Isobel's laptop cursor hovered over the letters again, underlining: 'Bread and Circuses'
'Isn't this a roman term? I remember something like this during my Latin tuitions as a child.'
The article read: 'In ancient Rome, the poet Juvenal famously coined "Bread and Circuses" (panem et circenses) to describe how the Roman Empire placated its citizens with food and entertainment, distracting them from engaging with significant political and social issues.'
'This seems strikingly familiar to what politicians do nowadays… That's so conniving and shifty, maybe there are a lot less good–hearted politicians in this world than I've been led to believe. But mother would only do what's right for me, she did tell me everything I know.'
'Although I do remember meeting our local government representative and she seemed bubbly and great to be around, that surely wasn't all an act though, right? Perhaps politicians should be straightforward and true to their words, or else society is really in trouble…'
She continued to skim read the article, flicking past 'The modern bread and circuses: media and entertainment' before going back upon it and reading a little further.
'Oh… that does make sense, everyone is always talking about the latest show and the latest celebrity drama all the time, when there are major scandals within government agencies, like really hideous things…'
Isobel ruminated on how the government covers up scandals for a little longer, before scrolling down a few lines more to read 'Conspiracy theories' and she politely held back burst of laughter, even though nobody was there.
"Conspiracy theories? Does anyone still actually fall for them, I'd be ashamed of myself for being engrossed in such meaningless things…"
'I can see how they steer attention away now, its very well thought out I must admit. It makes me understand I must be far more vigilant than I have been usually, Mother says I'm naïve too, I can't keep being the little girl that gets manipulated all the time, that's not me anymore.
A wave of fury instantaneously washed down her face as she had these thoughts, her heart rate skipped a beat and compensated for it by doubling the intensity, catching her off guard and causing her to gasp and wince in distress.
"Argh!"
'I need to relax; I don't know what to do with myself anymore, I hate these heart palpitations so badly.'
She looked at her computer again, and with heavy breaths and blood rushing to her head, causing her face to slightly turn red she read about the consequences of this tactic used by government forces.
"Causes a divide in the people… that does sound familiar again, isn't that what the government does already? Instead of accounting for all their hideous paedophilic tendencies, they cover it up by dividing the people and creating discord between the public."
'Wow. They really are despicable, to think I could've been a politician myself, after all mother has great connections across a wide range of job markets… I would hate myself if I ever did those things.'
She continued to read the article as it neared its conclusion, and the word 'Hedonism' caught her eye.
"Oh my… it makes a lot of sense now." Isobel said with a scowl on her face.
'Hedonism is just a pretty name for self-indulgent and pleasure-seeking simpletons.'
"I can never grasp how people can stoop so low to just seek pleasure all their life, it holds no purpose! Imagine just being so primal where all you want to do in life is seek pleasure and avoid pain… Pain is necessary for one's growth in this world, otherwise you'd be stagnant forever."
She voice was full of reproach as she muttered to herself:
"How can someone become so slothful and just seek pleasure, what happened to using your opportunities? Even with my wealth I'm no hedonist, I worked ridiculously hard to get into Oakhaven and I used all the opportunities at my disposal to get where I am through pain and hard work, not floating around seeking pleasure like a drug addict…"
"I reckon the public are like that, the less poor just laze around all day and seek pleasure, without desire, without zeal, without purpose. It's revolting…"
She took a deep breath and saw in the reflection of her touchscreen laptop that her face was still red.
'Oh… I might've gone overboard there'.
"But I get it now, I understand society… at least a substantial part of it. The government decides to keep the poor penniless by instilling poisonous ideas into them, and people like me will never become poor because we know better. That's why I'm better than all the other poor people with no purpose, I bet that's why eric can't even get past year 1 in university" She began to laugh to herself quietly— before it was abruptly interrupted by the sound of broken glass nearby.
She immediately went over to check, only to not see anything out of the ordinary and causing her to doubt whether she really heard glass breaking at all.
'I feel a little bit better now, my neck seems better somehow now…'
Isobel began to recollect her thoughts again and said with a smile "Where was I? Ah yes, Alex. I must thank her for causing me to think this way, I would've never understood society if not for her. Now that I think about it, she enlightened me. And there I was, saying she was rambling!"
I'm so glad I found that article, and now that I think about it, I can't see myself doing any studying right now, I feel thrilled and I wont sully the moment by learning about condyles and whatnot…
She giggled to herself gleefully and closed her laptop. Upon closing her laptop, she stared into the mirror behind it, and she was startled to find a long, thin, crack running diagonally down her vanity mirror.