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electing old people is another unavoidable problem with democracy. only the best connected can ever get serious backing, and it takes years to gain that kind o

electing old people is another unavoidable problem with democracy. only the best connected can ever get serious backing, and it takes years to gain that kind of backing. then there is the problem that the old are out of touch with the needs and desires of "normal people". People become strange once their sex drive deserts them. And it is the sex drive that forms society (desire for maximization of offspring survival encourages cooperation. Animals with extended gestation periods tend to be the most social. Of course it could be that being social allows for longer gestation. chicken and egg.)

Tichy 18y ago
There is such a thing as youthful folly, though. I have changed my mind on a lot of things, and I am only 35 yet. I think some experience is good for a politician.
- xiaoma 18y ago
  Can you be sure your current views are better than those you held a decade ago?
  - Tichy 18y ago
    In most cases, yes, because I see the broader picture and have information that I did not have as a young person. But of course experience tells me that I am mostly wrong at the moment, too. I guess at my death bed I will convert to religion... (no, I hope not).
brlewis 18y ago
Most older people are concerned about the welfare of their offspring. "Protector" by Larry Niven is an allegory for this phenomenon.
- kingkongrevenge 18y ago
  This is why middle-aged guys are such horrible public servants. They have their families and future careers in mind and can't do anything to upset their billionaire patrons. Reckless young people or rich old farts who know they'll be dead soon enough are better.
jackchristopher 18y ago
Our government isn't really bottom up. And you've pointed to one of the reasons; it takes a while to become popular. Otherwise, dynasties by inheritance interfere with what could come from the bottom up. And dynasties = popularity by brand. And... ...I usually can't draw the further inferences in public (too heretical). But let's I'd like to see what happens on HN.

Tichy 18y ago

There is such a thing as youthful folly, though. I have changed my mind on a lot of things, and I am only 35 yet. I think some experience is good for a politician.

xiaoma 18y ago
Can you be sure your current views are better than those you held a decade ago?
- Tichy 18y ago
  In most cases, yes, because I see the broader picture and have information that I did not have as a young person. But of course experience tells me that I am mostly wrong at the moment, too. I guess at my death bed I will convert to religion... (no, I hope not).

brlewis 18y ago

Most older people are concerned about the welfare of their offspring. "Protector" by Larry Niven is an allegory for this phenomenon.

kingkongrevenge 18y ago
This is why middle-aged guys are such horrible public servants. They have their families and future careers in mind and can't do anything to upset their billionaire patrons. Reckless young people or rich old farts who know they'll be dead soon enough are better.

jackchristopher 18y ago

Our government isn't really bottom up. And you've pointed to one of the reasons; it takes a while to become popular. Otherwise, dynasties by inheritance interfere with what could come from the bottom up. And dynasties = popularity by brand. And... ...I usually can't draw the further inferences in public (too heretical). But let's I'd like to see what happens on HN.