Except they’re getting neither the bread nor the circuses for free as a bribe from the government, like you would during the time where the expression originated.
On the contrary, people are increasingly unable to afford enough bread for survival without going into chronic debt and are literally taking out mortgages to afford one night of (modern equivalents to) circuses.
The only reason why the US hasn’t broken into several pieces DECADES ago is that keeping the rich and powerful from facing the consequences of their actions and upholding fundamentally corrupt and oppressive institutions is the only thing the US government is still #1 at.
Except they’re getting neither the bread nor the circuses for free as a bribe from the government, like you would during the time where the expression originated.
On the contrary, people are increasingly unable to afford enough bread for survival without going into chronic debt and are literally taking out mortgages to afford one night of (modern equivalents to) circuses.
The only reason why the US hasn’t broken into several pieces DECADES ago is that keeping the rich and powerful from facing the consequences of their actions and upholding fundamentally corrupt and oppressive institutions is the only thing the US government is still #1 at.