the public can identify itself with the government, like for instance, if you ask most people in the US, they are either democrat or republican. The government in turn, likes to identify itself, pinpoint the source of its politics, thereby defining itself as the opposite of the opposition. So eventually the public will end up getting more polarized.

he had watched every single episode of southpark. based on the flavour of the day, drew would choose the episode of southpark he wanted everyone to see. without making it really obvious. i am not sure he was even conscious that he was doing it. for instance, sexual tension meant an episode involving blow jobs or old fashioneds, mars rover landings on the news or the maids rants about  alien holograms on earth would mean an alien related episode. This pattern was essentially an undercurrent, many brains in a small room, thinking the same thing.
One often suspected drew of being far more intelligent than he led people to believe. Something deep and mischievous.
i lived in drew's house sporadically. he let me hang out there when i wanted a dose of the city. I am not sure what he got in return, guess he just wanted someone to hang out with. but i had a job to keep, and couldnt let myself hang out to dry completely, ever. So i never thought of making the stay permanent. and it worked out. it was time to get serious though, get wet my toes in the mainstream again.