The darkest places in hell are reserved for those
who maintain their neutrality
in times of moral crisis.
~Dante
A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships but can be found in some democracies. A cult of personality is similar to general hero worship except that it is created specifically for political leaders. The development of photography, sound recording, film and mass production, as well as public education and techniques used in commercial advertising, enabled political leaders to project a positive image like never before. It was with these circumstances in the 20th century that the best-known personality cults arose.
Generally, personality cults are most common in regimes with totalitarian systems of government, that seek to radically alter or transform society according to revolutionary new ideas. Often, a single leader becomes associated with this revolutionary transformation, and comes to be treated as a benevolent "guide" for the nation, without whom the transformation to a better future cannot occur. This has been generally the justification for personality cults that arose in totalitarian societies of the 20th century, such as those of Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. The criticism of personality cults often focuses on the regimes of Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Ceauşescu, Saddam Hussein, Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-Il. During the peak of their regimes, these leaders were presented as god-like and infallible. Their portraits were hung in homes and public buildings, with artists and poets legally required to produce only works that glorified the leader.
4 comments:
Very powerful imagery, though I'm sure comparable pictures could be found any US politician. If you want another interesting Wikipedia article, check out Reductio ad Hitlerum.
One key difference between the Hitler Youth and the "Obama Youth" is age and accountability. Hitler Youth was made up of bright, strong young German boys that were taken out of their schools and away from their families to be raised as soldiers by the German military in camps. Though the "Obama Youth" are called "young," they are at least 18-year-old adults granted the privilege by the US government to choose the leader of their country. Obama wants to start a civilian corp of young people, so that they have another option besides: a) join the military, go to Iraq and get shot, b) get a minimum wage job, c) go to college, get in debt, then get a minimum wage job. One is about kidnapping and indoctrination, the other is about options and opportunity. See the difference there?
With any leader (political, religious, entertainment -- hell, the coach of a football team) there are fanatical followers. For an interesting comparison, watch the documentary Jesus Camp. In the film there is a section in which children at a summer Bible camp are instructed to pray to God to protect the God-appointed President Bush.
I guess the point of all this is to say, "Quit living in fear." Change is ever present. Accept what you can tolerate, embrace what you like, and rail against what you don't. But don't fear it, because that accomplishes nothing.
Anyway, Fear is what little old ladies who buy LifeAlert and AARP insurance succumb to. And you're not that old, yet.
Okay, boss I won't be afraid...but I can still see the writing on the wall.
And as far as Life Alert...it's a useful tool for frailty. Grandma has fallen 3 times with serious injuries all three. The second time, all grandpa could do was hand her the phone as he is blind and couldn't dial 911. She was in so much pain with a broken hip and femur that it took awhile. The third time she fell she had life alert and just pressed the button.One of the greatest things for the older generation is to help them remain independant. Most young people just want to shove them in a home somewhere...you know out of sight, out of mind sort of thing.
Insurance through AARP is a great medicare supplement. It pays what medicare doesn't. If Mimi hadn't had 2ndary AARP insurance, I'd still be paying off bills from her demise with cancer.
i understand your concerns about personality cult. i am a little disturbed to by the hysterical love that some possess for Obama. he is an impressive and charismatic man, but the hype that is being generated around him is annoying and counterproductive to his coming administration as it fuels his enemies. i do not feel that he is personally responsible for the O cult (hahaha!) that has developed around him. his existence, the very idea of him, is a cultural phenomenon, and i think we'll have to put up with it and actually watch what he does rather than absorb the millions of things said about him. i'm glad he was elected, but i didn't vote for a messiah, just a president. i am also glad that if he turns out to be a shit, he'll be gone in four years rather than thirty.
"...he'll be gone in four years rather than thirty."
There's a strong and subversive movement behind him...it is not just about him, he's their spokesman ... It's the extreme left winged Democrats of which the media is a part. They have been the corrupt influence in Washington for several years...and they have painted blame on Republicans. They have manipulated the masses...it is very sad.
I was right about Sue Bachman, Bob Levy etc...why doubt me now?
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