the opium of the people


the opium of the people

That which creates a feeling of false happiness, contentment, or numbness to reality. Adapted from Karl Marx's description of organized religion. But all of this superstition is of course just the opium of the people, designed to make you feel better about the chaos of the world and the fear of death, while remaining in service to an organization that directly benefits from your financial contributions. All of these pieces of technology, these video games, these television shows, they are all just the opium of the people, keeping us blind and numb to the machinations of the corporations and politicians that control everything.See also: of, opium, people

the opium of the people

or

the opium of the masses

The opium of the people or the opium of the masses is something that makes a lot of people feel happy. He saw religion as the opium of the people. I see the reality show as the new opium of the masses. Note: This phrase was used by Karl Marx to describe religion. See also: of, opium, people

the opium of the people (or masses)

something regarded as inducing a false and unrealistic sense of contentment among people. This idiom is a translation of the German phrase Opium des Volks, used by Karl Marx in 1844 in reference to religion.See also: of, opium, people