The Original Bane

Whenever you look at an influential person on screen, be it of a TV or a magazine, you ignore the ones who work behind the scenes. They enjoy the cloak of invisibility while they have a proper grasp on reality. One such character is Steve Bannon. Although he’s not really a quiet character, he has silenced quite a lot since he came to the forefront of American politics. He is the Chanakya to Donald Trump’s Ashoka; a terrible analogy by all means but the idea is to give intelligence due credit. Unlike Trump, Bannon isn't a fool who plays to the gallery. He masterminded the Trump campaign so effectively that there is no parallel to be found in the West today. And more you read about his controversial insights, the more you become convinced how wrong the mainstream media (MSM) was—throughout. It’s one thing to predict a football match score and quite another to orchestrate the entire match. Going by his record, Bannon was more correct than incorrect—much much more correct than MSM, no doubt—not just about the general public mood but the general public mood in different states. Of course, we aren’t reading articles full of accolades for Bannon thanks to his leaning. It's too early perhaps to celebrate hatred. Not that he seems to care because he’s busy charting out the future of his country, no matter how desperately bleak that may be.

Let’s back up a bit and check Bannon’s background.

Back in the 90s, his company produced Seinfeld, that groundbreaking show about nothing. It became so immensely popular that NBC bought it. This sweet deal made Bannon loads of money and Jerry Seinfeld the eventual richest entertainer in the world. Bannon went on to pursue different vocations, dabbling in media as well as showbiz. He seems to understand the string theory of power and influence. Going by the almost-white team that Trump has been selecting, Bannon certainly has a plan for the USA. In the coming months, more and more surprises and unsurprises shall unfold. Whatever happens, it’s worth wondering whether Trump would have been the POTUS-elect today if Seinfeld wasn’t the success it was and continues to be today.

Blowing your own Trump

2016 would be remembered for a lot of things. Some highs. Too many lows. And then there would be Donald Trump; a person so remarkable that it’s becoming impossible to ignore him. A few years ago, you might have chuckled if somebody had suggested that Trump would be one step away from Presidency someday soon. Or worse, enter the White House in November of 2016. Just like you’re chuckling now at Kanye West aspiring to run for president in 2020. But this is the reality that we live in and there’s no escaping from it. A dicey billionaire with utter disregard for anything in general has managed to find a strong fanbase who assume he answers their true calling. It’s ridiculous, yes, but ever wondered why we’ve reached this point of no return? For all his apparent idiocies, you can be assured of one thing from Mr. Trump and that’s entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. His love for television has surely come in handy. He’s like that drunk uncle in your family who says the darnedest things and you’re left with no choice but shake your head. You can’t do anything about him. You can’t change his views no matter how grossly medieval they sound. The worst part being, his words don’t matter because he is too drunk to do anything about it. That’s exactly how it is with Donald Trump. The only difference being he can do a lot of damage as he’s thirsty for power, not drunk on it. You can’t change his racial-misogynistic-deplorable opinion about things around him but at the same time, you want him to be there. Insofar, he fulfils your criteria of a monster—real or imagined—who would say anything to gain attention. However, the sickness of his vocabulary is making us miss the most important aspect of his rise: our tendency to give importance to things that make noise while ignoring the wise ones who don’t believe in screaming.