MEDIA WATCH: We are all Trump

Under the heading “ Todos Somos Trump” Eric E Gonzalez wrote in La Prensa Oct. 15:

FOR QUITE some time, it has been my intention to write an article on the so-called  “juega vivo”  (smart life ) in Panama.

It was my intention to conclude that the ultimate juega vivo is achieved by becoming a deputy in the National Assembly.

Winning that enviable position puts us voters in the plight when Americans say the joke is on us.

And why wouldn’t it be if we put these citizens, many with the general cultural level of a talingo (a  predatory blackbird seen swooping  around Panama ) in such well paid jobs?

It is no surprise, then, that to reach these positions, we are mocked by such distinguished citizens.

It is no longer an honorable career of service, but an easy way to make money, rob others,  and”freeloading. “

Meanwhile, many of our college graduates do not enjoy the supposed economic boom and, predictably, eventually will be frustrated and inevitably join the ranks as  new “viva juegos“.

Recent history made me think. … The United States has exceeded the “juega vivo” creed.

The country boasts of promoting democracy in the world, it has shown that such a system, given certain conditions, generates mutations, for lack of a better term.

In this case, the mutation is named after Donald Trump. It is no longer only senators or congressmen juega vivos who  can become president of the United States.

Its  citizens, distressingly, have to choose between two candidates like swallowing cod liver oil oil: Hillary Clinton (political career, more of the same, is not a little saint) and Trump (product of showtime civilization , a dangerous clown ).

“Civilization of the Show”, a name borrowed from the book by Mario Vargas Llosa, is governing our lives.

It is not a secret that we are bombarded daily with negative ” unaccountable”cultures with  no long-term benefit, and only serve to distract us for a while  , often at the expense of a fool that lends itself to be humiliated in front of millions of people, as in so-called reality shows.

Trump is the product of such reality shows, and we must recognize that he knew how to take advantage , knew how to use television and how to yurn  the handle.

This became more evident when Leslie Moonves, president of CBS television Corporation, said Trump “cannot be good for America but is very good for CBS … The money keeps coming in and this is fun.”

Moonves added: “I’ve never seen anything like this, and it will be a very good year for us … Sorry, it’s terrible to say, but we want more, Donald.  “.

Such irresponsible remarks summarize the state of the sources of global entertainment, including Panama.

The ratings command, and, as Paco Gómez Nadal wrote  “the juega vivo is more prestigious than the intellect.”

The sad and alarming reality is that win or lose, the Trump damage is already done.

The world learned nothing from Hitler’s Germany.

Trump’s rise means that you can still have the circumstances in which a charismatic charlatan can attract the masses and cause much damage.

And it will remain so until citizens learn to be responsible and informed, and we demand from our business and  governmental institutions respect and integrity.

If we do not, we will remain the joke, and therefore, we will all remain Trump.