"In fact I think now we've reached a point now, where the powers that be really have sort of vested interest in all of us being stoned out as much as possible all the time so we don't know what's going on, and we don't care"

This quote by Lester Bangs suggests that the powers that be, or those in positions of authority, have an interest in keeping the general public in a state of ignorance and apathy. He implies that they want individuals to be "stoned out" or under the impact of drugs, so that they are unaware of what is happening worldwide and do not care enough to do something about it. This might be translated as a criticism of the federal government and those in power, as Bangs recommends that they are actively attempting to keep the general public in the dark. He suggests that this is performed in order to preserve their own power and control, as individuals who are uninformed of the fact are less likely to challenge it.