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Maintaining Democracy through Awareness
Democratic vs. Autocratic Leaders: Same Tools, Different Goals?
Is it mind control, or are many of us simply stupid?
Over the weekend, with the help of a bottle of vino, some good weed, and a deck of cards, a friend and I were scratching our heads about how so many people could be utterly bamboozled (or hypnotized, maybe?) by a single individual, one who is incapable of recognizing truth, has a double-digit IQ (I’m being generous), and has the empathy of a fire ant.
Is it simply charisma? Or perceived power or influence? Good looks? Money and status? Those who have had the most influence over my thinking have mostly been scientists, like Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan, or my college physics professor, Mr. Tinney. But I have also felt logic and reason fly the coop as I swoon over George Clooney (money, looks, fame, sense of humor) or Cary Grant (yes, even way back then I felt the pull). I may have drunk Kool-Aid if offered by JFK or Barack Obama, two of the most charismatic individuals ever to walk the Earth.
I’ve been an activist in demonstrations for or against political issues, but I’ve always believed I had made up my own mind. Was it true, or was I under the influence of a charismatic individual or group who were…
