The Triumph of Ignorance: How Morons Succeed in U.S. Politics

The Triumph of Ignorance: How Morons Succeed in U.S. Politics

www.alternet.org

How was it allowed to happen? How did politics in the United States come to be dominated by people who make a virtue out of ignorance? Was it charity that has permitted mankind's closest living relative to spend two terms as president? How did Sarah Palin, Dan Quayle and other such gibbering numbskulls get to where they are? How could Republican rallies in 2008 be drowned out by screaming ignoramuses insisting that Barack Obama is a Muslim and a terrorist?

(visit the link for the full news article)

Hey now that's a slur against mankind's closest living relative.

This is an interesting article about a subject that many of us who have still have a few working brain cells wonder about. Just how do we end up with the idiots in charge?

The thing is people tend to support someone they think is just like they are, even if the resemblance is entirely contrived.

Back in 2000 everyone was saying that bush minor seemed like the type of guy you could sit down and have a beer with. Now they are saying that Palin seems just like an average mom.

Think about this for a minute... would you want any of the buddies you sit down and have a few beers with anywhere near the halls of power? I mean I love my friends dearly but if any of them ever got near any sort of power I would become afraid, very afraid.

A huge part of the problem is that our educational system now teaches people to take a test, not to think for themselves. Our ignorance, for a people with such power is stunning. Just in science... the average person's ignorance is appalling.

If we want educated leaders, we need to become more educated ourselves and stop all of the knee jerk voting that gets the idiots in power in the first place.

www.alternet.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 31-10-2008 by grover]

Is there any real need for any more smear campaigning to detract from policy?

Stupidity is not limited to party by a long shot. What I am interested in is why we continue what is obviously a self destructive behavior of electing those who are the least intellectually capable of dealing with the complex problems that face us.

We can do it you know we can chose people who have at least half a brain... that is unless they've all fled the country already.

[edit on 31-10-2008 by grover]

reply to post by grover


Hmm in that case, I guess it comes down to the frailty of the basic concept of democracy.

There are no true politicians in the world. There are only demagogues.

The reason for incapable, stupid people often taking the helm is that other incapable, stupid people (who seem to form the majority) identify with them.

Also, people seem averse to having brilliant visionary leaders in modern times. If Obama had said "You know what... Im not going to do anything for you. Im going to abolish your taxes, Im going to put the impetus of finding work back on you, and you have to provide for your own family", he would have been slaughtered.

Yet in the 1700s when Jefferson said the same thing, he was recognised for his true genius.

Somewhere along the timeline from 1776 to the present day, America lost its ability to recognise visionaries. Save for the occasional blips of Roosevelt, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Kennedy and Reagan.

What about people must take a test before voting? I'm tired of those ignorants fools voting and electing corrupt people in office.

But I know it's kinda against democracy, but democracy is not perfect. But I also know that implementing this kind of system would be near impossible because of the test criterias, the test objectivity, those who correct the test, ect... What about having a little government which only does what it's supposed to do:

- Protect the borders.
- Print money but let people have their own local currencies.
- Make trade deals with others countries.

Back in the day, when the founding fathers ``created`` democracy, learning and being knowledgable was in the culture... now? The culture is how being ignorant and acting cool and of course being rich. Democracy can't work in these conditions.

[edit on 31-10-2008 by Vitchilo]

reply to post by 44soulslayer


Regrettably and historically it is a major indication of a societies decline when its social, cultural and political stars are dimmer than the ones preceeding them.

reply to post by grover


Humanity is not unlike the phoenix.

When comfortable, we allow ourselves to decline in all manner of ways. In the end when stupidity is rife, the only way to redemption and renewal is mass war and crisis which only the intelligent and thoughtful survive.

With trepidation then, maybe we have to wait for the flame that will allow a renewed civilization to spawn from the ashes of this one?

I think that there are several reasons, two main ones are those:
Very intelligent people rarely choose political career due to its "occupational hazards" - aka low chance of success, dirt ,backstabbing and a lot more. Alternative career pathways are available for those people.
It is much easier for power groups that stand behind any important politician to control a less intelligent person. So those groups promote certain individuals or simply mass around existing one.
Actually a power hungry brilliant person scares me just as much as power hungry "moron" , if not more.