Gore Vidal | As societies grow decadent

"As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it. Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests."

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal | The modern dictatorship doesn’t come with brown or black uniforms

"What is a president, then? He is the mouthpiece of the corporations - and nothing else. [....] We are no longer a democracy. We gave up our constitution long ago. [....] The modern dictatorship doesn't come with brown or black uniforms. We do it with entertainment, with television, with fun, fun. And an education that dumbs down."

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal | chaos of superstition, misinformation and prejudice

"At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation and prejudice."

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal | We are the United States of Amnesia

"We are the United States of Amnesia, we learn nothing because we remember nothing."

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal | The corporate grip on opinion

„The corporate grip on opinion in the United States is one of the wonders of the Western world. No First World country has ever managed to eliminate so entirely from its media all objectivity – much less dissent. „Of course, it is possible for any citizen with time to spare, and a canny eye, to work out what is actually going on, but for the many there is not time, and the network news is the only news even though it may not be news at all but only a series of flashing fictions…“

Gore Vidal