Basing his discussions on everyday life in France, Lefebvre shows the degree to which our lived-in world and our sense of it are shaped by decisions about which we know little and in which we do not participate. He evaluates the achievements and shortcomings of applying various philosophical perspectives, such as Marxism and Structuralism, to daily life, studies the impact of consumerism on society, and looks at the effects on society of linguistic phenomena and terrorism communicated through mass media.