To control the narrative around a foundational scandal, those in power can create or amplify smaller, emotionally charged events. These "fast food" issues, like protests or riots, serve as a magic trick to redirect public focus and anger away from the more complex, systemic problem.

The trial's primary goal was not justice but to delegitimize Charles VII. By convicting Joan as a witch, the English hoped to prove that Charles's coronation was a "satanic fraud," thereby restoring the legitimacy of their own claimant to the French throne.

Public figures' careers follow a predictable arc of rise, excitement, and eventual controversy. Their survival depends on a simple equation: if the drama of their downfall is more interesting or valuable to the public than their actual contributions, their career is effectively over.

People are more infuriated by hypocrisy than by open corruption. Because a figure like Trump doesn't pretend to adhere to any ethical norms, he can't be accused of being a hypocrite. This blatant shamelessness acts as a shield, making traditional attacks based on norm violations ineffective.

An administration has no incentive to fully resolve a major public scandal because its unresolved nature makes it a perfect "red herring." It can be used repeatedly to distract the public and media from current policy failures or other damaging news, making perpetual ambiguity more politically useful than transparency.

Despite major political scandals, much of the public remains unalarmed because their daily routines feel unchanged. The abstract nature of high-level corruption fails to register as an immediate threat when life seems normal, preventing a collective sense of shock or awakening.

The court ritual where Joan "identified" the Dauphin she had already met was a deliberate piece of political theatre. This staged "pantomime" was not a genuine test but a public relations exercise designed to cement the narrative of her divine gifts and the Dauphin's legitimacy in the minds of the entire court.

The UK arresting a royal for misconduct demonstrates a willingness to hold elites accountable that the US Department of Justice has seemingly lacked. This action spotlights the US's failure to prosecute powerful individuals connected to the Epstein scandal, suggesting a deficit of institutional courage.

Constant exposure to scandals and amoral leaders creates a deep societal yearning for basic decency and good character in public figures. The value of having trustworthy role models in power becomes starkly apparent only in their absence, making it an underrated commodity.