Oprah, Trump Circus Acts
By Kevin Palmer
In discussing voter psychology, Aldous Huxley, who wrote Brave New World, said in a May 5, 1958 interview, âA democracy depends on the individual voter making an intelligent and rational choice for what he regards as his enlightened self-interest.â Conversely, according to Huxley, television, radio, and internet advertising experts âtry to bypass the rational side and appeal directly to these unconscious forces below the surface so that youâre, in a way, making nonsense of the whole democratic procedure, which is based on conscious choice on rationale ground.â
This explains why television, especially, is skillfully used to manipulate the voter. Television has a hypnotic influence over the masses. This was explained in the 1976 movie Network by the character Howard Beale, the Mad Prophet of the Airwaves. Beale railed against television by saying, âRight now, there is a whole, an entire generation that never knew anything that didnât come out of this tube. This tube is the gospel, the ultimate revelation. This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers. This tube is the most awesome god darn force in the whole godless world. And, woe to us if it ever falls into the hands of the wrong people.â
Beale continues, âTelevision is not the truth. Television is a god darn amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, sideshow freaks, lion tamers, and football players.â With Trump, America elected a sideshow freak for president. With Oprah, America may elect a man hating storyteller for president.
