The strength of democracy is an informed electorate who take seriously the selection of leaders who nurture a healthy society. They want the leaders that they choose to seek out the best in ALL people that they lead. It is a hard job to weed out the candidates who don't meet those requirements and requires serious study by everyone who can vote. It takes much time, research, discussion with others, and thought.
The weakness of democrary is the opposite; an electorate that is short-sighted, selfish, and looking for candidates who appeal to their animal instincts. It is an attitude of "I don't care about the country. I only care about what appeals to my selfish need to be patronized and fawned upon."
The unrest and violence of the collapsing democracy in the United States and elsewhere is the result of voters abandoning the need to elect leadership who will build the country, and instead elect candidates who appeal only to their own selfish interests. It seems to me that the only mystery here is that of a media who loves to blame results for voter failures. As a guess, I think the media does this because:
I was reading an article recently in which the commentator was bemoaning the influence of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and it's editorial polices. While reading that, I thought to myself "This commentator has missed the point. People still have self-will; but few chose to use it. Many people are content to be angry and miserable every day while absorbing a flood the latest biased reporting and doing nothing else; they certainly aren't doing any critical thinking."
It was P.T. Barnum who said "There's a sucker born every minute." and he was right. People like Murdock demonstrate the truth of that every day, shining a light on how many people have abrogated their responsibility to make society better. It reminds me of another saying that I've heard; "Don't blame the messenger for the message."
There is something that I have done for years that backs up what I've written above. When people are protesting something, it is risky (but fun too) to ask "So, what's your plan? What positive thing are you going to do about this?" People will often be puzzled and sometimes quite angry when I ask this. But, you don't solve a problem by complaining, you solve it by positive action. People get angry because they think that fixing the problem is someone else's job. It is like they are thinking "Hating this problem is enough! I am angry because you are challenging that idea! I don't need to think, just react!"
It is easy to complain about something, but much harder to DO something. Good solutions come from trying out ideas until one (or more) fits, not waiting for someone else to do it!
To sum all this up, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions:
A democratic society cannot last if the electorate cares only about their own self interest!
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