Politicians are complicit and they know it. Politicians have money to dispense and everyone one else is scheming to get their share. They are willingly being played by scientists, NGOs, cronies and the media. Politicians revel in their power. They can step on anyone and make their life miserable.
Will those who pander to the agenda of the powers that be receive preferential treatment?
In some regimes criticism is not tolerated. The DPRK and the ISIS caliphate come to mind. Regulators have power that is to be feared by the regulated.
People have learned that fear releases government money. Every time environmentalists come up with another doomsday scenario the NGOs get on board, cronies line up to ‘solve’ the ‘problem’ and the media hype the new ‘worry’ because, well, the world is just full of them you know. The media love a good scare story because it sells advertising. Do the media have an incentive to keep the scare going rather than to investigate the truth of the claims? If the media find out the ‘scare’ is bogus does the story and the advertising disappear? Is there less value in uncovering the truth and bringing fraudsters to light than in perpetuating the nonsense? Or is the media ideologically tipped toward government complicity? Traditional media in the MSM are also facing competition from the internet world of bloggers, youtubers and alternative news websites. Can kissing the feet of the powers that be lead to preferential treatment in getting a story first? Can kissing the feet of your regulators keep them off your back?
Everyone seems to benefit from the continuation of the scare, real or imagined, except the people who have to pay for it.
Can incentives be that perverted by the money and power available in the political process? Why are you laughing? I hear you.
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