Skip to main navigation Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to search
Skip to content
Hours & Location, opens an overlay Help Help, opens an overlay
Hours & LocationsHours & Locations, collapsed
See all locations
HelpHelp, collapsed
  • Ask a Librarian
  • Can't Find It
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Get a Card
  • Hours & Locations
  • Website Feedback
  • Accessibility Statement
Admin AdminAdmin, collapsed
Log In / My Account
  • Log In / Register
  • My Library Dashboard
  • My Borrowing
  • Checked Out
  • On Hold
  • Borrowing History
  • Fees
  • ILL Requests
  • My Collections
  • For Later Shelf
  • Completed Shelf
  • In Progress Shelf
  • Lists
  • My Events
  • My Profile
  • My Settings
Arapahoe Libraries
Main navigation Events
Open search form
Search
Search the
by
for
    Saved Searches Advanced Search

    Search

    by
    for
      Saved Searches Advanced Search
      • Browse the LibraryBrowse the Library, collapsed

        Browse the Library

        By Format

        • Books
        • Library of Things
        • Movies & TV
        • Music & Podcasts
        • Video Games
        • Virtual Library

        By Audience

        • Children (0–5)
        • Kids (5–12)
        • Teens (12–18)
        • Adults

        In Demand

        • Coming Soon
        • Staff Picks
        • Award Winners
        • Bestsellers
        • Explore
      • EventsEvents, collapsed

        Events

        VIEW

        • All Events
        • My Events
        • In-person Events
        • Online Events

        POPULAR

        • Author Events
        • Community Conversations
        • Storytimes
        • Library for All
        • Book & Movie Clubs

        AUDIENCE

        • Children (0-5)
        • Kids (5-12)
        • Teens (12-18)
        • Adults
      • ServicesServices, collapsed

        Services

        • Art Galleries
        • Ask a Librarian
        • Book & Media Suggestions
        • Business Help
        • Cafes & Event Catering
        • Career & Job Help
        • Community Resource Specialists
        • Educator & Parent Support
        • Explore Colorado
        • Genealogy & Local History
        • Get a Card
        • Holds Lockers
        • Home Delivery & Mobile Library Services
        • Immigrant & Language Services
        • Lending Machines
        • Older Adult & Care Partner Resources
        • Writers' Resources

        TECHNOLOGY

        • 3D Printing
        • Digital Media Stations
        • Makerspace
        • Mobile App (ArapApp)
        • Print, Copy & Computers
        • Technology Help
        • Text Alerts

        VIRTUAL

        • Virtual Community Board
        • Virtual Events
        • Virtual Library
        • Virtual Room Reservation
      • SpacesSpaces, collapsed

        Spaces

        • Study Rooms
        • Meeting Rooms
        • Art Galleries
        • Cafes & Event Catering
        • Digital Media Stations
        • Forum Theater
        • Hours & Locations
        • Interaction Lab
        • Makerspace
        • View All

        Reservations By Library

        • Castlewood Library
        • Davies Library
        • Eloise May Library
        • Kelver Library
        • Koelbel Library
        • Sheridan Library
        • Smoky Hill Library
        • Southglenn Library
        • Virtual Room
        • View All
      • ResearchResearch, collapsed

        Research

        • Arts & Literature
        • Business, Finance & Legal
        • Encyclopedias & General Reference
        • Genealogy & Local History
        • Homework Resources
        • Jobs & the Workplace
        • Journals, Magazines & Newspapers
        • Online Learning Courses
        • View All Online Resources A-Z
      • Chat With Us
      • Español
      • Русский

      Eloise May Library Expansion Feedback SurveyEloise May Library Expansion Feedback Survey

      Share your thoughts! This survey is to gather your feedback on what sorts of amenities are important to you for the Eloise May Library expansion project.

      Share your thoughts! This survey is to gather your feedback on what sorts of amenities are important to you for the Eloise May Library expansion project.

      TAKE SURVEY TAKE SURVEY
      • Arapahoe Blogs
      • ArapahoeTim
      5
      Jun 2025

      Categories

      • View all cards in Adults
      • View all cards in Social Issues & Politics
      • View all cards in Virtual Library

      Similar Posts for You

      • Indie Colorado: Discover eBooks From Local Authors

        Jun 20, 2025

      • Everything Old Is New Again: Antique Appraisal Resources

        Jun 13, 2025

      • Paddle Out: Remembering Brian Wilson

        Jun 12, 2025

      • Ride The Rhythm: Remembering Sly Stone

        Jun 10, 2025

      • (What’s So Scary ‘Bout) Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity?

        Jun 4, 2025

      What is Hypernormalization?

      by ArapahoeTimJune 5, 2025


      I asked Chat GPT for a brief definition of hypernormalization and this was its response:

      Hypernormalization is a term used to describe a condition in which a false or surreal version of reality becomes so pervasive and accepted that it is treated as normal, even by those who know it is not. Over time, people become unable or unwilling to challenge this distorted version of reality, perpetuating its dominance. The term is closely associated with late-stage bureaucratic or authoritarian societies where the official narrative becomes increasingly divorced from reality, yet no one seems able to oppose or escape it.

      The term "hypernormalization" was first introduced by Alexei Yurchak, a Russian-American anthropologist, in his 2006 book Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation. Yurchak used the term to describe the paradox of late Soviet society, where the state's ideological systems had become hollow and disbelieved by nearly everyone, including the leaders themselves, but still functioned as if they were real.

      Life carried on under these fictions because no one knew how to operate outside of them. The idea was that the system was “so normal, it became hypernormal," a kind of exaggerated, deadpan pretense that nobody really believed, but no one dared to abandon.

      The term gained wider recognition with the release of the 2016 documentary "Hypernormalisation" by Adam Curtis, a British filmmaker known for his intellectual and experimental documentaries. Curtis expanded the concept to include modern Western societies, arguing that governments, corporations and the media had created increasingly simplified and manipulated narratives of the world to maintain control and stability.

      These narratives, though disconnected from complex global realities, became accepted because alternatives were either absent or discredited. His documentary weaves through events from the 1970s to the 2010s, including Middle Eastern politics, U.S. foreign policy and the rise of technology, suggesting that the public now lives in a "hypernormal" state.


      Core Themes of Hypernormalization

      • Disconnection from reality

      • Resignation and passivity

      • Simulacra and control

      • Staged politics and media

      Related Concepts

      • Simulacra and simulation 

      • Post-truth politics

      • False consciousness

      • Manufacturing consent 

      • Cognitive dissonance


      Want to learn more about hypernormalization and its related themes? Check out these books and online resources to learn more.

      Hypernormalization





      View Full List

      View all cards in Lifelong Learning View all cards in The More You Know
      Add a comment

      More by ArapahoeTim

      Indie Colorado: Discover eBooks From Local Authors

      • Adults
      • Teens (12–18)
      • Literature & Writing
      • Author Facts
      • Instant Gratification

      Paddle Out: Remembering Brian Wilson

      • Adults
      • Arts & Entertainment
      • In Memoriam
      • Our Favorites
      • Summer

      Ride The Rhythm: Remembering Sly Stone

      • Adults
      • Arts & Entertainment
      • Black History
      • In Memoriam
      • Instant Gratification

      Discover New Posts

      Indie Colorado: Discover eBooks From Local Authors

      • Adults
      • Teens (12–18)
      • Literature & Writing
      • Author Facts
      • Instant Gratification

      Celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival

      • Adults
      • Kids (5–8)
      • Teens (12–18)
      • Tweens (9–12)
      • Culture & Travel

      Everything Old Is New Again: Antique Appraisal Resources

      • Adults
      • Business, Jobs & Money
      • Home & Gardening
      • Just For Fun
      • Lifelong Learning

      Add a comment to: What is Hypernormalization?

      We welcome your respectful and on-topic comments and questions in this limited public forum. To find out more, please see Appropriate Use When Posting Content. Community-contributed content represents the views of the user, not those of Arapahoe Libraries

      Footer Menu

      Connect

      • Contact Us
      • Ask a Librarian
      • Get A Card
      • Book & Media Suggestions
      • Text Message Notifications
      • Email Signup

      About

      • Who We Are
      • Policies and Guidelines
      • Learn About Borrowing
      • Board of Trustees
      • Media Resources

      Info

      • Holidays & Closures
      • FAQs
      • Classic Catalog
      • Library Remodels
      • Environmental Sustainability
      • Archive & Special Collections

      Get Involved

      • Careers at Arapahoe Libraries
      • Partnerships
      • The Friends
      • Volunteer
      • Donate & Support

      I speak:

      • Español
      • Русский

      Contact the Library

      Arapahoe Libraries
      12855 East Adam Aircraft Circle
      Englewood, CO 80112
      303-LIBRARY (303-542-7279)
      Contact Us

      Contact the Library

      Arapahoe Libraries
      12855 East Adam Aircraft Circle
      Englewood, CO 80112
      303-LIBRARY (303-542-7279)
      Contact Us
      , opens a new window
      Arapahoe Libraries Privacy Guidelines
      Terms of Use, opens a new window Privacy Statement, opens a new window Accessibility Statement, opens a new window © 2025 Arapahoe Libraries

      Powered by BiblioCommons.

      BiblioWeb: webapp01 Version 4.27.0 Last updated 2025/05/26 09:06

      Back to Top