LIONEL PODCAST: Bread & Circuses – America Must Remain Distracted at All Times

The etymology. Bread and Circus, is defined as “something, as extravagant entertainment, offered as an expedient means of pacifying discontent or diverting attention from a source of grievance.” Whether it’s the media coverage of Letterman’s agonizing and seemingly interminable valedictory or #Deflategate or the series finale of “Mad Men” – which, interestingly enough, was eclipsed in ratings 2:1 by a 60 year-old colorized rerun of “I Love Lucy” – bread and circuses denote “the generation of public approval, not through exemplary or excellent public service or public policy, but through diversion; distraction; or the mere satisfaction of the immediate, shallow requirements of a populace.” A “superficial means of appeasement.” Behold our society. And know it’s not a matter of accident, it’s deliberate.

Ah, to be mindless. It’s a national pastime. ‘Neath the heft of statism and nationalism and a emerged set of disconnected connectivity. Who cares? Not I. I’m too busy. But I will feign and pretend and act as though I’m a part and involved. But who can be too connected with all this distraction going on? There’s David Letterman’s valedictory. This pretend sadness over the end of a successful television reign of a weird misanthrope and human mystery. Distraction. Diversion. Sleight of mind. Look, a puppy! The attention span of a gnat we have. Evanescence of interest. Poof! Gone. Disappeared. Abracadabra and film at 11. News, sports and weather.  Traffic on the 5’s. We’re doomed, kids. Doomed. 

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