We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, June 14, 2018

America’s Public Are Foie-Gras Ducks

Click here to access article by Eric Zuesse from Strategic Culture Foundation

Zuesse uses a brilliant analogy to illuminate the insight that the American public is "fattened" on lies and various other deceptions in order for the ruling class (he erroneously refers to them by using a feudal term "aristocracy" instead of ruling capitalist class) to harvest and consume them at various times. He, step by political step in the election process, refers to the reality analogs that mirrors the fattening of geese to suit the interests of the rich and powerful in order to reveal the obscene nature of American "democracy". Of course, his use of the analogy is much too narrow because one can apply this analogy to the entire ideological spectrum that includes all institutions: media, education, entertainment, etc.--but I refuse to criticize him for that.
America’s voters are foie gras birds, but some of these birds (the Republicans and especially independents) are more resisting than some others (Democrats) are.

The way that America’s billionaires farm this public is by feeding to the voters the politicians, without even considering the needs — much less the wants — of that public.