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In a democratic system everyone should be fair game to hold office, that’s the whole point. What you’re advocating for is aristocracy and leading to phenomena s
by bilvar 2y ago
In a democratic system everyone should be fair game to hold office, that’s the whole point. What you’re advocating for is aristocracy and leading to phenomena such as career politicians existing, who are leeches to productive societies.
- Tainnor 2y agoIt would be aristocracy if you had to be born into it. Now, I'll admit that the US system of mostly only very rich people getting access to top universities is not exactly fair - but you can in principle become a politician no matter your background. I don't think it's crazy to assume that qualifications matter. And most of the US's best presidents (such as Lincoln, both Roosevelts etc.) were highly educated and had had political careers before.
- bilvar 2y agoErr no. Let me educate you a bit. The word aristocracy is an ancient Greek word that means “Rule of the most capable/best”.
- Tainnor 2y agoI'm aware, having taken Ancient Greek in high school, thank you very much. Meanings shift. An aristocracy is not a meritocracy and is mostly distinguished by its reliance on social status instead of actual merit. See e.g.: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/aristocracy https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/aristocr...
- bilvar 2y agoI’m Greek so I’m using the actual meaning of the word, not the one produced by Western hegemony.
- thfuran 2y agoBut we're speaking English.
- fuzzfactor 2y agoI know what you mean, we've come a long way from "Honest Abe" to "Dishonest Don" :\
- ks2048 2y agoI don't see a connection between "career politicians" and non-"productive societies". Corrupt societies can be corrupted by career politicians or a revolving door of temporary politicians.
- bilvar 2y agoI never said that there is a link between career politicians and unproductive societies. I said that whenever there is a productive society, there will be career politicians leeching on it.
- fuzzfactor 2y agoWhen you can't be productive yourself, you leech off the biggest thing you can, in the hope you can go un-noticed until the parasitism has been forgotten and you can convince people you are a symbiotic life form :)
- Lutger 2y agoThere is a difference in qualifying for having prior experience and for being born into a certain family. Trump inheriting around half a billion dollars is Aristocratic, Kamala Harris having a successful career in politics is not. Trump's success in only partly due to his inheritance though. I'd liked it more to a charismatic religious and authoritarian leader.
- fuzzfactor 2y agoEveryone is fair game but most often experienced leadership is what is preferred and gets elected because overall, people who have a choice don't want "just anyone" to end up as president even if it is technically open to all. One of the worst travesties in any organization is when there are non-leaders occupying leadership positions for any reason. And that is already too common in areas where people don't have a choice.