PANEM ET CIRCENSES🤡
BREAD AND CIRCUSES
I was out with a friend last night and what I saw somehow stuck with me. So, I do what I do when something keeps my mind occupied, I write about it to
a. make sense of it
b. get it out of my system.
My friend and I went out to dinner and went to a bar for a drink afterwards. I was not really surprised to see about 50% of the guests in the restaurant being occupied with their phones - albeit I always wonder what could be so important to spoil your dinner or perhaps people find it easier to text with one another rather than talk. Admittedly I once endet a date very quickly when the man found his phone more interesting than me. I briefly wondered if I was just boring but dismissed that very quickly. But I am drifting off. The restaurant wasn’t what surprised me, sadly I have gotten used to seeing people not interact with one another even if I simply cannot make heads or tails of why they would go out then anyway.
It was what I saw at the bar we went to afterwards, that really surprised and even shocked me. I don’t often to bars as I am not much of a drinker. I do realise that many people go to a bar to meet someone. However, the ratio of those on their phones was even higher than in the restaurant, or so it seemed. I observed some of the guests and I was flabbergasted that they rarely even looked up and when they did it was to find their drink and take a sip.
All of this unfortunately makes total sense to me. The phrase panem et circenses (bread and circuses or bread and games) immediately came to mind. Panem et circenses refers to a concept prevalent in ancient Rome, where the government would provide its citizens with free food and entertainment in the form of lavish spectacles, such as gladiator fights, chariot races, and theatrical performances. The phrase highlights the strategy employed by the ruling class to keep the population content and distracted from important political issues and matters of governance. Now doesn’t that sound and feel familiar?
“Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.” — H.L. Mencken
What is happening in our modern world is no different. Even if living is becoming more and expensive as is good quality food, the unhealthy fast food and convenience food sector is what feeds a vast majority of the population and it shows. Obesity is on the rise in most Western nations and the development, especially in children is terrifying as obesity in childhood has become an epidemiological burden. This is the panem or the bread bit of the deal.
The circenses bit or the circus in our modern and so-called developed world come in form of trash television programmes - I have good reasons for not having turned my TV on even once in the past 3 years - social media, computer games, and most of all our mobile phones - where all of it is available 24/7. I am the first to admit that I am on my phone too much and am in the process of seriously reducing my screen time. On a side note, I sleep so much better now.
This circus, or this game has been the only life line for many during the COVID plandemic. It was the only possibility for a vast majority of people to somehow get their next dopamine kick and feel connected to the outside world. We all know that the lockdowns led to isolation, loneliness, depression, and has had the effect of people to go from social to anti-social beings. The consequence being that we can see a loss of empathy and also a rise in narcissistic behaviour, especially when you consider that feelings of a minority have apparently become so much more important than actual facts.
“Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy the Church. America Hollywood.” — Erica Jong
What bread and circuses can lead to is shown beautifully in this clip from the animated film Wall-E from 2008. It seems like we were shown where this all could be going rather sooner than later.
“Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.” — George Carlin
Personally I believe it is time to leave the circus.
🎶My Song for you
Is this great and simple song by Talk Talk - Life’s What You Make It!
For more good music, go to this Spotify playlist where you can find all the songs from the Change & Evolve Letters!
📚My Poem for you
Is by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
Each Life Converges to some Centre
Each Life Converges to some Centre — Expressed — or still — Exists in every Human Nature A Goal — Embodied scarcely to itself — it may be — Too fair For Credibility's presumption To mar — Adored with caution — as a Brittle Heaven — To reach Were hopeless, as the Rainbow's Raiment To touch — Yet persevered toward — sure — for the Distance — How high — Unto the Saint's slow diligence — The Sky — Ungained — it may be — by a Life's low Venture — But then — Eternity enable the endeavoring Again.
👀Impression
Another spectacular morning view…
Are you still going to the circus and are playing the games or are you leaving?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, leave a ❤️ or send me a message. I always love hearing from you.
Wishing you a fantastic day wherever you are.
Yours
Tanja 🤗
Change & Evolve and feel free to get in touch
Great post Tanja. As I read it I thought of the Taylor Swift circus which arrived in Australia a few weeks ago. We had the biggest audience of Swifties yet - almost 100,000 in a huge stadium over many nights and a mini economic boom for Sydney and Melbourne. Then the govt handouts are ramping up and in the UK many people don’t work. Now universal basic income is being planned. No wonder Apple developed its VR headset. It looks like it is the plan for humanity’s future.
Frohe Ostern!