One Love
17th October 2009, 05:53
"In a democracy, the government IS the people"
This is trivially false. You are not "the government", and you have no control over the use of your taxes, or the public property around you. "The government" is composed of elected politicians, their friends, and the buireaucrats who implement their schemes.
2. Democracy and dictatorships are opposite.
False. While tyrannical systems do not permit real democracies while they are in power, they sometimes started in elections. Hitler was elected by the people. Mussolini was elected by the people. Mugabe )dictator of Zimbabwe) was elected by the people. Tito was elected by the people. And don't forget George Bush !
3. Democracy is individualistic.
No, rather the opposite. Democracy by its very nature makes the values of the individual subservient to those of the majority. This is why it is also called "mob rule".
4. The Internet proves that democracy works.
False. ISPs and regulating organizations like ICANN are not democratic, and do not organize public elections or votes. The Internet works because it is a more dynamic and efficient way of sharing information than has ever existed before, and to a certain extent because there is no democratic system to impose a set of popular rules.
5. Democracy is the best way to determine what to do.
If this was the case, then why does science, the most successful human endeavour, not use democracy ? Rather, we find the truth by careful, objective examination of the facts and confirmation, not by popularity contests. Popularity contests are fine for American Idol or high school, but not when it can ruin lives.
I would like to know your thoughts on these Myths and your opinions on this subject.
This is trivially false. You are not "the government", and you have no control over the use of your taxes, or the public property around you. "The government" is composed of elected politicians, their friends, and the buireaucrats who implement their schemes.
2. Democracy and dictatorships are opposite.
False. While tyrannical systems do not permit real democracies while they are in power, they sometimes started in elections. Hitler was elected by the people. Mussolini was elected by the people. Mugabe )dictator of Zimbabwe) was elected by the people. Tito was elected by the people. And don't forget George Bush !
3. Democracy is individualistic.
No, rather the opposite. Democracy by its very nature makes the values of the individual subservient to those of the majority. This is why it is also called "mob rule".
4. The Internet proves that democracy works.
False. ISPs and regulating organizations like ICANN are not democratic, and do not organize public elections or votes. The Internet works because it is a more dynamic and efficient way of sharing information than has ever existed before, and to a certain extent because there is no democratic system to impose a set of popular rules.
5. Democracy is the best way to determine what to do.
If this was the case, then why does science, the most successful human endeavour, not use democracy ? Rather, we find the truth by careful, objective examination of the facts and confirmation, not by popularity contests. Popularity contests are fine for American Idol or high school, but not when it can ruin lives.
I would like to know your thoughts on these Myths and your opinions on this subject.