Damon Cassidy

Since today marks the 2024 presidential election I wanted to share this excerpt from the father of propaganda Edward Bernays in his book Propaganda:

In theory, every citizen may vote for whom he pleases. Our Constitution does not envisage political parties as part of the mechanism of government, and its framers seem not to have pictured to themselves the existence in our national politics of anything like the modern political machine. But the American voters soon found that without organization and direction their individual votes, cast, perhaps, for dozens or hundreds of candidates, would produce nothing but confusion. Invisible government, in the shape of rudimentary political parties, arose almost overnight. Ever since then we have agreed, for the sake of simplicity and practicality, that party machines should narrow down the field of choice to two candidates, or at most three or four.
In theory, every citizen makes up his mind on public questions and matters of private conduct. In practice, if all men had to study for themselves the abstruse economic, political, and ethical data involved in every question, they would find it impossible to come to a conclusion about anything. We have voluntarily agreed to let an invisible government sift the data and high-spot the outstanding issues so that our field of choice shall be narrowed to practical proportions. From our leaders and the media they use to reach the public, we accept the evidence and the demarcation of issues bearing upon public questions; from some ethical teacher, be it a minister, a favorite essayist, or merely prevailing opinion, we accept a standardized code of social conduct to which we conform most of the time.

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While there are segments of us that are destroying friendships, relationships, and communities because of this election, I believe it is important that we remember what this is all for.

The country and its citizens for which these leaders represent.

We are supposed to be UNITED and I think we all should be somewhat ashamed of ourselves for how we’ve acted/ allowed this chaos to happen leading up to this. While we may have difference of opinions this whole point is to come together as Americans to see how we can become a stronger nation.

Where in the world did courage, respect, leadership, hope, moral integrity, dignity, love, hope, peace, and common sense go?

We can blame presidents and policies all we like but at the end of the day we are the ones allowing this chaos to happen.

A president should NOT be seen as our savior but a reflection of its citizens. A leader to inspire hope during its darkest times and be the voice OF THE PEOPLE to help guide it. The policies set in place should be in FAVOR of its citizens not the mega corporations, “invisible government”, and hedonic individuals pulling the strings. However, if we have absolutely no idea what it even means to be Americans, leaders in our community, neighbors, friends, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and most importantly our own unique self with a unique voice what is any of this for?

It’s nothing but a massive circus unless we begin to form our own ideas, have the courage to talk AND listen to them, challenge the societal narrative that we have no idea why we follow, and move in a forward direction as a nation.

I do not want my future kids to still be dealing with this idiotic nonsense between democrats and republicans weaponizing the struggles everyday Americans face.

Whatever happens let’s just remember we need to be here for each other. Let’s not let these manufacturers ideas be what separates us.

2 months ago | [YT] | 86