“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and
opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.
Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an
invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
…We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical
result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast
numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to
live together as a smoothly functioning society. …In almost every act
of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in
our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the
relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes
and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which
control the public mind.”