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AEL

What a bunch of hooey.

The advantage of democratic societies is that they allow for regime changes without the need for civil wars. Thus they prevent bad outcomes rather than assist good outcomes. (i.e. by allowing those who lost to have a kick at the can again in four years, you encourage good losers.)

Furthermore, you give no evidence that thoughtful citizenry play any role in the success of democratic societies.

Next, you slam your fellow citizens. People do think, but they think about what is important to them. Just because they don't think about things you consider important does not mean they don't think. And also, you talk about 'they' and 'them'. I assume that this means you consider yourself a thinker, and not one of the hoi polloi. I suppose this makes you 'feel' better than them.

Finally, a successful long lived society needs some inherent conservatism. We stand on the shoulders of giants, not only for our scientific progress, but also for our societal structure. It is entirely rational to give great value to systems and structures that have worked in the past. Being inside the herd is pro-survival.

Plus, those who think they they can engineer societies often end up being called monsters in the history books.

David Hyland

Lot of stuff packed into that retort, AEL. Looking forward to a response from LM. I suspect a proper unpacking would be a bit involved; but he is a teacher.

La Tricoteuse

I agree. Our republic is based on the notion that the government will be elected by a thoughtful and informed electorate. The phenomenon you describe is a function of the combination of expansion of suffrage with utter (evolved into deliberate) failure to educate that electorate. Elections and ad campaigns both are so much easier when the audience can't think its way out of a paper bag.

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