[thechat] "Democracy can be bad for you"

[matthew garrett]

> From: Ben Dyer <ben_dyer at imaginuity.com>
> Actually, you missed my point.  "Stupid," in this case, referred to the
> public at large.
> 
No I didn't really miss the point. I was going to defend the unwashed
masses, but I got side-tracked on the dubya theme. I can, of course, discern
that the general public is stupid - I just try to avoid saying it.
One of the reasons is that a lot of the general public can turn out to be
kind, caring, people who will do the right thing in a real crisis.

If you are in an accident, whom would you rather be the first to stop and
help?
a) investment banker
b) internet intellectual - perhaps even a fellow evolter
c) person who works a full time grunt job, listens to Rush Limbaugh, and who
pays to keeps his EMT certification up to date through regular training and
testing in his "spare" time.
d) artist

Don't care who he/she voted for, I'll take 'c'.

Is that the general public we're talking about?

Or is it the general public who can't see past their navel? Who won't park
in the vast sea of empty spaces, when they can drive around for 5 minutes
looking for a spot that's 30 feet closer to their instant gratification?

matt