One thing that never changes, populists always like to put on a show for their sheeple.
Anyway she is using the presidential helicopter and Axel K is using another governmental helicopter to get to their spectacle. A tax payer funded one-party event. Just what we need in a time of grave economic crisis.... let the show begin.
Certainly your statement above is entirely true. But it implies that
only populists do this, and that is not true. Everyone does it.
Furthermore, pageantry is one of the few concepts which is equally valid in both military and civilian contexts. Military pageantry is an enormously effective tool, which is why all military organizations make use of it. North Korea is a
master of military pageantry, and often makes use of massive numbers of civilians in its pageants. This works because NK is a highly militarized society; most nations could not do this.
This video is about is about three and a half minutes. If you can stomach it, try to step back from your revulsion as an American, and watch what they're doing with a neutral, scholarly eye. Now think about it from a choreographer's point of view. Look how perfectly synchronized it is. There are a quarter million people, at a rough estimate, and everything they do is picture perfect. I can't imagine how many hours of practice it must have taken.
Obviously, there are a million and one cheap shots that could easily be taken, but that's not conducive to
learning. Pageantry & Propaganda is a teachable, learnable skill, and a very useful tool.
