“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary”
— H. L. Mencken
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Simplified Meaning:
People in power often try to make citizens scared by talking about many different dangers, even if those dangers aren't real. When people are scared, they want a strong leader to protect them. This technique is used to control the public and make them feel they need the help of their leaders. For example, a politician might exaggerate a threat from another country to make people feel unsafe. In response, people may support that politician more eagerly because they believe he or she can keep them safe. To apply this understanding in life, it's important to question whether the threats we hear about are real or if they are being used to manipulate our emotions and decisions.
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