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“The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.
To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.
To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”
Same sentiment, funny presentation. What is it with British authors and this line of thinking?
I’ve been thinking that the way around this problem would be to abolish elections and decide all offices by random lottery. Single terms, and can’t be refused or avoided.
Edit: forgot to attribute; it’s Douglas Adams, “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe”
I’ve been thinking that the way around this problem would be to abolish elections and decide all offices by random lottery. Single terms, and can’t be refused or avoided.
My greatest fear is that I am elected president and expected to to do the job.
So honest, you have my vote!
Another could be to have a round table of 13 knights instead of one person, majority votes decide all decisions without the ability to abstain, and they are randomly selected for single terms of 2 years each, with different start times having 3 month gaps.
This would apply to the positions currently known as the prime minister/president, cabinet ministers/secretaries, their number 2s, and any other important positions. Bunch of round tables everywhere.
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problem with random lottery is that 50% of people are more stupid than you. a scientific board across various sciences, social, economic, technological to form a government. double terms allowed and after that they become advisors. randomly selected scientists from a pool of willing participants. say 13 people? no elections. all policy decisions discussed in the open. the board is self policing as it kicks out bad apples. obviously needs fleshing out but a better form of government than we have now where politicians can ignore science and do stupid stuff cos they can
problem with random lottery is that 50% of people are more stupid than you.
Speak for yourself, for me the number is closer to 10%
That quote always gets cut off one line short.
“To summarize the summary of the summary: People are a problem.”
I’ve been thinking that the way around this problem would be to abolish elections and decide all offices by random lottery. Single terms, and can’t be refused or avoided.
Harrison Bergeron had such a system.
It sounds odd, but I think it makes sense that only an anarchist could have written such a compelling monarchist as Aragorn. Write what you know - and an anarchist knows how upstanding a king would need to be to seem worthy.
He wasn’t really an anarchist, the quote is cut off.
The full quote follows with “(philosophical ly understood, meaning abolition of control, not whiskered men with bombs) - or to ‘unconstitutional’ monarchy.” And a lot more after that, that “…” Is straight misinformation warfare.
So he either wanted a divine right ruler or tribal warlords, not mutual aidtopia. With no molotovs! Cringe.
FYI that includes technocratic ‘masters’ attempting to trap people in controlled systems. Even if they’re capable of getting people into them, they won’t be capable of actually ruling anyone in any meaningful way.
