“C” grade is general and self-evident: Farrakhan’s demagoguery includes a reliance on religious bombast, oversimplistic dualism (either/or), manipulating fear and guilt, and fanatical religious control.
“A” grade is more specific and insightful: Farrakhan is an effective demagogue because of his ability to borrow from the psychology of religion, which includes a Messianic vision, orthodox control, patriarchal authority of his “children,” and exploitation of people’s spiritual vacuum.
“B” grade is adequately specific but safe and self-evident: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” paints a damning picture of the philistine, a lost soul beleaguered by an all-consuming interest in money, an unhealthy reliance on stereotypes, a fear of change, and an indifference to Mystery.
“A” grade is specific, more argumentative and takes intellectual risks: Whereas “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” renders a society beholden to greed and cheap entertainment, its moral bankruptcy pales in comparison to the moral abyss rendered by today’s mega-hit American Idol, which serves up a dish of narcissistic delusion, voyeurism, cruelty, and vicarious fame-mongering unlike any age in history.
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