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Good question! It probably depends on the concept? It is easier for me to picture separation of power or periodic elections as binary concepts than freedom of s

Good question! It probably depends on the concept? It is easier for me to picture separation of power or periodic elections as binary concepts than freedom of speech which in its most extreme form might cause severe problems. However, I think as long as a nation strives for those ideals and consider them when taking decisions, I think it is on the good path to not fall into authoritarianism.

mistermann 4y ago
> It is easier for me to picture separation of power or periodic elections as binary concepts than freedom of speech which in its most extreme form might cause severe problems. There is what you "picture", and then there is what is. There is also what other people "picture", and then there is what is. And then there seems to be a sort of phenomenon whereby if enough people "picture" something a certain way, it ~effectively becomes what "is". Regardless: there is how ~power is described to the population of "democratic" (free, law-based...."all the memes") countries, and then there is what is actually true. In my experience, the vast majority of people not only believe in, but insist upon not-entirely-true narrative representations of what is going on, as opposed to considering what is actually going on. This phenomenon can easily be seen in others, particularly the members of one's outgroup members, but seeing it in oneself and one's ingroup members is...."not easy". > However, I think as long as a nation strives for those ideals and consider them when taking decisions, I think it is on the good path to not fall into authoritarianism. Do you think that "strives for", "those ideals", "consider" are true/false binaries, or spectrums? Do you consider most Western nations to objectively fall into a non-authoritarian bucket, on an absolute scale? (This one is tricky, it's like the "This is Water" meme about two young fish swimming, and an adult fish swims by and says "How's the water boys?" and they say "Water? What's water?".)

mistermann 4y ago

> It is easier for me to picture separation of power or periodic elections as binary concepts than freedom of speech which in its most extreme form might cause severe problems. There is what you "picture", and then there is what is. There is also what other people "picture", and then there is what is. And then there seems to be a sort of phenomenon whereby if enough people "picture" something a certain way, it ~effectively becomes what "is". Regardless: there is how ~power is described to the population of "democratic" (free, law-based...."all the memes") countries, and then there is what is actually true. In my experience, the vast majority of people not only believe in, but insist upon not-entirely-true narrative representations of what is going on, as opposed to considering what is actually going on. This phenomenon can easily be seen in others, particularly the members of one's outgroup members, but seeing it in oneself and one's ingroup members is...."not easy". > However, I think as long as a nation strives for those ideals and consider them when taking decisions, I think it is on the good path to not fall into authoritarianism. Do you think that "strives for", "those ideals", "consider" are true/false binaries, or spectrums? Do you consider most Western nations to objectively fall into a non-authoritarian bucket, on an absolute scale? (This one is tricky, it's like the "This is Water" meme about two young fish swimming, and an adult fish swims by and says "How's the water boys?" and they say "Water? What's water?".)