Nice idea, Mike. Barack will need to show battle wounds before sending other people's children off to Syria.

(Click the PDF: the original article is in English.)
"Successful politicians have always been marketers of a heart-warming tale about their candidacy. Behind the scenes, their PR agents deliver a well-spun story attacking their rivals as elite, misguided, and uncaring. The 1993 federal election in Australia was seen as an un-loseable election for opposition leader John Hewson. Hewson conscientiously spelt out all his policies in a 650-page volume, called Fightback. The underdog, Paul Keating, fought back with just rhetoric, and won. Whether you were pro-Labor, pro- Liberal, or a swing voter, the lesson was learnt, and has never been forgotten— the better marketers win, the fact-tellers lose."

Do you know the story of Coriolanus? The Romans had a law against ambition. Ambition - ambling; to amble - walking around: actively seeking public support while a candidate for elected office. Of course, such a law could not be enforced, at least, not enforced _fairly_. Still, the people expected Coriolanus to show his battle wounds as evidence of his service to Rome. Narrative is very old.

Very few people are high-minded enough to seek and evaluate facts when personalities and personal stories are offered. As you say, it is within the structure of the brain. But perhaps the brain continues to evolve... We can only hope...