tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post109529406448148629..comments2024-03-22T06:05:36.544-04:00Comments on Kids Prefer Cheese: Democracy is Overrated Mungowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340064320347875601noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-1095430957626669762004-09-17T10:22:00.000-04:002004-09-17T10:22:00.000-04:00If what the government is up to is so important wh...If what the government is up to is so important why does no one pay attention?<br /><br />Fun with online quotation searches:<br /><br />"Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor."<br /><br />-James Russell LowellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-1095391811497514482004-09-16T23:30:00.000-04:002004-09-16T23:30:00.000-04:00A few things...
Some argue that there are ways aro...A few things...<br />Some argue that there are ways around the total ignorance of the common voter. Some even use terms like "rational ignorance" to make it not seem so bad. It isn't necessarily true that lacking knowledge of political facts means one can't make informed political decisions. Some also refer to on-line processing theory, where voters tally up their likes/dislikes, but almost immediately forgeting the relevant information used to update their "running tally." Also, there is the use of heuristics that can also help people get around their apparent ignorance of political facts. Yes, this is all quite optimistic, but I would like to sleep well tonight.<br /><br />Also, even if all voters were perfectly informed, I would never claim that majority = morality. That is just scary to me. Government laws are just government laws. Democractic rule is not some way of "getting to morality". It has to do with governing a polity, which isn't the same thing. Yeah, I'm not Hobbes. And when I say this, I'm also thinking of the religious right, who wants to "legislate morality." Crazy guys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-1095337750778671272004-09-16T08:29:00.000-04:002004-09-16T08:29:00.000-04:00K. Grease is already registered Libertarian.
(You...K. Grease is already registered Libertarian.<br /><br />(You can check Wake County database!)<br />[ http://www.wakegov.com/general/elections/search.htm ]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-1095334581428022532004-09-16T07:36:00.000-04:002004-09-16T07:36:00.000-04:00I agree...a depressing lot.
I guess we'll both be...I agree...a depressing lot.<br /><br />I guess we'll both be registering libertarian :)Ralphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17325763469570356704noreply@blogger.com