Tired of Democracies Dividing People? I’m With You
Let’s open a discussion here, democracy isn’t perfect and arguably so is most that came before. Yet, democracy may be more devastating than we think, and symptoms may just be surfacing.
Now critics to democracy aren’t unknown to exist, I've definitely not stumbled onto something new here. We could go back to democracies inception in Greece with the likes of Socrates or start listing a bunch of Victorians’, but we’ll skip that and focus on today.
It’s common to see advocates for democracy striving to get the citizenry involved in the ballots if they’ve reached the appropriate age; regardless of status, background, education… you know how it operates.
However, think about this. If a hospital had a vacant spot for the head position, whom would you expect makes the decision to who (figures crossed I nailed the grammar) gets it?
Perhaps you’re thinking the board of directors, with senior doctor’s having some input on recommendations. It would be foolish allowing any random person within the hospital grounds to have a say.
Imagine how huge a disaster it would be having a junior doctor just barely out of their teens, or a traumatised patient waiting out in the halls, or the guy behind the cafeteria counter who couldn’t even prescribe himself the correct medicines, being the individuals in charge of such a crucial endeavour.
Let alone the partisans out in the streets going about their daily business, wilfully remaining oblivious to the inner going-ons of daily hospital activity; unless something appears on the news.
Just like how most people don’t pay attention to politics unless the time arises to vote, then all eyes are on screens watching debates — reading PDF’s sent by their unruly concerned aunt.
So, I ask why, why we allow the most important seats in our respective countries to be chosen by anyone and everyone? it’s surely an unwise decision.
Previously, politics didn’t coarse through the veins of ordinary citizens like today where we have large swaths of societies becoming polar opposites in their views; with feelings of utter outrage and disdain surfacing in the public spheres.
OK maybe it did a bit.
But historically a lot of the time the average citizens simply ended up being mobilised peasantry. Utilised for the purposes of being arrow cushions and later cannon fodder in grand schemes of power and control devised by the upper echelons.
Not that this was better.
But what I’m trying to get at, albeit perhaps a bit poorly, is two things.
The first being, people are easily influenced when voting. They often lack apprehensive knowledge on matters of the state, its systems, histories and evolution; therefore, lack an understanding on what is effective governance for a country’s current predicaments.
To narrow down the dilemma, how many people around you honestly have an adequate well-rounded comprehension of the concerns of your state and its relationship with other countries, particularly those countries which are dissimilar culturally, politically and even religiously?
What’s been happening is emotions and sensations are being persuaded through media, especially social media; whether if its associated with race, immigration, religion, gender, old laws etc. All of which eventually come into play when the ballots boxes are open.
Such societal conditions should be a deep concern.
Elections have become largely based on the populism of narratives constructed by media groups, political parties and candidates. Narratives which either, panders to the views of larger groups of people, or is more engaged in the arduous attempt to appeal to as many groups as it takes to get voted in.
Individuals simply latch on to candidates who substantially express ideals and perspectives that coincides with their own, even if in reality those views, or candidates/parties can be destructive down the line.
Secondly, the other issue I contend with is that today because of the way politics is so accessible, it is making citizens divided, splintered, lacking in empathy and social judgement. Left, right, centre, up and down and all-around people are beginning to despise each other from within states.
Which is a powder keg for future conflict, and something that can be exploited by the most amoral individuals for their despicable premeditated schemes, whether foreign or domestic. Such tensions bursting would be devastating during times of economic woe, something the world isn’t short of today.
All the nefariously inclined people need to do is spark the correct socially political tension at the appropriate time and stand with binoculars a-top the hills as the hostilities and implosions begins.
Though, studies do show well established democracies where rule of law and human rights are respected are less likely to fall into civil war. But I question what if they just simply take longer? or because of this digital and information age the effects of these new dynamics are going to now present themselves? therefore only now things will begin to change for the worse.
My intention isn’t to spread fear, I simply want to know does anyone see these same underlying dangers building up around us on a global scale because of democracy, or am I just being a bit too paranoid?
