beer.. by ~bilinc6Nietzsche has argued that the will to power, the will to not only survive but to dominate, is the fundamental driving force of all life. The will to truth, by contrast, is subsidiary. We seek truth in order to increase our power. But Nietzsche regards truth as an artificial construct. The powerful are capable of creating truth as an exercise of power and as a means of extending their dominance.
One need not subscribe to Nietzsche's nihilism in order to apply his doctrine. Substitute "perception" for "truth" to get an apt representation of modern American political discourse. Political candidates and elected officials vie for power. Their spokespeople, surrogates, press secretaries, talking points, and war rooms are tools for shaping public perceptions in order to exercise power and achieve their objectives. We often call such exercises "spin".
A politician's ability to control perception is proportional to his or her power. A totalitarian regime which controls the media can shape the perceptions of its citizens to a considerable degree. American politicians must rely on less direct mechanisms--subtly manipulating the press, exploiting access to privileged information, pressuring officials and politicians, and taking advantage of the authority of public office.
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