In this article I described why having a democracy is a horrible idea, particularly if your goal is to live in a free, well-run country. In that article, I suggested that if someone wanted democracy (and I do not), then voters should at least be required to, among other things, take a test that required them to point at a major country on a world map, like Japan. I also said that 60-80% of Americans probably wouldn’t be able to do something this simple.
Sometimes I underestimate the stupidity and ignorance of the typical person. It may actually be worse than I thought. Here’s some admittedly anecdotal and unscientific evidence. Check out this Jimmy Kimmel video:
His staff pulled people off the street, showed them a world map with no names, and told them to find ANY country on the map. ANY country, including the US!
Just watch what happens. People are completely baffled. They can’t locate a single country… including their own country. Some could name a continent, confusing continents with countries, and even then they weren’t sure (“Uh, is this Africa?”).
Now I know what some of you are going to say; that they did this to tons of people and edited the video to only show the few idiots who didn’t know anything. Yes, I realize this happens and I’m sure it happened here. I also realize they kept going back to the same woman who didn’t know anything even though she was a college graduate (still think college is a good idea?). Granted. Think about this through: do you seriously think they had to do this to hundreds of people only to find a handful who couldn’t find a country?
I don’t. I’ve asked questions like this of my fellow Americans and I’ve observed the same thing: people don’t know shit. People are horribly stupid and ignorant when it comes to basic knowledge like this. As a matter of fact, someday I want to conduct an experiment like this; pull random people off the street and ask them to find any country, and track the percentage of people who can’t. I’m 100% positive that the percentage will be huge.
Here’s the main point: These are the people voting in your elections. Whenever you say “more democracy!” or “one person, one vote!” these are the people you want deciding how your country is run. Democracy means management by idiots. I personally don’t want idiots deciding how my country is run, but apparently most people do, since modern-day people seem to worship the concept of democracy.
Of course, there’s always the possibly that pro-democracy people actually want complete idiots to vote in their elections, since they know only complete idiots would go along with their insane policies…
Hmmmmm…. Florida just passed a law that allows felons to vote… Hmmmmm….
Here’s one more question to leave you with. Do you think that 100 years ago the typical American was this stupid? Do you think the average city-dweller in 1918 couldn’t find any country on a world map?
I know the answer. I think you do too.
What does that trajectory indicate? I know what it indicates to me.
Enjoy the decline!
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Dandy Dude
Posted at 05:36 am, 18th November 2018Since I was a child I’m convinced that’s the case. But again, this is older than dirt: Plato was denouncing democracy back in the old days already. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Ramphastos
Posted at 06:28 am, 18th November 2018When it comes to democracy just think upon how dumb the average voter is. Then remember that 50% of them are dumber than that.
Dmnt
Posted at 06:52 am, 18th November 2018That video is insane…
I find it almost unbelievable they couldn’t even locate their own country, I kept thinking “these must be actors playing dumb” but I guess I’m probably wrong…
Even someone with no education(not even the most basic) whatsoever would have seen a map of their country(the US, in this case) many times on the news, or the weather forecast, or anything like that. How could you then not find the one that’s shaped exactly like that? It’s not like it’s a tiny country that gets lost among many others surrounding it.
Caleb Jones
Posted at 07:16 am, 18th November 2018Haha! Good point!
You’ll notice that they only person who could point out the countries was a little kid. Why? Because he was currently in school and was taught this stuff, so it was right on the tip of his memory. I’m positive all these other idiot adults were taught this stuff in school as well, but the split second they left school, they shifted focus away from this kind of knowledge and focused instead on all the usual human bullshit (paying their bills, raising their kids, drama in their monogamous relationships, etc).
What shocks me is not how dumb people are. I’ve always been aware of that. What shocks me is that it doesn’t dawn on anyone what a terrible idea democracy is if voters are indeed that dumb.
It’s stunning to me that not one time have one of these left-wing, pro-democracy advocates looked up at their friends and said something like, “You know, most voters are pretty dumb. I know this might sound crazy guys, but, I don’t know, maybe turning over management our entire nation to these people isn’t a good idea…”
MoChnk
Posted at 08:01 am, 18th November 2018I can top that video. Here is another video showing how Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel doesn’t know where Berlin is, the friggin capital of the country she’s leading.
Here’s the translation:
Angela Merkel points to Moscow and says: “This should be Berlin, right?”
Then the other woman shows her Berlin’s location on the map.
Angela Merkel: “That’s Berlin? Oh! So what’s this?”
Other woman: “Russia”
Angela Merkel: “What?”
Other woman: “Russia”
Angela Merkel: “Russia? So many people coming from there? Naja*”
*naja is the German word for who cares/whatever
Most people view democracy as something that can’t be questioned as if it were a law of nature like gravity.
kevin
Posted at 09:19 am, 18th November 2018Ouch!
just naming countries they picked trivial ones that have no effect on our economy!
they only thing that would have made these people look even dumber was to have tmm couples pick together
I sold refis for a while…I found out that the decision maker who got at least 51 per cent of the vote was ….
the one of the couple who knew the least about finances !
oi non monagmy no tmm
preach on brother bd!
CTV
Posted at 10:44 am, 18th November 2018It’s just like when you hear Progressives say that most of the country supports raising taxes on the rich.. OF COURSE THEY DO.. same with measures that come from only taxing the rich.. OF COURSE IT’LL PASS.
Take PROPOSITION 6 we just had. It basically said you get cheaper gas if it passes. But they worded it so Yes meant Repeal and No meant keep it. I talked to plenty of people who English wasn’t their first language who were confused and others who thought that a no vote meant repeal. THEY KNEW THAT WOULD HAPPEN, and it failed by 10%. Now they have the gas tax kept AND the authority to raise it anytime they feel like it.
The country is turning more Progressive as well is also part of it.
Investor
Posted at 10:56 am, 18th November 2018There is a quote attributed to Winston Churchill (would have to check if he actually said it) which goes like this: “If you want an argument against democracy, have a 5 minute conversation with the average voter.”
I personally think to vote in the elections one needs to have passed a knowledge test understanding at least what the different candidates are and what they’re policies are. In most cases people do not even know this. I have seen in several countries in recent years the election posters just say vote and name of the political party. There isn’t anymore even a reason why you should vote for them or what they want to do…
I will finish with another quote, this time attributed to Stalin: “It is not the the voters but those who count the votes that decide who is elected.”
Mariano
Posted at 11:25 am, 18th November 2018But why do I have to know how to locate countries in a map if We HaVe GoOglE !!!111!1!1
Technology is making us stupid and lazy.
g
Posted at 11:46 am, 18th November 2018But I wonder, what kind of government could be better that this fiasco? A plutocracy? A kind of dictatorship? Is there a better option?
El Barto
Posted at 11:50 am, 18th November 2018Ah, all during history you’ve had complete idiots. I remember a TV program in my country in the ’80s which did the same as this Jimmy Kimmel skit. People on vacation where asked to point on a map in which country they were (Spain). Nobody could.
And also during the Falklands war many British soldiers thought they were sailing somewhere towards the north of Scotland.
A famous (local) historian and TV-pundit once said: ‘basically 60% of the population are complete morons.’
Maybe somekind of exam or test is needed before you are allowed to vote.
Caleb Jones
Posted at 12:50 pm, 18th November 2018Yep:
https://calebjonesblog.com/designing-new-nation-part-2-government/
Anon
Posted at 05:38 pm, 18th November 2018Yes, of course. After 12 hours of manual labor, which is all they had known since age 13 or so, did they all rush to libraries to widen their worldviews?
In other words, “plenty of people” were unable to parse a paragraph or two of English text, and unwilling to study the issue beforehand. What made them consider themselves qualified enough to go ahead and vote?
In the mind of a typical voter, emotional arguments prevail over rational ones, so he or she is easily swayed. Do ads like this target rational voters? http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/giant-merkel-campaign-poster-raises-eyebrows-in-berlin-a-920196.html
The problem is that the situation is stable. Irrational voters fail to filter out bad politicians, and bad politicians dislike rational voters. Plus, there’s the problem that a single vote changes nothing so it’s irrational to vote, thus there’s an implied bias against rationality.
Caleb Jones
Posted at 06:05 pm, 18th November 2018Yeah, read this:
https://newrepublic.com/article/79470/1895-8th-grade-final-exam-i-couldnt-pass-it-could-you
I know. That’s part of the problem.
Correct. That’s why you shouldn’t have democracy if you want a well-run and/or free society.
Anon
Posted at 06:41 pm, 18th November 2018That one is questionable. Particularly from an era when MIT entrance exams were laughably easy.
Also in all ages people will mock others whom they find uneducated. I’m sure the ancient world was full of clay tablets to the same effect.
Diary from Dixie (1860s)
PrepZ
Posted at 09:44 pm, 18th November 2018Democracy is a field of demagoguery producing a perennial crop of dimwitted dunces.
Investor
Posted at 01:00 am, 19th November 2018Exactly. If you wanted to make democracy work part of the voting qualification test would have to be a very tough screening in which you clearly demonstrate you do not make choices based on emotions else you are not allowed to vote.
Another problem is the media commenting on elections. This should be strictly forbidden.
Another problem is political parties it creates a mafia system. There should be only individuals so you vote for individual based on his or her views and past experience and nothing else. Attempts to form political parties would result in the politicians expelled from the government.
I can see how many so called democracies can easily become direct dictatorships in the near future. Many people dont like politicians anyway. A charismatic leader coming at the right time could make a very successful coup with a near full public support in almost any country. Perhaps this is the plan considering the way things are going.
Axel
Posted at 04:32 am, 19th November 2018Axel
Posted at 04:34 am, 19th November 2018Look at the Brexit fiasco. Only now people are saying they voted for immigration control, not leavimg the economic market.
Not even the Britsh politicians know what they want or how the EU works.
Investor
Posted at 05:10 am, 19th November 2018It is pathetic what most of the campaign was on both sides. Most of the argument had nothing to do with reality or why its leaving or staying in EU a good idea, from both sides.
Gang
Posted at 07:59 am, 19th November 2018You may enjoy the movie “Idiocracy” if you haven’t already watched it.
Mix – Idiocracy: The Great Dumbing Down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9nVLXMhPc&list=RD-N9nVLXMhPc
Andrew
Posted at 06:24 pm, 19th November 2018My favorite part was :
AFRICA?
While pointing at South America.
hahaha!
Andrew
Posted at 06:29 pm, 19th November 2018“Where’s America?”
“I would say this big one but I’m probably wrong”
Forget my last comment that’s the funniest one.
😂
joelsuf
Posted at 10:25 am, 20th November 2018Yeah, its pretty scary. I’m pretty certain that the US is gonna pass compulsory voting laws sometime in the 2020s where if you don’t vote you’ll be fined or something.
Yeah this is the plan. History repeats itself, and to me it is both a cycle and it is linear. People were dealing with this centuries ago as well. It’ll continue to be a thing.
K
Posted at 02:05 pm, 21st November 2018An even deeper problem is that even the people who do know a lot (e.g. egghead academics at ivy league institutions, or the media elite) make horrible political decisions. Politics is largely a cultural issue. If you want a well run, free, capitalist, libertarian polity, you need to have a culture built on those ideals, regardless of education, IQ, knowledge, etc.
mnae on
Posted at 10:51 am, 12th December 2018Luckily, the elected officials have very little say in actual governance.
So the democracy you are against doesn’t exist.
You could say you are against the simulation and show of democracy, in that it still weighs down the country while having little to do wit h actual governance.
Schools are an example. How do you please people and gain their support? By giving them titles that make them feel “high on the ladder” and assuring everyone that they are well above average.
You do this by morphing actual school into a series of incoherent, meaningless rote-memory trials. Who recites faster and with the most fidelity to the printed material gets the higher grades.
Now you have schools rid of signs of discrimination by gender, and ethny… And people who speedily recited thousands and thousands of words from schoolbooks who can’t point to a country on a globe.