The Truman Show

The Truman Show’s commentary on the media’s commercialization of the individual was trenchant at the time, bolstered by its broad appeal and strong, universal storytelling. But its impact has been followed by a series of long, deepening aftershocks as social media has turned its precept into a universal way of life. We all consume a sanitized, commoditized version of real life through screens, not just as a surrogate for real-world relationships, but as a permanent layer on top of them.