I love this analogy, and would add that causality is essential here.
The reason the Santa-State lost legitimacy is because as greater understanding of cognitive manipulation using well-financed and targeted media permeated, and as campaign funding regulations fell, primary inputs into the Santa State's decision-making transitioned from the people as a whole, to the wealthy and connected.
Within the analogy you provide, there still ARE kids to whom Santa doesn't bring everything they're asked, and those kids still can come to the conclusion that they're "bad" when they don't get the toys their friends at school do. But it is exclusively among the lower classes that this happens, and not the wealthiest or best-connected.
The Santa State didn't shift because it had too much power, or because it used it, but because that power was no longer connected to the well-being of the people as a whole. It's not that authority can no longer judge, it's that judgement only falls on some, and not others. That's how support for a state that makes judgement calls collapses.
Santa Prime members will get their presents tomorrow instead of Thursday 🤣
Hahahah John. I’m framing this!
🤣 Have a good one 🧑🏻🎄🎁🚀
I love this analogy, and would add that causality is essential here.
The reason the Santa-State lost legitimacy is because as greater understanding of cognitive manipulation using well-financed and targeted media permeated, and as campaign funding regulations fell, primary inputs into the Santa State's decision-making transitioned from the people as a whole, to the wealthy and connected.
Within the analogy you provide, there still ARE kids to whom Santa doesn't bring everything they're asked, and those kids still can come to the conclusion that they're "bad" when they don't get the toys their friends at school do. But it is exclusively among the lower classes that this happens, and not the wealthiest or best-connected.
The Santa State didn't shift because it had too much power, or because it used it, but because that power was no longer connected to the well-being of the people as a whole. It's not that authority can no longer judge, it's that judgement only falls on some, and not others. That's how support for a state that makes judgement calls collapses.
👍👍