tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post5115052568403786159..comments2024-03-28T00:11:33.489-04:00Comments on bensozia: Dowd, Obama, and the Great Man TheoryJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-72169498572946091582015-01-25T14:56:38.258-05:002015-01-25T14:56:38.258-05:00Thank you for putting your finger on precisely why...Thank you for putting your finger on precisely why Maureen Dowd so annoys me :)pootrsoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05975929246429466067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-32125346210194288362015-01-25T14:15:48.187-05:002015-01-25T14:15:48.187-05:00This is the fundamental flaw of democracy - it ass...This is the fundamental flaw of democracy - it assumes that <i>The People</i> will be educated enough to understand the workings of the system.<br /><br />The public is grossly ignorant of how government and politics operate. Moreover, there's no impetus or incentive driving them to become educated. Consequently, public opinion is based on ignorance and distortions of reality. And this in turn incentivizes politicians to care more about swaying public opinion than about reality or governing properly.<br /><br />To use an analogy, our political system can be compared to "American Idol". It doesn't matter how objectively good a singer you are - what matters is how much popularity you can garner. A classically trained opera singer will routinely lose to talentless hacks who can better manipulate the mob. It doesn't promote good music or skilled musicians - it promotes flash in the pan trendsetters.<br /><br />Why? Because while the people voting may not know art, they know what they like - or at least, they <i>think</i> they do. Or maybe they can just be easily convinced by outside forces that they like something.G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.com