Larry D. Lauer

Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle, by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Chris Hedges, offers a compelling analysis of the success of professional wrestling. In brief, he suggests that the audiences are far larger than many of us realize, the spectacle of it is a compelling escape from reality, and a dramatic “suspension of disbelief” is in full force. In other words, there is a willingness to overlook the staging and somehow believe in its legitimacy, much the same as we do in a make-believe play.

Is that what has been going on in this presidential campaign? Both candidates have little or no credibility. So in order to vote many of us will suspend our disbelief, close our eyes, and hope for the best?

Most Trump attacks, crude remarks and misstatements have no grounding in truth or reality. Certainly everyone knows that. But somehow, many of those followers must be suspending their disbelief and hoping against hope that he can fix what is hurting them.

And with Mrs. Clinton, an aura of secrecy has built up over a long period of time… no doubt originating with her past personal crises. And so poll after poll tells us people just don’t trust her to tell the truth.

The lesson we are learning is that when candidates lose credibility their events become little more than spectacle. Then, their followers have no choice but to suspend disbelief, and replace trust with blind hope.

In this new media world the hourly nonstop implosion of misrepresentation fogs our ability to be rational, creates an acceptance of the outrageous as commonplace, and compels everyone to replace credible information with hope.

It’s impossible to be certain of the long-term psychic and social consequences of what we have been through. My “hope” is that with the benefit of hindsight we will finally come to our senses and once again affirm the importance of “source credibility” as the first principle of effective leadership.