“The mass manipulation has been around since the written word, but took off like wildfire with the advent of radio.”
True. However, the percentage of sponges that soak it up whole without the ability to attempt to sort fact from fantasy has reached critical mass. They have dutifully swallowed their opiates in the form of trash and “talking heads” telling them what to think, what is “in” and who to like or dislike in order to escape having to think for themselves. What is astounding to me is how many times in history this has happened and it still happens over and over again.
What would be astounding would be if it DIDN'T happen!
I do agree that dumbing down is part of the calculus, as is "bread and circuses." Human nature doesn't change just because technology does.
I'd add that in times past, it was well and commonly known that universal suffrage is more dangerous to a stable society than the worst despot.