Politics
Out of context: Reply #19031
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Lately, it seems there are too many people who confuse democracy with freedom.
Democracy is the arguably the best electoral system that humans have come up with. Perhaps there is something better, but a better solution has not yet been proposed anywhere, by anyone. We can all agree that for now, democracy is the best we've got.
But freedom is not democracy. In some ways they are in conflict with each other. Freedom of speech, for example, means being allowed to say what you want, and not be persecuted for it. But, democracy means that we're going to make decisions based on what the majority says.
This seems so simple and obvious. But, with the advent of tweeting/commenting/etc it appears that people think that their personal opinion is worth more than just one vote.
Do you think climate change is not real, or a hoax? Well, too bad. The rest of us agree with the scientific community. So don't be upset when your democratic society moves ahead with climate action. We're doing it. We agree, and you are in the minority.
Do you think the USA should have looser gun laws? Well, too bad. The majority of Americans support stronger controls.
You want to dismantle the fed? Well, too bad. Until you get the majority of Americans to agree, it's not going to happen. Nor should it. That's democracy. It has little to do with freedom.
You can make as much noise as you like (that's freedom!) but ultimately you have to live with the majority's opinion. That's democracy.
This entitlement exists on the left, too. In Canada, some in the far left want to ban oil sands development. Well, too bad, the majority of Canadians don't agree. Not yet, anyway.
You don't get to have everything your way. Freedom of speech does not mean you get to whine until things go your way. You could argue that democracy's biggest flaw is that it leaves the minority behind, but save your opinion until you have a better electoral system (and don't forget that you'll need to convince the majority to adopt it.)
- could you imagine if we designed using democracy? the results would be ugly.robotron3k
- Yes, but design is not an important part of life. I mean, it's not governing people. It's not affecting lives in the same way that laws and taxation are.nb
- Clarification: Design is not more important than any other professional field. So, it's ok that design is not democratic.nb
- Although the US is a Republic, not a Democracy.IRNlun6
- With relatively low voter turnout and a highly polarized two party political system each group lives in a bubble of it's own beliefs.IRNlun6
- Imagine your surgeon trying to save you in a democratic way, let's say all the hospital staff should vote what to do, the janitor and the cleaning lady tooyovkov
- Each side certain that their belief is representative of the country as a whole.IRNlun6
- Ok, everyone. Please do not be an idiot and compare a government with any particular profession. Governments are not surgeons nor designers nor janitors.nb
- We have a representative democracy so that policy decision are made by informed people. It's not perfect, but it's not at all like a janitor voting on a surgerynb
- You give people to much credit saying that policy decisions are made by informed people.IRNlun6
- some good points but a v.simplistic summary missing some obvious flaws.fadein11
- They're somewhat informed. The vast majority of policy decisions do not make the news. The ones that do are mostly ignored by the public.nb
- Only a few issues are discussed by the general population.nb
- @fadein11: I agree, it's very simplistic. But it was already 10 paragraphs, & I'm often criticized for writing too much! :)nb
- My point is that people confuse democracy with freedom, and they need to learn that democracy means sometimes you lose.nb
- :) I think democracy exists at many different levels and freedom is intrinsically linked to that. American democracy is too closely linked to lobbying, partyfadein11
- donors etc. It isn't true democracy at all. The UK isn't far behind. But as fair as I can see from recent decades US democracy stinks of corruption.fadein11
- Different discussion I know... and I don't have time to discuss now, trying to pay the mortgage and interest on it imposed by a banking system that also prettyfadein11
- much exists independent of democracy.fadein11
- and freedom.fadein11
- you have to stay with facts. this is too much of personal opinion. if you intend to make it a personal editorial then its ok.yurimon
- Over and out.fadein11
- Not opinion. I'm pointing out what a typical democracy offers, as compared to what freedom means. They're different, and only related to each other.nb
- "Freedom of speech does not mean you get to whine until things go your way" actually it does mean you get to whine all you want, that's kind of exactly what itburd-turglar
- meansburd-turglar