Just to echo and amend Don Larsson's recent posts (good work, mon): "Anyone who doubts the power of monotony is a fool." That's another bit of wisdom from our friends, Horkheimer and Adorno. And Don's right (thanks, Don) for recommending "The Culture Industry" as part of this discussion. Written in 1944 (published, rather) on the boot-heels of Hitler, their observations are not only still valid today; they've outstripped their applicability exponentially. As far as the suggestion of "a taxonomy of stupidity" -- where to begin? Amy Amy Nelson Department of English Rutgers University [log in to unmask]