I've been reading a book by Eric Hoffer, "The True Believer: Thoughts on
the Nature of Mass Movements". Take a look at "Amusing Ourselves to
Death". Look at the French political scene between WWI and WWII.

But... look at "The Wisdom of Crowds" as a counterweight...

Do the 24/7 news channels make anyone aware of the facts surrounding
something, or do we get the tasty sound bites and emotional details?

F. George McDuffee wrote:
The obsession/demonization of the left
This is simply a re-play of the red/white/blue/green factionalism
that plagued the Byzantine Empire