7 ms·

Thanks. And I gotta love America, where professorial lectures are accomapnied by the national anthem and a military flag ceremony!

tr1ck5t3r 9y ago
Why? You are born into a system when you get to vote every few years but quite often change is only effected with violence of sorts. How is that a democracy? What laws have you agreed too, what laws have you changed and why? At least business contracts are more democratic as is capitalism because you can effect you vote by giving your business if in a position to make a choice not dictated by a lack of funds along with enough knowledge to make an informed decision. Considering fake news how can people even make an informed decision with what little time they have when not working to sustain the system which many can very as repressive some or all of the time?
truxus 9y ago
Well you don't become the largest democracy in the world by baking pies...
- c3534l 9y ago
  Are you saying the famed American apple pie hasn't been a major contributor to America's success?!
- waqf 9y ago
  *samosas
- madez 9y ago
  How is large good in a democracy? Are the Netherlands worse because they are small?
- walterstucco 9y ago
  It's not even the largest By population EU is larger than US It's not even the oldest, probably Iceland is, its parliament was formed in 930 by Vikings.
RcouF1uZ4gsC 9y ago
That is because America is not bound together by ethnicity or origin. We are not Americans because our ancestors have always lived in this place. What binds us together as Americans is the flag and patriotism. The flag and patriotism are supposed to transcend political boundaries. I for one think we as Americans need to emphasize what unites us and the flag and national anthem are two such things.
- alansammarone 9y ago
  Maybe uniting with humans in general is also a reasonable option.
- throwamilesaway 9y ago
  What you're describing as patriotism sounds like faith. Your flag is analogous to a cross or a star. Your national anthem sounds like prayers. Countries come across as religions. I digress. It seems that democracy has been hacked many times over history (thanks OPs for all the links). Honestly, what would be a feasible alternative? PS: Please do not bring up transparency; more of it won't solve it, we're being socially engineered at large scale.
- nine_k 9y ago
  I'd say Constitution and the ideals behind it. A big part of the "American Dream" is that you don't have to be of particular ethnicity; you have to play by some rules, and you have a chance to make it big.
  - KGIII 9y ago
    For better or worse, the flag and anthem are representatives of the ideals and the Constitution. We are pretty nationalistic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself.
  - JamesLeonis 9y ago
    You are correct. We are heavily inspired my Enlightenment philosophy, especially Hobbesian Social Contract theory. The Constitution is our Social Contract.
PhasmaFelis 9y ago
This is a Jefferson Lecture, "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities." It happens once a year.

tr1ck5t3r 9y ago

Why? You are born into a system when you get to vote every few years but quite often change is only effected with violence of sorts. How is that a democracy? What laws have you agreed too, what laws have you changed and why? At least business contracts are more democratic as is capitalism because you can effect you vote by giving your business if in a position to make a choice not dictated by a lack of funds along with enough knowledge to make an informed decision. Considering fake news how can people even make an informed decision with what little time they have when not working to sustain the system which many can very as repressive some or all of the time?

truxus 9y ago

Well you don't become the largest democracy in the world by baking pies...

c3534l 9y ago
Are you saying the famed American apple pie hasn't been a major contributor to America's success?!
waqf 9y ago
*samosas
madez 9y ago
How is large good in a democracy? Are the Netherlands worse because they are small?
walterstucco 9y ago
It's not even the largest By population EU is larger than US It's not even the oldest, probably Iceland is, its parliament was formed in 930 by Vikings.

RcouF1uZ4gsC 9y ago

That is because America is not bound together by ethnicity or origin. We are not Americans because our ancestors have always lived in this place. What binds us together as Americans is the flag and patriotism. The flag and patriotism are supposed to transcend political boundaries. I for one think we as Americans need to emphasize what unites us and the flag and national anthem are two such things.

alansammarone 9y ago
Maybe uniting with humans in general is also a reasonable option.
throwamilesaway 9y ago
What you're describing as patriotism sounds like faith. Your flag is analogous to a cross or a star. Your national anthem sounds like prayers. Countries come across as religions. I digress. It seems that democracy has been hacked many times over history (thanks OPs for all the links). Honestly, what would be a feasible alternative? PS: Please do not bring up transparency; more of it won't solve it, we're being socially engineered at large scale.
nine_k 9y ago
I'd say Constitution and the ideals behind it. A big part of the "American Dream" is that you don't have to be of particular ethnicity; you have to play by some rules, and you have a chance to make it big.
- KGIII 9y ago
  For better or worse, the flag and anthem are representatives of the ideals and the Constitution. We are pretty nationalistic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself.
- JamesLeonis 9y ago
  You are correct. We are heavily inspired my Enlightenment philosophy, especially Hobbesian Social Contract theory. The Constitution is our Social Contract.

PhasmaFelis 9y ago

This is a Jefferson Lecture, "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities." It happens once a year.