The topic of prevailing representation of people and politics at a given time is a function of power rather than truth is successfully shown through the film "Wag the Dog" directed by Barry Levinson, was a political satire which focused on how the Presidential campaigns are focused on superficial and manipulative techniques to make the candidates look upstanding and patriotic and a newspaper article named "Truth overboard-the story that won't go away" by The Sydney Morning Herald which reviewed the Tampa crisis also known as the Children Overboard during 2001. Both of the texts highlight the abuse of power by political leaders, as well as power of media images to control public opinion and also emphasizes that the prevailing representation of people and politics at a given time is a function of power instead of truth.
Firstly, in the beginning of the film, it introduced with a military style drumming combined with the banjo in the beginning which appealing to the heartland of America with a quote: "Why does the dog wag its tail? Because a dog is smarter than its tail. If the tail were smarter, the tail would wag the dog" This metaphor used to describe the power and control between two entities, where in this case used to describe the media and the naive nature of people or the politicians and their control of the media. This emphasizing how the politicians are able to manipulate and control the public through the media. Highlights that the prevailing representation of people and politics at a given time is a function of power instead of truth as if the public were smarter they could be the ones controlling the situation but it is not really a case of being smarter, it is more a case of the politicians being able to manipulate the public as they are less critical than they thought to be. It also indicates that instead of the government serving the will of the people, the government is directing that will where is pleases.
