A really good, thought-provoking comment "The leaders have no power except the borrowed power of the masses. We create the leaders -- our scapegoats -- because we want them to tell us to do the evil things we secretly want to do. Like screw other nations for our own benefit. Or maintain an unfair status quo." Ouch. I got into an argument with Caitlin Johnstone about this on Twitter. She didn't like my assertion (rather milder than yours, actually) that the public must be held responsible for their leaders, who by and large mirror public biases and behaviors. I write a lot in the field of cognitive and what Pinker calls "evolutionary psychology" (even though no shrink has ever talked to a Neanderthal), and applied ideas picked up in this field in media work mostly successfully, but most people are invested in denying their own responsibility.
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents… the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.”
All nations are democracies. No exceptions. That is because true power is always with the masses. If they won't play along, the game is over.
The leaders have no power except the borrowed power of the masses. We create the leaders -- our scapegoats -- because we want them to tell us to do the evil things we secretly want to do. Like screw other nations for our own benefit. Or maintain an unfair status quo.
The real battles are between the tribes. Leaders are just symbolic. We give them the trappings and let them appear to lead as long as they go in the direction we want them to go. But if they turn away, change their mind, then we get rid of them and find someone else.
Isn't it astonishing how there are no "good" leaders? Isn't that the perennial complaint: that we're "stuck with" the lesser of two evils? How does that happen?
Don't tell me that it's because we are fooled by the oligarchy via propaganda. Everyone except the most ignorant or stupid know its propaganda. We all know the truth, and in our unguarded moments, we'll even admit it.
Everyone knows that the government is corrupt, but 95% of incumbents are returned to office. Everyone knows the media lies, but we keep tuning in. Everyone knows that consumer capitalism is destroying all life on Earth, but we keep buying the products and demanding more.
Who is really running the show? And that is true in every country, not just America. The game is this: pretend we have no choice. They made us do these evil things! We didn't know. We were just following orders.
Wow! What an incisive comment. "All nations are democracies. No exceptions. That is because true power is always with the masses. If they won't play along, the game is over." This makes me think, as does Longtrail's reply. Seems to me that this would be a god subject for an article, albeit a tad philosophical -- or maybe anthropological. Thank you for this.
I like Caitlin Johnstone's concept. The evil is perpetrated in secret. There is no transparency and the things we should know and have the right to know are kept from us.
We live in a Narrative Matrix controlled by Plutocratic and military Institutions who have created an ILLUSION of democracy. There's no separation between Press and State.
A really good, thought-provoking comment "The leaders have no power except the borrowed power of the masses. We create the leaders -- our scapegoats -- because we want them to tell us to do the evil things we secretly want to do. Like screw other nations for our own benefit. Or maintain an unfair status quo." Ouch. I got into an argument with Caitlin Johnstone about this on Twitter. She didn't like my assertion (rather milder than yours, actually) that the public must be held responsible for their leaders, who by and large mirror public biases and behaviors. I write a lot in the field of cognitive and what Pinker calls "evolutionary psychology" (even though no shrink has ever talked to a Neanderthal), and applied ideas picked up in this field in media work mostly successfully, but most people are invested in denying their own responsibility.
I'm a big fan of Orwell. Mark Twain is pretty good but can't hold a candle to Orwell. The average (mediocre) American is a dumb animal easily herded.
Twaiin and Orwell. Apples and oranges. Hard to compare. I love them both.
Me too. Don't get me wrong. H. L. Menken is another great one.
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents… the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956): “The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.”
Exactly.
All nations are democracies. No exceptions. That is because true power is always with the masses. If they won't play along, the game is over.
The leaders have no power except the borrowed power of the masses. We create the leaders -- our scapegoats -- because we want them to tell us to do the evil things we secretly want to do. Like screw other nations for our own benefit. Or maintain an unfair status quo.
The real battles are between the tribes. Leaders are just symbolic. We give them the trappings and let them appear to lead as long as they go in the direction we want them to go. But if they turn away, change their mind, then we get rid of them and find someone else.
Isn't it astonishing how there are no "good" leaders? Isn't that the perennial complaint: that we're "stuck with" the lesser of two evils? How does that happen?
Don't tell me that it's because we are fooled by the oligarchy via propaganda. Everyone except the most ignorant or stupid know its propaganda. We all know the truth, and in our unguarded moments, we'll even admit it.
Everyone knows that the government is corrupt, but 95% of incumbents are returned to office. Everyone knows the media lies, but we keep tuning in. Everyone knows that consumer capitalism is destroying all life on Earth, but we keep buying the products and demanding more.
Who is really running the show? And that is true in every country, not just America. The game is this: pretend we have no choice. They made us do these evil things! We didn't know. We were just following orders.
Wow! What an incisive comment. "All nations are democracies. No exceptions. That is because true power is always with the masses. If they won't play along, the game is over." This makes me think, as does Longtrail's reply. Seems to me that this would be a god subject for an article, albeit a tad philosophical -- or maybe anthropological. Thank you for this.
I like Caitlin Johnstone's concept. The evil is perpetrated in secret. There is no transparency and the things we should know and have the right to know are kept from us.
We live in a Narrative Matrix controlled by Plutocratic and military Institutions who have created an ILLUSION of democracy. There's no separation between Press and State.
Thanks Longtrail. You guys are giving me ideas. If I write an article on this -- it's all your fault....LOL.