Are We Living in a Roman Circus? (Again)
“Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt”
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In ancient Rome, whenever the masses grew restless and started questioning the emperor’s rules and policies, they were strategically sent to the circus. Here, they were bombarded with various forms of entertainment to keep them occupied and prevent them from questioning further.
“Give them bread and circuses and they will never revolt” — Juvenal
While the Roman Circus was a physical space, in today’s technologically advanced world, we find ourselves surrounded by a virtual circus of distractions.
From streaming services like Netflix and anime, to sports, social media, and celebrity culture, these distractions have become an integral part of our daily lives.
People are now focused on the games that are played inside the field, ignoring the bigger games, being played outside the field. They’re now enjoying the games that don’t contribute in the bigger scheme of the world, and turning a blind eye to the “games” that really matter.
In this article, I will explore whether we are indeed living in a modern version of the Roman Circus, where the pursuit of entertainment keeps us blissfully ignorant of the world’s important issues.
Modern Roman Circus
In the digital age, we have unlimited access to various forms of entertainment. Streaming services provide an endless array of TV shows, movies, and documentaries, captivating us for hours on end.
Social media platforms have become a breeding ground for sharing memes, videos, and trivial information, further captivating our attention.
As a result, we have become a society constantly seeking instant gratification through these distractions, leaving little room for deeper contemplation or critical thinking.
If we were truly as intelligent as we believe, we should have already realized that various distractions hinder us from understanding how we are being manipulated.
