Vote4YogSothoth

Frank Zappa quote is interesting but perhaps outdated: instead of one big theatre, each guest now has his own unique showtime cubicle, which is not connected to any central server but is peer to peer, and dismantling those all would be impossible or at least would take time.

BBC document The Century of The Self sums it up something like this: industry has taught us to be individuals, and politics now sell themselves to us via the same methdod called target group advertising. Republicans started it in the US with the Reagan campaign and it proved so effective that the democrats had to do the same worldwide in order to survive. The method never goes to the core to reason, but presents to the viewer a polished surface, which reflects the viewers' own image. It reminds me of the front projection screen (used e.g. by Douglas Trumbull in Space Odyssey 2001), which contains myriad of small, concave, hemispherical mirrors: whatever point of the screen you look at, you only see yourself, and each and every watcher in front of that very same screen only sees himself/herself. Behind this reflection of ourselves, politicians can do what they will, ad nauseam.

Worldwide crisis of democratic movement may have something to do with that front projection: while admiring their own faces, some less individualistic (read: more democratic) persons may secretly wonder if they should be presented with their own faces in the first place.

I clear my "throat" (I've despaired of clearing my brain, alas..) for a reply to your mini-essay, Dr. Spot.
Actually, I think that Zappa's quote is nearly as fresh as it ever was. Big theatre or small facebookie cubicle, the manipulation of the illusion of freedom goes on. And on, as Karl Rove made very clear not that long ago. "They" are still busy redefining reality, what's legal, or wrong, or right, or suitable, or whatever, and what isn't. Who you can love and who you must hate. Etc. And most folks buy it, lock, stock and stinking barrel.
There's always existed a small( in the grand scale of things) minority of people fully aware of that neat con trick that "They" call democracy. They (the awake ones) were there in Egypt (they kept pace via clandestine papyrus, no doubt), they were active in the middle ages (via covert-meaning gargoyles?), they were much present, if sadly persecuted, before and during WWI; they sat in cheerless public libraries till closing time and they attended d semi-legal meetings. We are still around and although the internet helps to keep pace, it's something intrinsic in our natures, a kind of unnatural wisdom (which actual life-experience only reinforces) that makes us doubt, as a matter of course, anything that comes out of the official, sanctioned mouths, be they politicians, the media or the so-called experts. And we'll never go away. Spartacus has a funny old way of coming back...and back...and back. To socially engineer a whole, global society will require more than massive, relentless all pervading propaganda. Mind you, I'm sure "They" are working on it. ;-)
Possibly I'm missing your point on peer-to-peer communication. As far as I can tell there's no longer such a thing as a cubicle that is not connected to some dreary basement in Langley, Va.. And since I know very little about p-t-p communication I'll request that you please enlighten my poot-pooting brain.
I won't comment much on your The Century of the Self comment because is far too long since I watched it. I remember thinking, at the time, that for all it's shortcomings, holes and blind spots, was quite something. Please note how the dear Beeb hasn't produced anything even remotely like it since then. A sign of the deterioration of ...tempora?...mores? But I agree wholeheartedly on your point of PR and TGA and MR (motivational research), all of which have been going from strength to strength since the turn of the last century. At the moment I'm plodding thru' The Hidden Persuaders. It makes me think of that small episode in my life, when I was 17 and someone, quite unintentionally, opened my eyes to the hard facts of "selling a product", be it margarine or an ideology.
My brain has just seized so I won't elaborate on your last point. For all I know this crisis of democracy is a): SNAFU (Situation Normal. All Fucked Up) and the 60s were a blip or b):Since we never really had democracy no wonder it's in crisis. There's a (horrible to contemplate) c): The End Is Nigh. :-)
And yes, I too detest the kind of narcissism that's being bred into people nowadays.
Have a wonderful week. XX

The manipulation of the illusion of freedom certainly goes on – let's make no mistake about it! (As George W. Bush would have put it.) I meant that instead of one big illusion that encompasses everyone, I think we now have personal illusions tailor-made if not for each of us separately, at least according to the target groups we belong to. As such, it would be difficult to reveal the brick wall at the back of the theatre with one snap of fingers.

Sorry about that front projection thingy. :-) I did some film and video special fx work when I was young, and the analogy suddenly revealed itself to me while I was writing my comment to your image, and I couldn't help blurting it out.

Murray Dobbin's Clearinghouse article is wonderful. As a neighbour to Russia, Finland has always been very prone to probe the general feeling in Russia. This current crisis makes no exception, but the funny thing is, no-one here is blaming US for it. No-one. On the contrary, the Programme Director of The Finnish Institute of International Affairs complained last week about Obama's lack of interest in handcuffing the bandit countries. The institute is established by our government, which is led by the right wing, so it is hard to tell whether their reserchers are plain ignorant, or just publishing what they are told to.

No time or brain for proper sequel to your latest, tonight. I think I'm coming down with a bug, too, damn it... Just a quick thank you for all this lovely "food for the brain" . Just what the doctor ordered.:-)
More tomorrow.
Sleep tight.

I especially liked the Zappa paragraph, ......will come back and read more!

Thank you Berny. Please do drop in again, by all means. ;-)

And thanks again John.

Thank you for sharing your exceptional creation with us, here in ✴ Digital Dreams ✴
www.ipernity.com/group/1493642

Thanks June.