…We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind."

~ Edward Bernays, Propaganda

The above quote by Edward Bernays exposes a truth rarely understood by the common man, but it speaks volumes about the reality of the voluntary imprisonment of the minds of the collective masses. Certainly, this is evident in visual stimulus such as is used by the large and controlling media moguls, but it goes much further than is perceived by most. In my opinion, this has led to a state of mass hypnosis among the populace at large.