“...mass market consumption offers the facade of social equality without forcing society to go through the hard work of redistributing wealth. Low prices lead consumers to think they can get what they want without necessarily giving them what they want - or need. The ancient Roman phrase for this is panem et circenses, bread and circuses, the art of plying citizens with pleasures to distract them from pain.” ValueCheapConsumerMass Consumption Book:Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture Source: Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture