Ancient Greeks had the labors of Hercules. The Midwest had Paul Bunyan and his blue ox. Our frontier heroes were Davy Crockett “killin’ a bar when he was only three.” Recent giants were JP Morgan or Howard Hughes. Tall tales, absurd stories, grand exaggerations have always been entertaining .
The Greeks half believed in the half god Hercules, think of that as you will. Only children thought the giant and his immense ox once roamed the prairies. Those who cared realized that a lot of the stories about real life folks were apocryphal.
But the internet age has turned into a festival of credibility. Folks seem to believe anything at all, as long as it fits in with their worldview and is entertaining. If some AI visionary presented a Paul Bunyan “documentary” I think half the people who saw it would think him at least as real as the aliens shown on other channels .
All in great fun. Until it gradually slides into malicious lies from entertainers who wish to be rulers. There is no greater example of how power and fame corrupt absolutely. Promise anything. At least some of the voters will believe it .
Somewhere, obviously, our education system – designed to preserve a reasonable citizen democracy – has completely failed. Anyone who claimed to be Paul Bunyan or Hercules reincarnate could probably get elected. Oh Tempe! o mores!
HuntingtonHarborThoughts 