Frank's Musings

Collaboration emerged as the dominant international government strategy by the end of the war-filled twentieth and earlier centuries.  This was one  result of the thinning of the number of the average, less educated population, who were not as able to avoid violent death as conscripts.  Moreover, the influence of  women on public policy grew as cultural values allowed them to assert their natural resistance to aggression. 

A universally more peaceful era has followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, despite the continued eruption of local disputes.  Consequently, the proportion of more aggressive actors, with shorter-term time horizons, has regained the majority.  This is a crucial  development in a world whose history has ended with increasing commitment  to democratic rule.  No longer does democracy assure the predominance of thoughtful analysis in world affairs—it skews public policy towards satisfying the everyday concerns of  average persons. 

The idea of democracy, therefore, defeats the ultimate objective of critical- thinking elites—the general welfare.  Achieving that goal requires demonstrating, in an entertaining way, the personal short-term  advantage of postponing individual gratification in pursuit of common benefit.  It takes a showman to pull off that trick. Collaboration emerged as the dominant international government strategy by the end of the war-filled twentieth and earlier centuries.  This was one  result of the thinning of the number of the average, less educated population, who were less able to avoid violent death as conscripts.  Moreover, the influence of  women on public policy grew as cultural values allowed them to assert their natural resistance to aggression. 

A universally more peaceful era has followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, despite the continued eruption of local disputes.  Consequently, the proportion of more aggressive actors, with shorter-term time horizons, has regained the majority.  This is a crucial  development in a world whose history has ended with increasing commitment  to democratic rule.  No longer does democracy assure the predominance of thoughtful analysis in world affairs—it skews public policy towards satisfying the everyday concerns of  average persons. 

The idea of democracy, therefore, defeats the ultimate objective of critical-thinking elites—the general welfare.  Achieving that goal requires demonstrating, in an entertaining way, the personal short-term  advantage of postponing individual gratification in pursuit of common benefit.  It takes a showman to pull off that trick. 

Lying by politicians has infected everyone’s adherence to the truth. This has resulted in a  general disdain for the importance of factualness for determining reality.

Therefore, lying by politicians may only conform to the public’s preference for a convincing narrative over a legally provable story. This shows how the entertainment industry has corrupted reliable communications.

The public has become dependent on third parties for diversion as well as for knowledge owing to the convenience of making connection with each other  through electronic media. Not only has this diminished independent research; it has also facilitated the transference of unfiltered (i. e., unedited) information.

Polished entertainment, designed to captivate an audience, has subverted political discussion and made leaders out of performance artists. This has long been true, of course. Our most effective political leaders have always been ideologues who used their presentation skills to win the allegiance of a segment of the public. However, in our media-dominated world, as McLuhan pointed out, the media has become the message. He who most effectively appeals to the media-passive uncritical public wields overwhelming power in a democratic system.

The critical left makes a mistake when it fails to seduce the public with rhetoric and style instead of insisting on rational thought.  Most people will only see the logic of an argument after it is presented to them as a simple solution to their perceived problems.