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Can we know only what we are prepared to know?

If an individual has never learned to add and subtract that individual cannot learn how to divide and multiply.

Our American educational system, K-12, attempts to teach minimum fundamentals that prepare an individual to function within our high tech society. Our colleges and universities generally augment these fundamentals with some form of specialized knowledge that will make it possible for graduates to obtain good jobs.

Few graduates from our American educational system are prepared to comprehend the very complex type of problems our society encounters. In a democracy such as ours the citizens can choose the politicians to act as their representatives in government. In a democracy such as ours the citizen can veto any public policy that they do not comprehend even though it might be necessary for the survival of the American culture and perhaps even of the survival of the human species.

Under such circumstances is a democratic form of government adequate?

If not what form of government is adequate?

Is it possible for us to educate citizens to the higher level of sophistication that is required to manage a sophisticated high tech society such as ours?

The US is not a democracy. We are a constitutional republic.

The US is an oligarchy, masquerading as a constitutional republic, while telling the world that it is a democracy.

Originally posted by Mindset
The US is an oligarchy, masquerading as a constitutional republic, while telling the world that it is a democracy. And you can take that to the bank.

I don't know. Like, Saudi Arabia is an oligarchy. America isn't that bad. Is there a term between like authoritarian oligarchy and constitutional republic? constitutional oligarchy?

I don't know. I find a lot of the rhetoric about America is often overhyped. ok, haha, america is a dictatorship. Really though, that is only downplaying how terrible it must actually be to live in a dictatorship.

Originally posted by inimalist
I don't know. Like, Saudi Arabia is an oligarchy. America isn't that bad. Is there a term between like authoritarian oligarchy and constitutional republic? constitutional oligarchy?

I don't know. I find a lot of the rhetoric about America is often overhyped. ok, haha, america is a dictatorship. Really though, that is only downplaying how terrible it must actually be to live in a dictatorship.

Apathetic republic.

that does really nicely actually

Originally posted by inimalist
America isn't that bad. It has the worst possible system of gov't...except for all the other systems.

Originally posted by Mindship
It has the worst possible system of gov't...except for all the other systems.



love that quote

apparently when churchill said it, he wasn't making the point most people are when they say it.

He was bitter at the british people for electing someone else after WW2, so he said democracy wasn't that great, ie, people are too stupid to elect him.

Originally posted by coberst
It is like walking in a forest such that we are unable to see very far because the trees restrict our view. We can use the analogy of walking in the forest, which to see beyond the surrounding trees we must have the means to climb a tall tree to see a bit further.

Perhaps we might extend the analogy to say that we must have some means to raise our self above the surrounding clutter before we can see a bit further. Only when we find a hill with tall trees and climb one of those trees can we see the mountain ahead, which we might climb and see a mountain range in the distance, which we might travel too so that we can see even further.

Meditate. To "raise our self above the surrounding clutter" is what it does.

Attention-training develops the will. Will brings perspective on thought.

Originally posted by Mindship
Meditate. To "raise our self above the surrounding clutter" is what it does.

Attention-training develops the will. Will brings perspective on thought.

Remove all attachments that bring no value, and do not begrudge the pain caused by attachments that do bring value.