>AMG asked:
>: Can we focus on greater involvement by increasing direct participation in
government and eliminating the "them vs. us" syndrome that our so-called
representative government is degenerating into?
Anton Sherwood responded:
Got news for ya: government is inherently adversarial - if it weren't, it
wouldn't need force. If you're serious about "eliminating the `them vs. us'
syndrome", concentrate on voluntary action *outside* the domain where every
action is a defeat for somebody.
AMG questions:
Is it possible that the force that government occasionally uses is due to
the lack of participation by those effected by lack of fair and equitable
representation? Is it possible that the system is so non-representative --
and becoming increasingly so -- because of the constraints imposed on those
selected to be our representatives by monied special interests?
Is it possible that increased, and improved education with a stronger focus
on scientific method, critical reasoning,emphasizing independent and
skeptical thinking might result in a small first step towards eliminating
the "them vs. us" syndrome? Is it possible that increased involvement by
those many people who feel disenfranchised, frustrated and disgusted by the
the present system might, through their activism, help the present system
evolve?
Are there other more realistic, practical and viable alternatives that can
be effectively implimented over the short, intermediate and long term?
AMG