Thin Line Between Entertainment and War

Panem et circenses (bread and circuses)- The war gives us the former, the entertainment the latter. You might think one would need more than that to rule a nation of 300 million, but you'd be wrong. At one point it was very clear when a war was on. It was an all out, no holds barred, struggle for supremacy in which a draw was impossible. The rival armies would even have the decency to pick a good spot for the slaughter, meet up, and then just go for it; winner takes all. Entertainment too was a far more straightforward affair. You would go to a theater, watch a show, the curtain would fall and then it was over. You would get up, chat a bit about what you saw, perhaps think on it, then you go home to bed. Well, sadly these two once clearly defined and immensely popular activities have fallen from superb simplicity and into an abyss of ambiguity. America hasn't declared war since 1941, yet we have military forces in over a 100 countries. We don't even have a Secretary of War anymore, just one of Defence. What our government calls 'Wars' are really just aimless campaigns, the purpose of which seems to be perpetually changed for the public. I've no doubt that the powers that be would prefer a real war, but since no one wants to have a war with us, they must content themselves with just occupying regions for economic ends. They seem almost insincere when compared with other wars throughout history. To a historian like me it seems as though we are trying to perform Shakespeare with bad actors and a rewritten script. Which brings me to my second point on this pointless rant- Entertainment. This once brilliant outlet for mans imagination has also suffered greatly, and been diminished into a all day fiasco. Instead of the once a week to the theater, orchestra, poetry reading etc. we now have a media web surrounding and permeating our whole lives. Maybe movies haven't been getting worse, perhaps we just can't enjoy them because it's all we see, one repetitive day after the next. TV even goes so far to make entertainment out of reality, aptly called Reality TV. This officially shows that entertainment has taken over the entire culture, because it can all now fit neatly inside their programing scheme. The same could be said for war. You watch any news coverage of the so called 'war' in Iraq and it's just another show, or perhaps even a sporting event. Although our overseas conflicts have gotten farcical to the point of absurdity, the domestic war is very much real. If you are capable of tearing your eyes away from the media you see soaring prison populations, ethnic tensions, the police in all its various forms, and economic factors are all contributing to make life inside America anything but peaceful. The rich live in walled communities with outrageous security because they are so terrified, need I say anymore? This would all seem unusual if this was just one wild nation dancing to a tune no one else hears, but by God, the rest are starting to do the American Shuffle too! This thin line between entertainment and war is quickly becoming the foundation for every government on the entire planet. Democracy is a hollow word when it is seen as just another entertaining thing they show on TV and talk about on the internet. So is freedom for that matter. How free is anyone who will panic without enemies or get bored for a lack of colorful screens to stare at? Luckily I'm a student of history, and thus am never forced to face these strange occurrences without the ages to offer me gems that both comfort and disturb. Two thousand years ago Juvenal said this, it could have been written yesterday and still be valid:
"... 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 "