The esteemed royal surgeon, Dr. J. sent this kind note to your Mandarin in response to this post:

Inscrutable Mandarin,

Nice post. It’s been too long.

If I recall, America evolved into a corporate state in Robocop where there was a significant level of crass commercialism in everyday life. The company OCP, ran the police, for example…

Best,
Dr. J.

Well, Dr. J. is correct on both points – he is a doctor after all. It has been far too long since your Mandarin has had the opportunity to post. Unfortunately, your Mandarin had been pre-occupied with his father-in-law’s struggle against brain cancer which he recently succumbed to.

Regarding “Corporate America”, with the recent acquisition of the auto industry by the Obama administration and the all too cozy relationship between it and General Electric the lines between government and commercialism have been blurred. Your Mandarin imagines the day when the President is giving a speech from the Oval Office and behind him is a digital advertising board like you now see behind the batter at a baseball game.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.