All what the Roman emperors needed to maintain the populace happy was bread and circus. If it was necessary to calm down the masses, they just needed to organize a show and provided the people with more food and it was done! Everybody happy
And what does it happen nowadays? The Roman emperors' formula is still used. There is not better way to maintain the ignorant mass happy than to provide amusement and free food. Does some candidate want to convince the people of voting for him? Just offer people free stuff and free food.
And now that I remember… wasn't it what happened during our now famous Black Thursday? The promise of a free trip to the city and a free meal were more than enough to convince many people to participate in that day events without questions.
One could think that this phenomenon occurs only among the masses without no formal education, but it is not true. A few years ago, when I was studying in San Carlos University, something happened that is hard to forget. It happened during the election campaign for Head of the University and there was so much political activity around campus. In one occasion, the activists of a candidate came to the faculty to distribute pamphlets with a soda and a ham sandwich. They also had music. Meanwhile, another of the candidates visited each classroom of the faculty to talk about his plans if he was elected. However, the usual thing happened, the people giving ham sandwiches and sodas were busy but the poor guy going from class to class had a hard time getting any attention.
I commented this with a classmate, expressing my displeasure for the strident music and the free sandwiches and sodas, and the lack of attention toward a person that was trying to expose his plans. His answer was (while he ate his free sandwich) that it was useless to listen to a boring speech when they could have fun and have a free meal. The other candidate really knew what the students needed: Bread and circus.
And what does it happen nowadays? The Roman emperors' formula is still used. There is not better way to maintain the ignorant mass happy than to provide amusement and free food. Does some candidate want to convince the people of voting for him? Just offer people free stuff and free food.
And now that I remember… wasn't it what happened during our now famous Black Thursday? The promise of a free trip to the city and a free meal were more than enough to convince many people to participate in that day events without questions.
One could think that this phenomenon occurs only among the masses without no formal education, but it is not true. A few years ago, when I was studying in San Carlos University, something happened that is hard to forget. It happened during the election campaign for Head of the University and there was so much political activity around campus. In one occasion, the activists of a candidate came to the faculty to distribute pamphlets with a soda and a ham sandwich. They also had music. Meanwhile, another of the candidates visited each classroom of the faculty to talk about his plans if he was elected. However, the usual thing happened, the people giving ham sandwiches and sodas were busy but the poor guy going from class to class had a hard time getting any attention.
I commented this with a classmate, expressing my displeasure for the strident music and the free sandwiches and sodas, and the lack of attention toward a person that was trying to expose his plans. His answer was (while he ate his free sandwich) that it was useless to listen to a boring speech when they could have fun and have a free meal. The other candidate really knew what the students needed: Bread and circus.
To have a complete effect, you have to add the formula used by the conquerors 500 years ago: to exchange trinkets and mirrors for what is of more value, at that time was gold; in this time, unconditional support for a candidate that doesn't propose any change.
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