p. 69-70
“
A form of influence such as advertising sets out intentionally to insulate reactors (mindless consumers) from the more conscious and critical selves (potential abstainers) not by multiplying alternatives (as laisser-faire advocates of the market economy would like to believe) but by provoking dormant and partial desires in a way that circumvents the normal, conscious, rational process.
— Benjamin Barber
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "A form of influence such as advertising sets out intentionally to insulate reactors (mindless consumers) from the more conscious and critical selves (potential abstainers) not by multiplying alternatives (as laisser-faire advocates of the market economy would like to believe) but by provoking dormant and partial desires in a way that circumvents the normal, conscious, rational process." in the context of "p. 69-70" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Benjamin Barber" (Quotes, Forced to be Free (1971): Forced to be Free: An Illiberal Defense of Liberty, in Superman and Common Men (New York: 1971))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Benjamin Barber
Benjamin R. Barber (August 2, 1939 – April 24, 2017) was an American political theorist and author, known for his 1996 bestseller, Jihad vs. McWorld.
About Benjamin Barber
Benjamin R. Barber (August 2, 1939 – April 24, 2017) was an American political theorist and author, known for his 1996 bestseller, Jihad vs. McWorld.
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