Bernays & Lippman: Sounds like a law firm.

But at least we don't have to worry about what is happening in their law firm. We can sit back and be given information, take that information, form our beliefs and then vote for whatever choice we chose, which will ultimately lead to us voting for whatever it was that they wanted in the first place.

I believe that Bernays and Lippman's ideas work together and it is evident in everything we see around us. Bernays is in favor of swaying the public opinion for the good of the public and to introduce new ideas to keep society moving forward and preventing it from becoming stagnant.

"New ideas, new precedents, are continually striving for a place in the scheme of things...these ideas are socially sound and constructive and put an end to worn-out notions...they are minority ideas, for naturally, but regretably, majority ideas are most often old ones."

The public does not take well to new ideas. New ideas "threaten" what the public is used to. They scare the public. New ideas help to foster development in a society, though, and they must be heard and pushed forward when they can help a society to grow. I believe that this is how Bernays views persuasion. As a tool useful for advancing the human race as a whole by "manipulating" public opinion.

Lippmann addresses the fact that we, the public, can't be bothered with most of the decisions that need to be made in a society and we don't let ourselves become bothered. Our decisions are made by those people we deem responsible enough to make them. Whether we have an actual hand in choosing those people or not is a complete other topic.

Lippmann makes some great points. He mentions that the individual lives in a world which he cannot see, does not understand and is unable to direct. I would have to agree. He also includes a great quote from Robert Michels, "...the majority is permanently incapable of self-government," and another from Gustaf F. Steffan, "even after the victory there will always reamain in political life the leaders and the led."

We as the public chose to be led, whether consciously or unconsciously. Would any one of us step up to the plate and make a decisions about going to war? Half of us cannot even carry out the simple task of voting, a constitutional right given to us by our leaders. We remain to be led by those in charge and we remain to live in a world where we cannot see everything that happens behind the curtains. Would half of us even care what happens behind the curtains if we could see?