I can see why they try to sell it to us. What is puzzling is why people buy it. In ordinary life it seems to me that people are generally pretty shrewd and sceptical. So what happens to them that they will accepot manipulation from on high which they woudl see through in a moment in ordinary life?

There's a question that always get mentioned in relation to people in public life "Would you buy a used car from him?"

And the truth is, when it comes to that kind of face to face dealing, most people do use their heads, and they aren't taken in by glib talking. Some are, but I think they are the exception. But time and time again the same street smart people vote for candidates that no sane person would buy a used car from.