everything around them including themselves as they're watching a spectacle.today 'the society of the spectacle' remains a locus classicus for cultural studies, academics, anarchists, punks, direct-action activists, and more than a few late-century dilettantes-arguing that media and technology ("the spectacle") have reduced people to mere voyeurs of their own lives (spectators), with all desires and relationships sold back as leisure products.'spectators of suicide' also stands for s.o.s.the content of democracy coma and spectators of suicide are a situationist critique inspired by jean baudrillard on the lie of western democracies: there is the hollow phrase of 'free choice', but at the same moment we are all reduced to consumers with no touch with reality as it exists.you can read 'the society of the spectacle' online: click here.
you can also read 'decor and the spectators of suicide' online: click here.