renard_ruse
Break up Amazon
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Posts
- 16,094
I think the 21st century is becoming the post-democracy era. More and more countries are moving away from democracy. Many countries claim to be democracies but really aren't.
For example, the US is no longer a democracy (I know some idiots try to split hairs about "republics" vs. "democracies." For purposes of this thread they are considered the same).
In the US, democracy has died due to three main factors: 1. political correctness. In a real free democratic country, no view would be politically "incorrect." You obviously can't have political freedom when some views are deemed "incorrect" and de facto banned.
2. controlled media. A handful of large media conglomerates control 99% of the media and all promote the same views. The entertainment industry also spouts the same views on a 24/7 basis.
3. narrow political spectrum/both major parties in cahoots. Unlike the ridiculous meme that the controlled media has planted in low information morons' brains that the "problem with America is partisanship and obstinate political "extremism"" the reality is that, in fact, there is little to no real difference between the two main parties anymore. Within the two main parties, any views which deviate from the leadership's current agenda are ostracized and pushed out of the party. Both parties more or less agree on most major issues, but put on a show over symbolic differences on relatively minor issues. Third parties are structurally disadvantaged and have no hope of winning anything on a national or even state level.
In California, instead of trying to widen the political spectrum and include more diverse views with for example proportional representation, a few years ago they changed the system to deliberately try to narrow the spectrum and keep so-called "extremists" out of elected office by instituting primaries when all parties candidates run against each other. Those behind the change admitted the goal was to minimize the chance that "any conservatives" or liberals considered "too far left" would win anything.
The EU is the biggest undemocratic joke of all. Anti-EU parties have their best showing in history, and what does the European elite do, but double down on European integration. The EU leaders pretty much admitted they don't care what people vote for.
Democracy is truly dead, but this might not be so bad. Maybe its time to move on from the great experiment and leave it in the 20th century. But let's at least be honest about it.
For example, the US is no longer a democracy (I know some idiots try to split hairs about "republics" vs. "democracies." For purposes of this thread they are considered the same).
In the US, democracy has died due to three main factors: 1. political correctness. In a real free democratic country, no view would be politically "incorrect." You obviously can't have political freedom when some views are deemed "incorrect" and de facto banned.
2. controlled media. A handful of large media conglomerates control 99% of the media and all promote the same views. The entertainment industry also spouts the same views on a 24/7 basis.
3. narrow political spectrum/both major parties in cahoots. Unlike the ridiculous meme that the controlled media has planted in low information morons' brains that the "problem with America is partisanship and obstinate political "extremism"" the reality is that, in fact, there is little to no real difference between the two main parties anymore. Within the two main parties, any views which deviate from the leadership's current agenda are ostracized and pushed out of the party. Both parties more or less agree on most major issues, but put on a show over symbolic differences on relatively minor issues. Third parties are structurally disadvantaged and have no hope of winning anything on a national or even state level.
In California, instead of trying to widen the political spectrum and include more diverse views with for example proportional representation, a few years ago they changed the system to deliberately try to narrow the spectrum and keep so-called "extremists" out of elected office by instituting primaries when all parties candidates run against each other. Those behind the change admitted the goal was to minimize the chance that "any conservatives" or liberals considered "too far left" would win anything.
The EU is the biggest undemocratic joke of all. Anti-EU parties have their best showing in history, and what does the European elite do, but double down on European integration. The EU leaders pretty much admitted they don't care what people vote for.
Democracy is truly dead, but this might not be so bad. Maybe its time to move on from the great experiment and leave it in the 20th century. But let's at least be honest about it.
