4 ms·

The Left has no less cranks, they just know better when to shut up.

• PeterisP 12y ago
  Knowing when to shut up is the major difference that determines if your opinion will be treated by others as 'non-mainstream but interesting' or 'weird radical quack'.
  • 1ris 12y ago
    Yes. But it does not make you any more fit for government, nor ideas better. It's just better PR.
    • PeterisP 12y ago
      It definitely does make you more fit for government. If I support opinion X and want it to succeed, I should work hard to ensure that those who support X but don't know when to shut up get ignored, ostracised and removed from any public speaking positions in "my party"; so that in the public discourse the supporters of opinion X are represented by people who know when to shut up - because they will help X, but the cranks (with good motivation) will only hurt the cause. Similarly, if two parties both support X but one doesn't know when to shut up, then you should vote and support only the other party and weaken the too-radical one.
    • lutoma 12y ago
      Meh. Knowing people active in most bigger German political parties and the inside scoop they talk about, they pretty much all have the same amount of cranks. Just varying levels of PR budget to cover it up, plus better structures to prevent them from getting relevant.