He did
not know that throughout the country, even in that early day, a system
was being built up to create the myth of greatness. At the seat of the
American Government at Washington, hordes of somewhat clever and altogether
unhealthy young men were already being employed for the purpose. In a
sweeter age many of these young men might have become artists, but they had
not been strong enough to stand against the growing strength of dollars.
They had become instead newspaper correspondents and secretaries to
politicians. All day and every day they used their minds and their talents
as writers in the making of puffs and the creating of myths concerning
the men by whom they were employed. They were like the trained sheep that
are used at great slaughter-houses to lead other sheep into the killing
pens. Having befouled their own minds for hire, they made their living by
befouling the minds of others. Already they had found out that no great
cleverness was required for the work they had to do. What was required was
constant repetition. It was only necessary to say over and over that the
man by whom they were employed was a great man. No proof had to be brought
forward to substantiate the claims they made; no great deeds had to be done
by the men who were thus made great, as brands of crackers or breakfast
food are made salable. Stupid and prolonged and insistent repetition was
what was necessary.
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