Yes, I would say the modern version of the Roman principle of
Bread and circus, which was a way to rule people, is hype; it's like
Hype of the people, by the people, for the people. The pretension is, we are all equal, but like it's been said in connection with the French revolution,
When the people get the power, who gets it? My judgment - now that was a nice word
- after strolling this earth for nearly 56 years is, most humans want to be ruled, even controlled. Enter, bread and circus, and hype. Perhaps George Orwell didn't describe a bad place, in his book 1984? Perhaps he gave a description of a pleasant society and system, in neat satisfaction for citizens? The Nazis had
Arbeit macht frei as a slogan in Concentration Camps, but not one jew got free by Arbeit - the meaning of the slogan was universal, indicating that
When you do your job, you're free - you don't need to think of anything else, directed towards true Germans. And that, my friend, is pretty much what we have: do your job,
and the State / System will take care of everything else. Responsibility is not yours to worry about, the "State" takes care of it.
Oh my, I go preaching...
Interesting, one definition of hype is "to jump / step on thin ice". I continue with my nostalgic club:
Lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jethrotull/skatingawayonthethiniceofthenewday.html