I can watch pretty much anything and not flinch. I understand the purpose of TV in politics, the subtle propaganda, the insidious theatrics. The John Oliver show on the other hand has reached levels of manipulation that I have not seen yet with another show.
Comedy is probably the best way to do political propaganda and not get accused. It's all about the laughs after all. It is supposed to be easy, digestible material that everyone can laugh whether they are for or against a specific stance.
What makes the John Oliver Show different is that it uses all the techniques great propagandists used throughout time. The structure of the show is hypnotic and has a specific pacing. Every show is the same and uses the same tactic, same intervals, same methodology. The topics are chosen in a way that accrue into a well founded political position that is undeniably on the liberal left.
The show begins always with some random facts that do not have anything to do with one another. They aim to warm up the viewer to what is ahead by suggesting what position they should take in order to appear intellectually and morally superior. This segment takes about 10-30 seconds, then a snarky quip follows. The statements are utterly and blatantly logical fallacies in the form of non-sequitor or simply absurd metaphors.
After this, the mind of the viewer is all prepped up to receive the propaganda. The pacing starts having longer intervals giving the chance to the viewer to laugh and therefore accept the information as true. The approval comes first from the clapping of the audience that acts the same as with fake sitcom laughing. You hear laughing, so you have to laugh yourself.
This basic formula is repeated without variation 20-40 times in a row, producing small clips that form the core of the show. The end result is aimed not to deliver information, but rather to "mindbend" the viewers subconsciously to mentally associate derisive laughter with any person that seems to be on the other side of the table.
The timing is impeccable and better structured than similar shows that are designed for the same purpose (Daily Show, Colbert Report..etc). What we are witnessing is social conditioning mastery on a global level. These shows are watched routinely from people all around the world and trickle down the content to their own media. It is rather a disturbing thought to see how people can be bend on will with them not even realizing it.
These shows along with the increasingly propaganda on sitcoms and other series (from Big Bang Theory to Walking Dead, Shameless and so on) show that we are headed into a mental prison that will make Black Mirror episodes look like utopia. Most people gather their information about the world through one darn screen. News, entertainment, education, socialization all come from the same place and everything is telling them the same story. In the past the church ruled the world and almost fucked the entire planet with one book. The armory is far bigger and more efficient than ever today...
