Around a hundred years ago, H. L. Mencken (journalist and free-thinker) spoke these words:
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
Mencken absolutely loved politicians because they gave him daily stupid-material to write about. In simple terms, he'd open up a front-page.....read a dozen lines, and he had all he needed to write an editorial about the ways of the world. People generally respected his opinion.
'Hobgoblins' as used in this quote...was an American word creation, taken out of Germany. It was a non-existing creature who came out of the spirit world, and designed originally (500 plus years ago) as a nice and helpful creature who often entered your life to help you but always triggered mischievous situations to occur. Religious groups would eventually condemn the creature...adding more negative weight to the idea...saying it was more 'demon' than 'angel'.
'Hobgoblins' today? The term always ends up as a negative point in chatter.
In today's world, if Mencken existed? Having political action 24 hours a day....forum chatter on a nightly basis....politicians claiming to save you almost every single evening...laying out drama after drama on a night-by-night basis....Mencken could probably write a 300-page book weekly.
A couple hundred years ago in Germany....locals cranked out Hobgoblins (Kobolds) on a monthly basis. Germans needed fear and entertainment, so the Kobold concept was a great concept.
Germanic mythology tended to say that Kobolds were generally unseen (invisible) but could come out of form (humans, animals, fire, or even a candle).
The neat thing about this Kobold creature...it could live quietly in your home or in clothing. In those days, you'd make up a big story of a Kobold living off in a mine or pit, or well.
Looking around today....even in Germany....folks probably view the Kobold creature in dozens of ways, and the political/journalistic crowd are there as your protectors from the bad Kobold.
Maybe for keeping people in line, or just continually worrying about something....the Hobgoblin or Kobold is a great creation. It's just at some point, you will wake up and figure out....he's a bit created or a bit imaginary, and then what do you do?
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