[scarmig]

A cold comfort is that there's no real selective pressure to become more adept at it: fool at least half the population (for certain values of half) most of the time, and you don't need anything else.

In some ways, it being grotesque is part of the appeal. Being subtle about it takes away the domination politics aspect of it, and what's the point of politics if it's not to hear the wailing of your enemies underfoot?