Democracy Inc. : managed democracy and the specter of inverted totalitarianism by Sheldon S Wolen

Democracy Inc. : managed democracy and the specter of inverted totalitarianism by Sheldon S Wolen

Really part of the 20th century the great social and political theorist Max Weber wrote feelingly of the "disenchantment of the world" brought about by the triumph of scientific rationalism and skepticism.  There was he contented no room any longer for occult forces, supernatural deities, or divinely revealed truth. In a world dominated by scientifically established fact with no privilege are sacrosanct areas that would seemingly have a difficult time retaining a foothold. But only did Weber underestimate the staying power credulity; he could not foresee that the great triumphs of modern science with them so provide the basis for technological achievements which, far from banishing the medical but unwittingly inspired.

The medicals also nourish from another source, one seemingly more incongruous the scientific-technological culture. Consider the imaginative world continuously being created and re-created by contemporary advertising and rendered virtually escape-proof by the enveloping culture of the modern media. Equally important, the culture produced by modern advertising, which seems at 1st glance to be resolutely secular and materialistic, the antithesis of religious and especially of evangelical teachings, actually reinforces that dynamic. Almost every product promises to change your life: it'll make you more beautiful, cleaner, more sexually alluring, and more successful. Born-again, as it were. The messages contain promises about the future, unfailingly optimistic, exaggerating, miracle-promising–same ideology and advise corporate executives exaggerate profits conceal losses but always with a sunny face. The virtual reality of the advertiser and the good news of the evangelist's complement each other, a match made in heaven. Their zeal to transcend the ordinary and their bottomless optimism both feed the hubris of superpower. Each colludes with the other. The evangelist looks forward to the "last days," while the corporate executives systematically exhaust the world scarce resources.