Although these sentiments aren’t new, Alexis de Tocqueville having called democracy ”the tyranny of the majority” back in 1840, and Disraeli, after the vote had been extended to a larger part of the population in 1870, declared ”Now we must educate our masters.”
Democracy is flawed all right, but it’s still the best practical option we have, at least for the foreseeable future, so monumental cock-ups like the carnival of ignorance that is Brexit are bound to occur every now and then.
I often find it helps, when contemplating the latest appalling mess the world has concocted, to recall BL’s overall perspective, ie ”the world is a shithouse” (the chronically problematic world created by man, that is, not the natural planet).
I really do think you NEED to watch the news far more, Arps. Make it a meditation (as the saying goes) for just a month – each day, morning, noon and night, without fail. Then see where you’re at re ’the world’ (and the media)….
Thanks, Arps, I agree with Dawkins pretty well 100% here. In fact, I think this deserves to be aired on prime-time tv..
SD.
The way he has addressed this is spot on,
but really grates against ’'Liberal’’ ideas.
Again the PC police would go mad, and agree with Micheal Gove, setting up the most god almighty cognitive dissonance event.
Although these sentiments aren’t new, Alexis de Tocqueville having called democracy ”the tyranny of the majority” back in 1840, and Disraeli, after the vote had been extended to a larger part of the population in 1870, declared ”Now we must educate our masters.”
Democracy is flawed all right, but it’s still the best practical option we have, at least for the foreseeable future, so monumental cock-ups like the carnival of ignorance that is Brexit are bound to occur every now and then.
What else to expect in such a world though?!
The larger the decision, the more complex the question; seems to me we are always going for the lest bad of available options.
I often find it helps, when contemplating the latest appalling mess the world has concocted, to recall BL’s overall perspective, ie ”the world is a shithouse” (the chronically problematic world created by man, that is, not the natural planet).
I’m not that much of a pessimist really.
I tend to focus on what I appreciate, whilst making an effort not to do a Pollyanna.
SN is far more of a positive for me, than negative. A lot more. ☯
I really do think you NEED to watch the news far more, Arps. Make it a meditation (as the saying goes) for just a month – each day, morning, noon and night, without fail. Then see where you’re at re ’the world’ (and the media)….
✌(-‿-)✌