Thursday, September 04, 2008
Swimming the Avalanche
Numerous public opinion polls over the last half century have consistently shown that the least trusted people in America are politicians. Reasons for this mistrust repeatedly list dishonesty, self-interest, and systematic promotion of the corrupted or corruptible.
On the other hand, year in and year out -- especially during presidential elections -- many people suspend this healthy skepticism of electoral promises, fervently supporting politicians skilled in rhetorical flourish and playing the time-honored role of daddy protector. Which is why some of our most successful politicians have previously been professional actors.
Why this is is hard to say, but we suspect it has something to do with the indoctrination of public education, and the massive political advertising that subliminally goes on TV 24/7. Independent news now available on the Internet helps, but by the time one is an adult, the amount of disinformation one has encountered through cultural constructs promoting American exceptionalism is almost smothering; so smothering, in fact, that escaping this barrage of propaganda is the equivalent of swimming out of an avalanche.
On the other hand, year in and year out -- especially during presidential elections -- many people suspend this healthy skepticism of electoral promises, fervently supporting politicians skilled in rhetorical flourish and playing the time-honored role of daddy protector. Which is why some of our most successful politicians have previously been professional actors.
Why this is is hard to say, but we suspect it has something to do with the indoctrination of public education, and the massive political advertising that subliminally goes on TV 24/7. Independent news now available on the Internet helps, but by the time one is an adult, the amount of disinformation one has encountered through cultural constructs promoting American exceptionalism is almost smothering; so smothering, in fact, that escaping this barrage of propaganda is the equivalent of swimming out of an avalanche.
