Artifice In The Empire Of Illusion

People that appear in the public eye such as political leaders and celebrities must create a persona for the people they are entertaining or leading. In Empire of Illusion, Chris Hedges discusses how he believes that artifice is a skill that anyone who is a public figure should have mastered. Without using the art of artifice, many public figures could not be where they are today. Since not using artifice will typically bore the people they are trying to persuade, it is essential for public figures to “use a faux intimacy” to make citizens and viewers pay more attention to them.
For a political leader, convincing the public that they will provide all their promises and more, is essential to helping them win their campaign. The figure may not be “competent, sincere or honest”, but they can fake it. This will help their viewers begin to build a trust with them, and begin to believe their ideas. However, if a candidate chooses not to build a persona, some people will find them dull and may stop being
This can help a public person create their persona. However, with people all over the world watching their almost every move, a public figure can either use the media to their advantage or it could destroy them. Therefore, the figure who is best at deception at all times has the best chance of capturing the people's attention. People typically like to pay attention to others who have an interesting life, seem to be kind and honest. Having the public be interested in a public figure helps figures publicity grow, helping them gain popularity. The internet is not a secure place and information can be leaked in an instant, and a persons persona could be destroyed. However, they can still attempt to rectify the damage that has been done. If everything goes well for the figure they will then appear more sincere and honest to society, and they will be able to thrive in culture that seeks drama and