Walter Lippmann's book from 1922 is among the most cited works of its kind in the 20th century and has significantly influenced the social sciences, especially media studies, political science, and social psychology. It questions whether citizens in modern society can make reasonable democratic decisions. Lippmann thoroughly describes the mechanism of public opinion formation and points out a number of fundamental aspects that influence or rather distort its functioning. He thoroughly addresses the role of the media in this process and challenges their idealized function in a democratic system, showing their real role in shaping public opinion, influenced by other interests and technical prerequisites. 'Public Opinion' is the first attempt to explore and map public opinion in modern conditions and in light of modern knowledge of human nature.
