Is this what the Roman poet Juvenal meant by "bread and circuses?"?

Question

I turned on the tube a couple minutes ago to see how the immigration debate was going. I found Paris Hilton on every cable news channel. Paris' sister "partying" in Greece. Paris in LA. Paris free from jail. Paris to be on Larry King. Paris...Paris...Paris

"... Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man,
the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions - everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses"

-- (Juvenal, Satire 10.77-81)

Answer 1

That if Government gives a little bit to the Public, then they are naive enough to believe the Government has their best interest at heart....

Sounds a bit like Liberalism.....

Answer 2

here is the reality and that's nasty. human beings have been left at the back of interior the minds of their elected officers. The U.S. politicians see human beings as dumb and susceptible, waiting for exploitation. maximum U.S. politicians are globalists who see a destiny for the North and crucial American continents that resembles the european Union with a communist/socialist government. those "elected" officers are pushing for severe modifications interior the U.S. regardless of the purposes of the voters of the US. Globalism makes unusual mattress fellows like the Kennedys, Clintons, and trees being allied, all on the comparable edge, regardless of how human beings vote. The belong to secret societies and attend conferences the place the way forward for the U.S. is desperate devoid of the vote of the folk. in case you and the folk you realize and love prefer the U. S.. to proceed as a rustic, you face some complicated judgements which comprise overthrowing the present powers that are directing your united states in the direction of a a procedures distinctive destiny than you may think of. there'll be no center classification and little freedoms for people who artwork for a residing. the time-honored of residing for human beings will plummet, the yank Constituion will now no longer be a plausible checklist of freedom. you're able to desire to ask your self is it extremely quite worth the attempt--do you prefer to combat for what your ancestors fought to furnish you?

Answer 3

You'd think that Hugo Chavez had thought about this before messing with his people's circus. They were already short on bread.
BTW
Venezuela and President Hugo Chavez Prepare For War With U.S.11 hours ago on The Spoof (Satire)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez prepared his nation for war against the United States today during a speech in Caracas. He warned his countrymen that people might die, but that destroying the enemy to the north must be their objective. Chavez recently...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/topics/Hugo%20Chavez

Answer 4

The Romans overspent on military campaigns and owed pensions of bread to all the former military and their families.

As long as the government was able to keep up paying the pensions of bread and providing public entertainment to the non-working ex-soldiers, the government was safe from opposition by the public.

Answer 5

You hit the nail on the head. And don't doubt they're watching Paris at the White House, too.

Answer 6

Absolutely!

Answer 7

Yeah sure.

Fueled by media corporations doing "entertainment" instead of news. And, God help us, Investigative reporting.

I miss the liberal media. RIP

Answer 8

food and the circus was the chariot races.
that was all people cared about. themselves, cheap food, and entertainment.

Answer 9

Yep. Exactly it.
Distraction from reality & our current political administration depends on that so they can sell us out.