Bread and Circuses

Are we entertaining ourselves to death?

Photo by Xavi Cabrera on Unsplash

“Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt.”

Those were the words of Juvenal, a Roman satirist in the late first to early second century. The point he was making was haunting, but clear. The ruling powers of Rome knew how to entertain the people. They also knew that if they could keep the people preoccupied with consumption and entertainment, they could keep them from revolting.

Aside from God Himself, the number one source of accountability any government has is its own people. If enough of the population takes a stand against the state, the state is powerless. America’s founders understood this and embraced it. It is the heart of the second amendment. The armed public is enabled to defend itself efficiently in the event that the state trespasses where it ought not be.

The Roman Empire understood this as well. They, however, did not embrace it. They found a way to keep the people at bay. They gave them bread and circuses. If you can turn the populace into consumers and spectators, you can rule them largely unchecked. You can get away with almost anything. In fact, you can actually rule them through their entertainment and consumption.

The Roman examples of this strategy can be quite extreme, which shows just how effective this approach can be. The Roman Colosseum is still visited and applauded by the masses to this day. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. In many ways, it has even been romanticized. Think of the many movies which include a scene of a couple falling in love in Italy with the colosseum somewhere in the picture.

We so quickly forget that in that very colosseum our brothers and sisters in Christ were burned alive and forced to fight wild beasts before the gawking spectators. The masses watched as Rome extinguished countless souls for whatever reason they deemed necessary; and they were entertained.

That was Rome. America is better than that, right?

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American Bread and Circuses

With each passing generation, the influence of the minds and hearts of the populace derives more from the entertainment industry. If this were not true, then why would anyone take seriously the political rantings of celebrities and social media influencers? They are now perhaps the most influential people in our society when it comes to public opinion on political issues. In addition to this, the press has also developed an entertainment approach. Their mission is no longer informing the public. It is now grabbing and keeping the public’s attention. That creates a slippery slope from reporting to propaganda. Bread and circuses.

The branding and advertising of major companies is no longer geared toward appealing to the public to drive sales. It is now geared toward desensitizing and teaching the public to embrace ideologies. So, while you are consuming that bag of Doritos or enjoying their ads, you are also being taught that the trans pedophile they platformed is normal, and even kind of cool. Mark my words, the only reason Doritos fired that person was because the people weren’t ready. They went too far too soon. Meanwhile, Disney continues to make sure that anyone who wants to be entertained by their movies and parks has to be at least okay with viewing homosexual acts and concepts. The masses continue watching the movies and visiting the parks. Bread and circuses.

The closest abortion center to me is located less than one block from a Chik-Fil-A. It is right next to a Mattress Firm. While you are selecting your next king-size mattress and eating a good meal, there are children being brutally murdered in plain sight. Right there. On that very same block. Right where you are. It probably doesn’t even cross your mind. Why should it? Your belly is full and you will get good sleep tonight. Bread and circuses.

Every year, the most widely watched stadium event, aside from maybe the Olympics, takes place in one of our American cities. Thousands cheer from the stands at the Superbowl and millions watch it online. Friends sit around in living rooms cheering for their teams. Many churches even host watch parties (profaning, in my opinion, the Lord’s Day). The sad reality is that the Superbowl sees one of the largest increases of sex trafficking of any event. In addition to that, based on recent discoveries concerning Epstein and the elites, at least some of that trafficking could probably be tracked to some of the very people in positions of power in our nation. But we continue watching, cheering, and waving around our big foam fingers in the stands. Bread and circuses.

The Romans had the Colosseum. We have our own colosseums in cities all over this country. Wake up and see it. That’s the first step. Call it what it is. Bread and circuses.

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