Once an Oligarch system is established, there are only two possible outcomes: tyranny or revolution.
- Aristotle
_______________
Aristotle predicted that oligarchy eventually gives way to a spectacular downfall.
He believed that legitimate rule required, not just wealth or power, but moral excellence. If oligarchs, from their isolated positions, push radical social transformations while being entirely disconnected from their impacts on ordinary communities. …The gap becomes no longer just economic but moral and cultural.
This change would come from the middle class, which is the most effective voice for change.
It is going to be so interesting watching you (e.g. @AverageJoe1) learn what the rest of us have known for more than 2000 years. 😆 [NB. Don't worry - AvJoe can't respond to any of this. He'll just do a little dance, waving his throat wattles, and wondering about how aaaaaang-geerry libs are. "Wait and see how GREAT dictators are!" he'll say. Don't worry, Joe. I'm not angry. 😆]
But here's the thing that really worries me: the revelation that people think that America is built on self-interest. It's not. America is not just another bunch of monkeys squabbling over bananas. It was NEVER that.
How did this get missed? Are there no teachers left?
America is principles. Just principles - nothing more. Oh yes there are people and land and coffee shops and drug stores. But America is the principles that govern our actions - that's it. That's America.
And what worries me is that a ton of people now think that they should vote for someone based on self-interest. Like they would vote for Putin or Mussolini or Jesus or Pol Pot or Mother Theresa - doesn't matter AS LONG AS they think they are going to get something out of it.
I'm very worried that people who voted FOR Trump because they thought they were going to get something are now seeing, they aren't going to get it, and so now they are going to vote AGAINST him.
That's wrong. Your vote is not for sale. You don't give your vote to someone who promises you the moon. That's the road to serfdom.
You should have voted - always - for the person who most closely hews to American principles. We all know what those are: Liberty. Free trade. Inclusion. Honesty. Diversity. Truth. Equality. Justice. Fiscal responsibility. Strong defense. Assisting other democracies. Environmentalism. Peace. Fairness. Rule of Law. Charity.
TBH, Dems have fallen down on one or two of these over the years, but they've done a lot better than Republicans and FAR better than MAGA. Trump has no principles, and THAT'S what Aristotle was warning about.
Why didn't you see that?! 😆
@spruce112358
Aristotle was wrong about a lot of things,.so maybe we hang our hat on that? 😐
You're right of course, voting was never supposed to be about narcissism. Yet I hear all the time the question: why would a farmer vote for trump against their own self interest?
Farmers voted 85% for trump. Knowing that the tariffs would crush their bottom line. Knowing that trump was promising to deport illegals, which make up half of the farming workforce.
Maybe common principles you describe have changed. The thesis I prefer is that technology has so thoroughly rewired everyone's brains that we aren't able to properly evaluate issues and problems.
If you start shopping for farm supplies you are inundated with fake news articles and misleading ads about the trans community killing women's sports and the invasion of South America. Democrats don't see these as issues because they aren't but all the farmer sees is that only one side cares about fixing it.
Given all the time we spend in virtual universes, politicians are talking to people who quite literally live in different worlds.