Frank's Musings

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.