“I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.”
“I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.”
Cyrano, Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death is a sharp lens for dissecting the circus we’re trapped in, but it’s only half the picture. Yes, entertainment has gutted discourse, but the real tragedy is how we’ve been trained to crave it. The system doesn’t just distract—it pacifies.
If you want to dig deeper into how this machinery keeps spinning, try The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. It peels back the layers of how crises—manufactured or exploited—are used to consolidate power. Pairing it with Postman might make the circus less entertaining but far more transparent.
Entertainment isn’t just king; it’s the leash. Recognizing that is step one. Step two? Refusing to play along.
I really enjoyed The Shock Doctrine but it’s been a while since I read it. I should definitely revisit it considering the events of this decade. Thanks for the recommendation—feel free to share more!
If The Shock Doctrine resonated with you, I’d suggest diving into Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean. It’s a brutal exposé of how economic elites have systematically undermined democratic institutions to entrench power. Pair it with United States of Distraction by Mickey Huff and Nolan Higdon—it’s like a manual for decoding the propaganda machine that keeps us docile.
These books complement Klein’s work by showing not just the exploitation of crises but the long game: a deliberate effort to hollow out democracy while selling us the illusion of choice. If you revisit Klein, read it alongside these for a broader view of how we got here—and maybe, how to push back.
Thanks!