The system also does a pretty good job of ensuring the masses are distracted. E.g. plenty of hype & reporting surrounding things like celebrities, sports, movie

The system also does a pretty good job of ensuring the masses are distracted. E.g. plenty of hype & reporting surrounding things like celebrities, sports, movies, and games. To contrast that very little substantive reporting occurs on issues that matter. Then when finally a crisis ends (like the cold war) and we can hope to focus on improving justice and social issues we end up entering a new period to distract us like the drug. More recently we can use the war on terror as a distraction from the financial crisis--note our preoccupation with ISIS instead of a focus on the social issues that are becoming an increasing drag on the US economy.