‘Empire of Illusion’ Review: Is Our Idea of America a Farce?

Reviewing “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle” 16 years after it was published allows a reader to determine if Chris Hedges had a prescient understanding of where America was headed. Has America been a declining empire where media and cultural illusions deceive residents into a false sense of literacy, love and happiness? Or did he allow sensationalist storytelling and examples of worst scenarios in America to exaggerate the extent to which America is declining?

You can argue both cases. America is still around, our country rebounded from the great recession, and for many years experienced degrees of economic growth. Or you can say it is just taking longer than the book presumed it might for America to fall in complete disarray or decline.

The national debt is substantially higher than the numbers used in the book, the wealth divide is more significant and the reliance on a multimedia culture to distract us from reality is even higher. Nonetheless, we continued to grow. We survived, at least for the time being, a major assault on our democratic norms.

Since he wrote this book, Mr. Hedges followed up with “America: The Farewell Tour” eight years ago where he went into even more detail of a culture and society in decline. Does the follow up book lend more credence to the decline argument, or was it cherry picking stories of deprivation to create a false narrative? And does the answer to the argument depend on the reader’s moral or political view point?

‘Empire of Illusion’ Summary: Can We Fully Perceive the Flaws of American Culture?

Mr. Hedges, in “Empire of Illusion,” lays out five chapters that discuss how we live in an illusion of literacy, love, wisdom, happiness and America. In each chapter he illustrates how we fail to see we are misled into believing we have literacy, love, etc. There is a separate reality that exists behind what we believe we see that shows everything is an illusion to keep us from knowing our lives are being taken over by a corporate and political elite. He argues this has developed for decades now, and we may be powerless to overcome it.

Here’s a breakdown:

1. Illusion of Literacy: A detailed look at what we now digest in our lives, what it means and how we have lost our ability to critically think
2. Illusion of Love: An unbridled look at pornography and how it has taken over intimacy for many people
3. Illusion of Wisdom: An in-depth look at how our institutions of higher learning are controlled by corporate greed rather than higher education and honest intellectual inquiry
4. Illusion of Happiness: How we are told what constitutes happiness so it fits into the need of the corporation and the state
5. Illusion of America: Mr. Hedges talks about where we were, where we could have been, our imperfections, our past opportunity and where we have fallen

Who should read this book? Quite frankly, anyone. This is the second book by Mr. Hedges I have read. In my review for “America: The Farewell Tour” I said the exact same opening sentence because I do believe this book should be read by everyone.

What I find with this second reading is I feel he tilts his message toward a certain audience. I sense an underlying current he wants to chastise the liberal elites and force them into stronger action.

As in the first review, I feel anyone could benefit from reading this book. Mr. Hedges makes poignant arguments describing how we delude ourselves into believing something that is only a fabrication in his eyes. The actual descriptors still apply in our world and are potentially even more applicable.

The general audience that needs to read this book may be too caught up in these illusions to understand the depth to which they, as individuals, fit into these scenarios. They may not be able to look into the mirror or looking glass to see themselves. And the liberal elite audience I think Mr. Hedges is trying to reach for better action, will still look down their noses at the people who suffer from the illusions described, thinking they know better, all the while not offering any tangible solutions to break the glass so people can begin to see reality.

Three Cs: Compelling, Clear, Concise

Editorial Note: We believe these three factors are important for evaluating general writing quality across every aspect of the book. Before you get into further analysis, here’s a quick breakdown to clarify how we’re using these words:

• Compelling: Does the author consistently write in a way that would make most readers emotionally invested in the book’s content?
• Clear: Are most sentences and parts of the book easy enough to read and understand?
• Concise: Are there sections or many sentences that could be cut? Does the book have pacing problems?

Compelling: Moving Personal Stories That Speak to Large Issues, But Will Readers Take Action?

Mr. Hedges conveys a vast amount of information to turn a story of an individual into a full throttled point of a much larger scale. He thrives at building up his point on each topic. These points culminate in a narrative that hammers home item after item, building the picture of where the illusions become brighter and brighter as you work through each chapter.

Each chapter is its own story, its own illusion. This structure is on purpose so the reader can see the breakdown for themselves. At times he may get a bit into the weeds, yet overall he outlines what he wants the reader to see very effectively.

The real question is: Will readers pick up on the need to carry this forward and into action to overcome the trap they have fallen? After so many years, you begin to wonder if the illusion has become too strong.

Clear: Take Time to Digest the Messages

Mr. Hedges is a well accomplished author and it shows. He continues to contribute to the national discourse today, yet even in 2009 he could write not just a story, but a whole movement of thought. He moves from point to point with ease. For the average reader, they may need to put it down for a moment to digest some of his points. If they do, that is probably a productive moment for the reader and the author. So many authors do not make you think nowadays, which is somewhat of what Mr. Hedges is saying in the chapter, The Illusion of Literacy.

His ability to make you stop and think is a powerful testament to the book working to open eyes. There are some tough messages and some tough readings, yet overall the points are made. This is a book where rereading a passage is not because it was a difficult book to read, but a difficult reality needing to be absorbed.

Concise: Focused Stories With Less Detours

One of the critiques I had of “America: The Farewell Tour” was that Mr. Hedges would sometimes go into deep dives that were relevant to the point, but took the story being told on long and winding detours. In this book, which is the earlier of the books, I think he does a better job of staying on point. Yes, he does use his resources, and they are plenty. The difference here is they better illustrate the point before getting too far off track.

This book reads faster and still maintains depth to his points. This may be because there is more academia used for the story telling. In “America: The Farewell Tour” Mr. Hedges did a great job of telling us about the individuals in the story, then diverting for a few pages. In this book, his points build from resource to resource which is where most of the direction of the narrative occurs. This difference definitely makes this book move along at a faster pace.

Prose Style: Again, Hedges Shows Off His Diverse Communications Background

Mr. Hedges’ is an award-winning journalist, professor, author and even an ordained Presbyterian Minister. I mentioned these facts in my first review, and they still pertain. I also find he can make his points by tying his entire background together in a productive manner. And with that significant background he is also well read and it shows in this book.

In each of the chapters for “Empire of Illusion,” he introduces a point with a few quotes, then dives right into the subject matter at hand. For the chapter on Illusion of Happiness, the two quotes that preview that chapter are spot on warnings about what you are to read.

Here’s an example: “‘and that,’ put in the Director sententiously, ‘that is the secret of happiness and virtue—liking what you have got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their unescapable social destiny.’” – Aldous Huxley

The chapter moves through each point, starting from the first where you end up back to the beginning slapping your palm on your forehead. He does an excellent job, not of circle logic by any means, but circling back to the point he wants you to take away. Compare the quote paragraph from the beginning to some of the ending sentences of the last few paragraphs of the chapter:

“There is a dark, insidious quality to the ideology promoted by the positive psychologists. They condemn all social circles and iconoclasts, the dissidents and individualists, for failing to surrender and seek fulfillment in the collective lowing of the corporate herd….the primary teaching of this movement, which reflects the ideology of the corporate state is that fulfillment is to be found in complete and total social conformity…the loneliness of a work life where self-preservation is valued over authenticity and one must always be upbeat and positive, no matter what one’s actual mood…here in the land of happy thoughts, there are no gross injustices, no abuses of authority, no economic and political systems to challenge, and no reason to complain. Here we are all happy.”

Not only does Mr. Hedges tie the chapter together, he also caught my attention in a different way. After spending some time as an individualist in the corporate world, this message struck a chord.

Rhetoric: What Exactly is in Front of Us?

In “Empire of Illusion,” Mr. Hedges is trying to juxtapose the reality we should be living in versus the illusion of the reality. The key is how successfully he contrasts the two worlds so we can make informed decisions about where we are as a society.

If a reader is about to either jump off a cliff, run screaming into the streets or fund an entire new political party, you can presume he was successful in making his point. If a reader still is hesitant to take any action and comes away either confused or uninspired, Mr. Hedges’ book does not achieve anything.

Mr. Hedges does take an in-depth look into where he sees the illusions. His writing lays out in detail how the illusion was built, how it survives and what it may mean for us. Does the audience capture the intensity of the moment Mr. Hedges is trying to achieve? Or does his work fall on an apathetic country too far down the rabbit hole to even see they are living in the illusion?

I think action more than number of books sold would be a more successful barometer of his work. Unfortunately this book was written 17 years ago, and not much has changed. The book itself is well-written and potentially makes a persuasive point about who we are as a society, yet — for maybe the exact reasons he describes in the book — our country just cannot see what he is trying to say.

Cultural and Political Significance: Is ‘Empire of Illusion’ the Description of the Recipe That Brought Us the Rise of Trump and MAGA?

“Empire of Illusion” gives us great detail into much of what we see with the rise of Trump in 2015. All five chapters describing each illusion invariably lead to a discussion of how America is headed for a dictatorship. Point after point leads us into the same direction. It is uncanny how prescient he was at the time. The question is not wehther Mr. Hedges understood what was staring us in the face, because he did. It’s whether the illusion has not completely blinded us. Is it too late to turn the country around?

This answer is hard to determine. It looks rough sitting here in 2025, determining if there are pieces we can put back together. Each reader must make that determination for themselves. The illusions are powerful. What matters, at this point, is how ingrained they are in each of us.

There is almost a new chapter being written by Donald Trump. His ability to twist the truth at will is frightening. Yet if he has to continuously twist the truth, then maybe there are enough people who still see reality, which forces him to make this effort. Sure, some of his immediate allies are there for their own benefit, yet most of the people who voted for him are literally voting against their interests. Yes, a few policy tweaks like no taxes on tips have made it into his agenda, but overall his work or agenda benefits such a small group of the country.

Does waiving this book in people’s faces in 2025 help to break the hold he has on the country, or has the illusion become so strong that nothing will break through?

Authenticity: His Emotions Shine Through

Mr. Hedges is uniquely qualified to write this book, and he tackles it with gusto. He definitely feels strongly about the topic, and you can feel his desire to bring this to our attention. He wants us to change, and throughout the book you feel the underlying anger that more people are not aware of what is staring at us in the face.

Critiquing the Critics: They Are Right to Praise This Book

Most critics love this book and state specifically their whole hearted endorsement of Mr. Hedges’ worldview.

On Hemispheric Institute, Caridad Svich wrote:

“Hedges’ Empire of illusion is a welcome contribution to the field of cultural studies. While it aims to speak powerfully to a contemporary phase of scholarly debate on US empire during the post-Cold War era, the book’s chief strength is its focus on and critique of popular culture and the notion of spectacle. At times Hedges’ rhetoric, especially in later chapters, becomes overblown; for instance, he equates pornography with the torture at Abu Ghraib. Neverthless, his elegiac shout is a fully felt and bracing lament to a nation of citizens who may actually prefer the comfort of illusions to the hard, grassroots work of reinvigorating the democratic ideals upon which the United States was founded.”

Michael Hennigan from Weekly Alibi wrote:

“Yes, Empire of Illusion is that frightening. While Hedges isn’t the first to posit that the biggest threat to America is Americans—as opposed to terrorism, nuclear proliferation by non-allies, illegal immigration or any of the usual laundry list of bogeymen—his may be the most compelling argument yet. Not only are up to a third of Americans functionally illiterate, we’re also blissfully unaware of our own reality.”

For Briarpatch, Don Sawyer wrote:

“The theme of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Chris Hedges’ new book is pretty straightforward: no matter how you look at it, we’re hooped. ‘Our way of life is over,’ Hedges writes. ‘Our profligate consumption is finished. Our children will never have the standard of living we had. This is the bleak future. This is reality.’ The good news, however, is that he looks at these desolate prospects from some awfully interesting perspectives, even if he is a bit short on solutions.”

Review after review discusses that Mr. Hedges is writing about our decline, while the only difference is how effective he is in getting the message to us. Each review discusses Mr. Hedges’ understanding of our current plight and that it is not good.

Obviously Mr. Hedges’ points are well made. There are no reviews I read questioning the nature of the book. The sampling above tries to catch the theme of each reviewer, yet many more approach the book in the same manner that it is a well written look at our culture.

Book Aesthetic: Bland, Doesn’t Live Up to the Book’s Interesting Content

Cover art or the book cover for non fiction, to me, always seems to struggle with eye appeal. Occasionally a book will make a splash, yet too many leave you unimpressed.

The subtitle to the book placed dead center says more about the book than the title in some ways: “The end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle” does help to lend some dynamics to the cover, yet still a black and white shot does not generate visual excitement.

Reviewer’s Personal Opinion: Again, I Would Have Loved a Conclusion With More Solutions and Advice

An interesting side note: In my review of “America: The Farewell Tour” I argued Mr. Hedges failed to give us a constructive pathway forward to avoid the fall of America, except for some simple basic Democratic policy ideas that even the Democrats cannot implement. In this book, he offers a more poetic ending that love will rejuvenate humanity even after the potential collapse of our society.

Yet, real hard nose actionable items are lacking. His poetic reliance on love at the end is more for how humanity will survive after the fall of what happens to us via his illusions. I struggle with someone who makes such a damning condemnation of us not showing us a way forward.

Previously I mentioned I thought some of his audience was the liberal elites, and I am under the impression he is trying to force them into action, yet he should still offer some solutions. I find complaining without recourse is almost a waste of time. Many social commentaries, and one of the reviews I found, discuss this problem in more detail. So if we know the problem exists, why doesn’t Mr. Hedges do something to make his book stand out more?

There were some reviews that mention where Mr. Hedges thinks we were doing well or at least in a general sense creating a better country, yet he was relying on policy that he now says has passed. Does he think this same policy could be brought back? If so, he should acknowledge it. If not, what would bring us back as a country to a rational and productive society.

And even if we rejuvenate the public policy he touts, do we not need more? He takes deep dives into how illiterate we have become, narrating for 15 pages the World Wide Wrestling world, covers the story of the actor David White and his son, takes a look at the image struggle of Cristina and her reveal on the show, “The Swan” and many other looks at various people in the Chapter, The Illusion of Literacy. There is great depth to his narrative, his stories with his ability to pull from a wide range of resources to nail down exactly what is the problem and hit us over the head repeatedly.

Then he ends the chapter with this paragraph:

“Blind faith in illusions is our culture’s secular version of being born again. These illusions assure us that happiness and success is our birthright. They tell us that our catastrophic collapse is not permanent. They promise that pain and suffering can always be overcome by tapping into our hidden, inner strengths. They encourage us to bow down before the cult of self. To confront these illusions, to puncture their mendacity by exposing the callousness and cruelty of the corporate state, signals a loss of faith. It is to become apostate. The culture of illusion, one of happy thoughts, manipulated emotions, and trust in the beneficence of power, means we sing along with the chorus or are instantly disappeared from view like the losers on a reality show.”

So how does one counter the blind faith, show us how to fight the corporate state, define for us what are real happy thoughts and how to find my own emotions under the glitz and glam of reality shows? To me, if you are going to throw an entire society under an illusion, would that society want to know how to crawl into the light?

All the chapters are the same except for the Illusion of America where he does end with what I called his poetic notion of love. I suspect that messages comes from his ministry, yet does not Jesus offer the same advice to love each other as we love ourselves as a way to achieve life in heaven and to live that life on earth? If we lie to ourselves, should we not call ourselves out so as to become better? Is this not loving ourselves? For the ending of a book where the disease is narrated throughout, shouldn’t we be given a stronger prescription for survival than touting that an abstract love will save humanity down the road.

And to me this ends ironically because he begins the chapter on the Illusion of America with the quote: “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” attributed to Proverbs 29.

Apparently we have no vision.

Empire of Illusion Review: Strong Look in the Mirror at Us All That Shows Nothing on the Other Side

As always Mr. Hedges writes well, opens our eyes wide to show us who we are by diving into each topic with vigor. He forces us to look into illusions that hide us from a reality we need to claw our way back to.

Yet he does not give us a road map to find reality again. Is he required to just because he wrote the book? Not necessarily, but it would be more dynamic to have a blueprint of what we can do. In the book he describes the public policy that at one point helped America in its ascent, yet at the end leaves that issue alone.

Does he need to save America? No, but as a reader I would like some discussion on overcoming the corporate state, cutting through the illusion of success to achieve real personal success, fighting through the psychological manipulations to truly be a better person. I don’t need another self help book, yet I do need an honest assessment of what can be done differently if a person is going to take me down that rabbit hole so I can get out.

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