[PLUG-TALK] How to be a good Democrat

[Jeme A Brelin]

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003, Russ Johnson wrote:
> I've been watching "my fellow man" for nearly 40 years. I have a lot of
> first hand experience with how stupid the average human can be.
>
> Note... I said "average". There are exceptions to this rule. However
> small that minority might be.

And, of course, you consider yourself one of those "exceptions"?

This is just arrogance.

If you observe that people are generally (or "on average") stupid, then
you should call into question your own ability to assess other people
since you are likely to be pretty stupid, too.

However, you want to think of yourself as the supreme arbiter of
intelligence and goodness, so you set your own thoughts and actions as the
ideal and everyone else as lesser (not doing what you would) or greater
(more able to do what you want than you are).

It's a bullshit, unreliable scale.

> > The problem is that in order to take this so-called "Social Darwinist"
> > perspective to any kind of logical conclusion, you end up being inhumane
> > and hurtful.
>
> Example?

Well, Russell's bit about letting people burn in their houses is a good
example.

Another example is allowing the poor to go cold and hungry because YOU
don't think they work hard enough to have things they need.

> > Um, no.  James Madison worked very hard to keep democracy out of the
> > Constitution because he didn't want to lose his wealth and power.  As he
> > said at the Convention, the purpose of government is "to protect the
> > opulent minority against the majority."
>
> That's one example.

One example of what?

> You use it every chance you get.

I think people forget it all the time.  It bears repeating.

> There were lots of other guys on that project too.

I think that if you read up on the situation, you'll find that Madison is
typically called the "architect of the Constitution" and the other folks
were generally "yes men" (with the notable exception of Alexander
Hamilton, who wanted a proto-fascist state).

> Until proven otherwise. I do just that. When someone proves (to MY
> satisfaction) that they are a complete idiot, I treat them as such.

And what did YOU do to prove to YOUR satisfaction that you're not a
complete idiot?

It's a meaningless standard.

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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