Ellsworth Toohey has the right strategy in 2020+ (from a purely pragmatic view). People's attention spans are lower. Most people cannot watch a video longer than two minutes. A book? Most likely not.
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It is all about dealing with the current reality and being pragmatic. It also gets into a grey area, where is the line drawn between marketing and propaganda (Edward Bernays)?
Marketing/propaganda is powerful. If something is perceived as being "popular" or "cool" or whatever else, most people (especially younger people), will go along with it.
Which has always been true, but is 10x true now in the age of social media.
Yes, from a pragmatic POV Toohey is pretty much a genius. His strategy is subtle enough to go undetected by most, as it goes largely undetected in The Fountainhead.
We are in a crisis of people not thinking for themselves right now. A glory age for the Bernays, a nightmare for the rest of us.
Your essay brought back wonderful memories of reading both books a few times starting in high school. Huge influence on my life and politics. Would be great if AI could write an Ayn Rand book about Margaret Thatcher
Sounds like we both started reading them around the same time... I completely agree with your assessment. Despite my critique of Atlas Shrugged, they are both excellent books.
Just wait a couple of years, the AI will be doing that no problem!
Ellsworth Toohey has the right strategy in 2020+ (from a purely pragmatic view). People's attention spans are lower. Most people cannot watch a video longer than two minutes. A book? Most likely not.
.
It is all about dealing with the current reality and being pragmatic. It also gets into a grey area, where is the line drawn between marketing and propaganda (Edward Bernays)?
Marketing/propaganda is powerful. If something is perceived as being "popular" or "cool" or whatever else, most people (especially younger people), will go along with it.
Which has always been true, but is 10x true now in the age of social media.
Yes, from a pragmatic POV Toohey is pretty much a genius. His strategy is subtle enough to go undetected by most, as it goes largely undetected in The Fountainhead.
We are in a crisis of people not thinking for themselves right now. A glory age for the Bernays, a nightmare for the rest of us.
Your essay brought back wonderful memories of reading both books a few times starting in high school. Huge influence on my life and politics. Would be great if AI could write an Ayn Rand book about Margaret Thatcher
Sounds like we both started reading them around the same time... I completely agree with your assessment. Despite my critique of Atlas Shrugged, they are both excellent books.
Just wait a couple of years, the AI will be doing that no problem!