The mere fact that people have appealed to the basest human instincts throughout history doesn't, of itself, mean we haven't turned some invisible corner. This

The mere fact that people have appealed to the basest human instincts throughout history doesn't, of itself, mean we haven't turned some invisible corner. This seems to be essential to how cybernetic systems work. It is true there has always been an appetite for trash. It's also true that the forces of industrial psychology and sociology have never before been so mobilized to maximize consumer behavior and minimize critical thought. It's not one or the other -- it's both.