Re: The "stupid" masses
Robin Hanson (hanson@hss.caltech.edu)
Fri, 27 Dec 1996 12:05:35 -0800 (PST)
Michael Lorrey writes:
>> This is a direct example of my claim. You see people vote for
>> politicians you don't like, and you conclude it must be because they
>> have been fooled, that they are under an "illusion". Maybe, to the
>> contrary, most voters are well aware of these various negative aspects
>> of our political systems. Maybe the reason they don't all demand a
>> change is that they don't know of a better political system.
>
>WHich, if change were needed would be obvious evidence of stupidity. If
>they had any intelligence they would be demanding change with all sorts
>of bright ideas.
Is it *obvious* to any intelligent person that specific known radical
changes would make most everyone better off? To the contrary, I think
holding this opinion is a clear sign of over confidence. I'd probably
favor political experimentation in the same direction you would, but I
have no illusions that we're sure of the consequences. Political
systems are *complicated*, damn it! There is much we do not know.
Robin D. Hanson hanson@hss.caltech.edu http://hss.caltech.edu/~hanson/