Wasem Aktaa
Nov 6 · 4 min read

Brainwashing the Masses

Josef Váchal’s Cry of the Masses

So to dive right into such a eye-catching title, I’ll sum up my argument with these key points. I will elaborate and discuss them later on. In short, my theory is this: The United States government and large Corporations are actively propagating certain consumer goods that have negative physical consequences for the sake of profit. Those goods ranging from numerous sectors of the market.

Key Points:

  • Sugar
  • Nicotine
  • Opioids

Sugar

Let’s start off with Sugar. King of the Addictions. Nearly everyone alive today has tasted sugar and know its pleasure. The unfortunate side to it is it’s in almost everything. Most sodas are packed with it. Nearly half of all Americans last year received their calories from processed foods. Unless you go natural and stick with the traditional form of eating, you are taking in a lot of sugar and/or sodium.

My obscure theory is the corporations did this on purpose. Add the sugars for the sweetness so its easier for the palette, more of a possibility for people to like the product and hopefully become addicted to eating it. Look at how many people drink soda on a daily basis. My mother for one swears on god she needs her coke every morning or she feels sick. You’re creating a dependency that your body just doesn’t need. Not only that, but you are messing up your body and organs in the process.

Nicotine

Can you remember all those cigarettes ads? How fun is seemed to be smoking with the adults. A lot of movies depicted in the 20th century had extras and starring roles smoking casually throughout the film. My issue isn’t the creative decision to depicted smoking, its the potential reality that everyone smoked that loosely. Despite the physical indicators like shortness of breath, dirty teeth, dry skin, aged skin, throat cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, death, it was widely ragarded as safe and “what people do”.

To continue my theory, I believe a fair amount of people knew its consequences. Someone had to know all these people we’re gonna suffer a fair amount of medical issues later on, right? My best guess is they did and they sold even more knowing so. Keep a population weak and satisfied, a lot less harder for a resistance or rebellion.

Opioids

So here you are in the 21st century and your body just isn’t what it use to be. Essentially, you’re dying. Parts of you are causing you pain that you didn’t know could instill pain, yet here we are. You get into contact with your doctor, you end up having all these physical conditions like obesity, inflammation and heart disease which lead to mental conditions like depression or anxiety — Now left with one solution: Get drugged up until the pain disappears and stay that way until you die.

Children most importantly, but everyone, are being prescribed these medications that cause addiction way much easier. Most walk the fine line that is treatment or overdose. Every week someone is in the news about overdosing, and that's just the weekly celebrity.

Theory

So full circle, they real world evidence is this:

  • Corporations pay the government neglect policies that would undermine their business
  • Corporations runs ads for consumers to purchase goods without proper disclosure (Government neglects to enforce policies that’ll combat this issue)
  • People are then lead into falsehood to purchase all this stuff because they are told to
  • People are now getting sick due to illness caused if not worsened by those same products and must seek medical care
  • Medical corporations are now making a fortune due to the overwhelming need for care (Due to the monopoly they have, prices can be raised no matter what)
  • Government is unable to pass a universal healthcare bill because most Republicans are taking money from medical lobbyists to prevent it

Conclusion

Modern American society followed capitalism to its core and became a literal cash funnel at the expense of its people. If you were of the unfortunate many that fell into their trap, you can see what I’m talking about. Use them within the workforce, collect taxes, make debt just a part of life so you’re always running after something and hope you live long enough to see your grandkids struggle too. That’s life. That’s the American Way.

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