The Rhetoric of Nod

John Ralston Saul, a Canadian writer who is currently the head of International PEN, an association of writers:

Many political leaders think that it is dangerous to speak well. In fact, they are looking to bore people – and we feel that. As a result, when we stand up and say real things, people are quite shocked.

Their content may be nearly null
but if they can only lull
their audience into the proper trance,
their agenda may advance.