3 ms·

This phenomena was called the "tyranny of the majority" by John Stuart Mill in "On Liberty". The theoretical ability of the majority to bully a minority was a b

This phenomena was called the "tyranny of the majority" by John Stuart Mill in "On Liberty". The theoretical ability of the majority to bully a minority was a big open question about the viability of democracy, which was to be determined by the American experiment. Results are mixed.

fragmede 5y ago
Subsequent to the start of it, the American experiment has shown that the implementation details of democracy are fundamental to not backsliding into dictatorship. Germany's democracy is different from USA's democracy is different from Russia's, and they all have had different results. There are other experiments to be run, too (especially with recent advancements in technology), but unfortunately we lack the necessary ingredients to test them out. Experiments like large scale direct democracy vs what's technical a republic. Centrally planned economy under a democratic system.
- giantg2 5y ago
  "Experiments like large scale direct democracy" Are there actually people that think this would work on a large scale in the US? On the other side, isn't Switzerland sort of close to direct democracy, at least in the way they require referendums?
- raxxorrax 5y ago
  Western democracies greatest danger isn't Russia, it is their own collapse into authoritarianism out of fear. You can look at Germany how it managed to create two dictatorships in short order and it still repeats the mistakes of the last century even today. The stereotype about Angst might be exaggerated, but an old population has similar attributes. Overall we didn't had much time not under some form of emergency powers. Terrorism, war, insurrections... there is always a reason the be afraid.
  - javajosh 5y ago
    With the interesting conclusion: we must all learn to live without fear even in legitimately fearful circumstances! If you cannot control your emotion, it becomes rational to ignore your reason, or even "hack" your reason by feeding it false belief. Somehow that one scene in "Airplane!" comes to mind, with the long line of people waiting to slap the hysterical passenger. The joke being that in an emergency most people are fine, a few people get hysterical, and other people cope by slapping the hysterical person in order to "help" them calm down. In the end, it probably doesn't matter; the Fermi paradox strongly implies no civilization makes it out of their tiny radio bubble alive. Consider that our own radio waves have only traveled 122 light-years into the void, and already our civilization has been at risk several times from nuclear weapons, and is now at risk because of climate change and biosphere degradation. A civilization desiring interstellar contact must prioritize it's own longevity above all else. That humans might be the first in our galaxy does not bode well for humanity's chances! Which brings me to my own favorite tool to disspel fear: zoom out, remember it's all temporary at some timescale, and enjoy the good stuff while it lasts.

fragmede 5y ago

Subsequent to the start of it, the American experiment has shown that the implementation details of democracy are fundamental to not backsliding into dictatorship. Germany's democracy is different from USA's democracy is different from Russia's, and they all have had different results. There are other experiments to be run, too (especially with recent advancements in technology), but unfortunately we lack the necessary ingredients to test them out. Experiments like large scale direct democracy vs what's technical a republic. Centrally planned economy under a democratic system.

giantg2 5y ago
"Experiments like large scale direct democracy" Are there actually people that think this would work on a large scale in the US? On the other side, isn't Switzerland sort of close to direct democracy, at least in the way they require referendums?
raxxorrax 5y ago
Western democracies greatest danger isn't Russia, it is their own collapse into authoritarianism out of fear. You can look at Germany how it managed to create two dictatorships in short order and it still repeats the mistakes of the last century even today. The stereotype about Angst might be exaggerated, but an old population has similar attributes. Overall we didn't had much time not under some form of emergency powers. Terrorism, war, insurrections... there is always a reason the be afraid.
- javajosh 5y ago
  With the interesting conclusion: we must all learn to live without fear even in legitimately fearful circumstances! If you cannot control your emotion, it becomes rational to ignore your reason, or even "hack" your reason by feeding it false belief. Somehow that one scene in "Airplane!" comes to mind, with the long line of people waiting to slap the hysterical passenger. The joke being that in an emergency most people are fine, a few people get hysterical, and other people cope by slapping the hysterical person in order to "help" them calm down. In the end, it probably doesn't matter; the Fermi paradox strongly implies no civilization makes it out of their tiny radio bubble alive. Consider that our own radio waves have only traveled 122 light-years into the void, and already our civilization has been at risk several times from nuclear weapons, and is now at risk because of climate change and biosphere degradation. A civilization desiring interstellar contact must prioritize it's own longevity above all else. That humans might be the first in our galaxy does not bode well for humanity's chances! Which brings me to my own favorite tool to disspel fear: zoom out, remember it's all temporary at some timescale, and enjoy the good stuff while it lasts.