Bread and Circuses
March 5th, 2024 | 
Author: 
When I first watched the movie Gladiator, I was astonished by the amount of violence which was so much enjoyed, cheered and entertained by the Romans.
One phrase from the Roman Senator, part of the ruling elites, really struck me hard, let the "mob" be entertained so that they would leave the politics to us.
Bread and Circuses is a phrase coined by the Roman poet Juvenal. The Roman Empire ( Gaius Sempronius Gracchus 123BC) started to give out FREE wheat or grain dole (to make bread) to its citizens while organizing costly circus games where gladiators fought with great violence to numb the "mob" and keep them contented so that they would give the aristocratic elites the power to rule.
In modern days, PAP is just giving out CDC Vouchers while spending millions to bring the Taylor Swift concerts to Singapore. Expect more Bread and Circuses coming our way as the GE is getting nearer.
Of course, in modern days, there is one main difference here, remembering the famous words, "buy your votes and fix the opposition"!
Poet Juvenal:
"... 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."
Roman philosopher Cicero:
“The evil was not in bread and circuses, per se, but in the willingness of the people to sell their rights as free men for full bellies and the excitement of the games which would serve to distract them from the other human hungers which bread and circuses can ever appease.”
Goh Meng Seng
Posted in 
GMS very learned!
loading...
GMS is talking c0ck.
I always asked Opposition to give up their wealth, be poor and serve the people for FREE.
Guess what, up till today NO Opposition is willing to give up their wealth, be poor and serve the people for FREE/
loading...
West Coast is as good as gone what with the Iswahlan case hanging over it. I think this time if goondu/Lawrence does not pull out stroke Heng from East Coast then he well be saying goodbye to his political career too. Or maybe he will announce his retirement since he did say that his runway was too short to be PM hmm.
The PAP can only try their best to sweeten the ground by doing more of the same old nonsense they are good at, namely more vouchers and more cash more frequently and that’s about it. Forget about them reducing the GST to really help us all so that we do not need more vouchers/rebates oh hell no.
This is PAP we are talking about after all, they make life tougher, not better, for Singaporeans.
loading...
引用西洋古人说过的话，人家就会觉得这个人真的是很有学问。
引用中国古人说过的话，很多人就会说这个人真的是食古不化，低档！
这个世界就是这样，双标无处不在！
loading...
Good observations.
“Ong-lye” for you,EP for me ,seen just recently?
“How to invest and meditate(?) for you,some votes for me too.He got it.
And,yes,CDC /GST vouchers for you ,VOTES FOR US ,old foggiest,VOTE FOR US.
BABY BONUSES for you,kiddos and Ms Swift too,VOTE FOR US too.
Lever mine lose your “BORING” Banking jobs or IT,you can CHASE THAT RAINBOW(rain or shine) and “MAKE MORE MONEY”?
So,VOTE FOR US.
And,CONtinue “chasing that LIMBO”?
ALL ARE BODOH!
loading...
Wise up SG voters!
Do u want short term gain & long term pain as the Chinese saying goes?
The present “sucking” system is causing so much bleeding why settle for “band-aid” vouchers, rebates, etc! Need to overhaul the pappy system!
Vote Opposition This coming soon Election!
loading...
VERY WELL SAID
loading...
Think it is high time the G considers to build DEDICATED RETIREMENT VILLAGES FOR OUR ELDERLY sgs.
Elderly retirees have no income and very little social assistances that are falling behind effective COL increases.
Further ,ELDERLY SGS who sell that private homes should be allowed to PURCHASE an unit in the DEDICATED RETIREMENT VILLAGES IMMEDIATELY AND MADE TO WAIT FOR SEVERAL YEARS to buy A HDB.Thus, OLDER SGS WANTING TO DOWNGRADE IN ORDER NOT TO BURDEN THEIR FAMY OR SOCIETY FINANCIALLY DO NOT NEED TO COMPETE WITH YOUNGER SGS WHO ARE BUYING THEIR HDBs.
I am sure such a suggestion can be easily studied by the G for them to TAKE ACTION.
Retirees who sell their homes to downgrade and PLAN FOR THEIR RETIREMENT THEN NEED NOT HAVE TO DEPLETE THEIR LIMITED SAVINGS ON HIGH RENTALS.
HOPE 4G AND LW CONSIDER THIS SUGGESTION.
loading...
When politicians suggest that “Bread and Circuses” be made the ultimate aim for society we should remember that they are probably not talking about happiness at all. They are talking about ideology: their own political agendas in disguise.”
The same thing can be said for the person who wrote this piece, I think there is a concerted effort to attack the concept of the pursuit of happiness in order institute policies where you won’t have to exert effort in order to achieve it. ;-)
loading...
Singapore need jobs,jobs ,and more jobs ….good one for the Citizen.
Make sure the people are ready for the good jobs.Then no need for Vouchers and assistance scheme to survive.
Government Ministers top priority and not to bring TS to Singapore…leave TS to the people(Tourism Board ?) paid to do the job and not spoilt the Government relationship with our Good Neighbours.
loading...
Well said.
This is the hidden agenda of Opposition.
They want everything FREE without having to work for it.
loading...