The Lonely Crowd by Reuel Denney
"The Lonely Crowd" by David Riesman, co-authored with Reuel Denney and Nathan Glazer, is a pivotal sociological study that examines the transformations within post-World War II American society. Published in 1950, the work synthesizes the myriad changes occurring during this period, including shifts in gender roles, the impact of the baby boom, and the transition of the economy from wartime production to consumer goods. Riesman utilizes established sociological principles to analyze the evolving American character, introducing new theories of personality that reflect societal changes.
The book is structured into eighteen chapters, encompassing a range of American lifestyles and experiences, and it employs numerous contemporary cultural examples to illustrate its points. It was well-received by scholars, notably praised in The Journal of American Sociology, and inspired further exploration of American society in Riesman's subsequent work, "Faces in the Crowd." The Lonely Crowd has also influenced later sociological discussions, making it essential reading for those interested in American culture, as well as a foundation for understanding the interplay between theory and society in the context of changing social dynamics.
On this Page
Subject Terms
The Lonely Crowd by Reuel Denney
First published: 1950
Type of work: Sociology
Form and Content
David Riesman wrote The Lonely Crowd with backing provided by the Committee on National Policy at Yale University. The committee supported a number of studies, beginning in 1946, which included those by members of the department of economics and political science and the school of law. Riesman, a Harvard University professor, was invited to Yale and given a free hand. In his preface to the 1961 edition, Riesman acknowledges his collaborators, Reuel Denney and Nathan Glazer, describes the methodology of their research, and discusses manuscript preparation. That preface emphasizes Riesman’s use of materials from many scholars, as well as his receptivity to the criticism of his colleagues.
Post-World War II America offered fertile ground for such studies as Riesman’s. In addition to the return of military forces to civilian life, many other changes took place. The national economy and nearly all major industries were making the transition from war efforts to the production of peacetime consumer goods, using newly discovered technology. The reintroduction of men into the domestic work force brought about changes in American sex roles. The baby boom began in earnest, making the building of new housing necessary nationwide. The political concerns of Americans were changing, although there remained a strong desire for national defense. The popular culture occupied more and more Americans’ leisure. The roles of economists, politicians, sociologists, educators, entrepreneurs, and many others were in a state of flux. The Lonely Crowd synthesizes these changes and seeks to extract meaning from them.
Riesman uses the format of many studies in sociology. Beginning with a section of definitions, the nearly four-hundred-page work is organized into eighteen chapters in three main categories. In each chapter Riesman directly applies his definitions to the American experience. He uses examples generously, including many from the contemporary popular culture. The chapters run the gamut of American life-styles and experiences, and Riesman’s final chapter offers a summation of his findings.
Critical Context
The Lonely Crowd was one of the first analyses of postwar American society. Most important, Reisman makes a fresh application of established sociological principles to Americans living in a radically changed world while introducing new theories of personality to explain the changing American character and its impact on the individual. His work was well received: Reviews in The Journal of American Sociology, for example, praised the work highly.
In another book, Faces in the Crowd: Individual Studies in Character and Politics (1952), Riesman continues his exploration into the minds of the Americans he identified by personality type in The Lonely Crowd. Although Faces in the Crowd can be read as a separate volume, it is a valuable application of the principles established in the earlier study. In both works, the real importance is Riesman’s connection between theory and society.
Other works that may interest the reader of The Lonely Crowd include Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1964), a landmark study of the impact of the media on the American culture. McLuhan suggests that the agenda of popular culture is larger than the messages it conveys. Although a difficult work, Understanding Media provides a valuable follow-up to Riesman’s studies. Similarly, Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock (1970), a popular best-seller when it was published, demonstrates the correlation between a bewildering world and anomic behavior. The Lonely Crowd, then, serves as a springboard for the application of sociological theory. As such, it has set a direction followed by many authors since its publication in 1950, and it is basic reading for any serious student of American culture.
Bibliography
Berger, Morroe. Review in The New York Herald Tribune Book Review. November 5, 1950, p. 8.
Howe, Irving. Review in The Nation. CLXXI (December 2, 1950), p. 510.
Johnson, G.W. Review in Survey. LXXXVI (November, 1950), p. 86.
Kirkus Reviews. Review. XVIII (September 1, 1950), p. 551.
Lancour, Harold. Review in Library Journal. LXXV (September 15, 1950), p. 1505.