Surviving the Public Spectacle in Finance and Politics. Collectively, people think and act in ways that are different from how they think and act as individuals. Understanding these differences is vital to preserving your wealth and personal dignity. From the witch hunts of the early modern world to the war on terror, from the dot-com mania to the real estate bubble, people have always been caught up in frauds, conceits, and wild guesses—often with devastating results.