WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW?

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author=Owl
and it can probably be argued that actual democracies where the majority rules are literally nonexistant

As they should be. Pure, direct democracies with majority (not plurality) rule would be horrible and subject to mob rule. Example: minorities getting shafted. Brush up.

author=SnowOwl
Let me ask you this: Do you think the people that make up the majority of a democracy, the middle and lower class, has any real power in Murrica?

So poor and middle class people's votes get ripped up in America or something? Bill Gates and Homeless Guy both get one vote.

It's true that things such as gerrymandering, voting ID laws, and such are examples of flaws in the American system. It's also true that the wealthy have a disproportionate amount of power in America (and the UK. And the EU. And Asia. And uh, everywhere on Earth), but that's a failing of the system in practice, not a fundamental failing of the American democratic system as it was originally designed.
Here, 'enjoy' what I just spent an hour and a bit watching thanks to my niece.



IF I HAVE TO SUFFER I WILL DRAG YOU ALL WITH ME! >:O
ESBY
extreme disappointment
1238
author=Dyhalto
Murica has the most sophisticated democracy in our time. It's the Westminster system that's backwards.
today i learned there are only two democracies.
you might want to have a look at the democratic index buddy because america aint shit

Craze
why would i heal when i could equip a morningstar
15150
Feldschlacht IV
So poor and middle class people's votes get ripped up in America or something? Bill Gates and Homeless Guy both get one vote.


until we escape the bipartisan system (put more than just clinton and trump on the debate stage, thanks), "one vote" means you can vote for whoever the rich people have decided gets to run for those votes, if you want your vote to have any meaning whatsoever
Which is why most of the rest of the world were hoping for Bernie to be on top - we want Murcans to have a taste of something a little different - if it's the same ice-cream all the time they'll never know that other stuff can taste pretty good too.

I mean, we got issues aplenty down here in Australia, but a lot of the social sectioning bullshit doesn't exist. There's poor people, yeah, and middle class and all that jazz but the lines are super blurred and even the poor people can afford to get into a decent school and medical help. (In fact, it's law that kids under a certain age have to go to school (I think under 16) - and it's pretty enforced. There's a lot of stuff to help out with the costs for schooling and such too.)

And don't get me started on the politics thing. Muricans take that shit way too seriously (no offence, but when you start shitting on anyone who is Left and Right and Up and Down and Sideways or whatever, it's a bit much).
ESBY
extreme disappointment
1238
author=Sated
^ it frustrates me greatly that the UK is gravitating more towards America models than Scandinavian models...
yeah but like, the nordic model, how does that privatise the NHS
author=Craze
until we escape the bipartisan system (put more than just clinton and trump on the debate stage, thanks), "one vote" means you can vote for whoever the rich people have decided gets to run for those votes, if you want your vote to have any meaning whatsoever

Bipartisan is pretty much how democracy will always work. There're only two major paradigms : Left and Right. Everyone else either places themselves relative to the major parties (Libertarians are right of Republicans), or run themselves strictly on an ideological framework (Green Party).

author=ESBY
you might want to have a look at the democratic index buddy because america aint shit

I'm not talking about the country's state of popular involvement. I'm talking about the system in place. The branches of government, the court system, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the electoral process, and most importantly the many levels of checks and balances.
For example, one of the most effective and yet simplest qualities of the US government is being able to directly elect the President, irrespective of the party system. It's one of the reasons Lincoln was able to save the Union and FDR was able to thwart fascism is the US, despite house and senate dominance by the "bad guy" parties of the day. Parties are generally easier to control if you have money, whereas the Executive can simply say "I won't be bought."
In fact, the concept of a directly elected powerful Executive is so hated by oligarchs, the rich, the 1%, whatever you want to call them, that they brought about the 22nd Amendment in reaction to FDR's four consecutive wins. No other office in the US government has a term limit.

author=SnowOwl
Let me ask you this: Do you think the people that make up the majority of a democracy, the middle and lower class, has any real power in Murrica?

They have all the power.
What the middle and lower classes lack in our modern time is organization. Historically, unions have represented both classes, but they've given themselves a bad name with a lot of selfish and gratuitous demands over the recent decades, particularly the public unions who've held vital services hostage. Now the everyman's ad lib reaction to them is "F'n lazy unions!"
Remember that the rich still require the poor and middle class to vote for their candidates, and they achieve this with a degenerate education system, union busting, and rampant cultural pessimism.
Which is why Norway is on top of the Democracy Index.
Corfaisus
"It's frustrating because - as much as Corf is otherwise an irredeemable person - his 2k/3 mapping is on point." ~ psy_wombats
7874
Watched Zootopia last night and it was dense as shit, to the point that I think it actually took away from the flow of the story. It said a lot of important things about getting along while also respecting diversity (an important distinction from the erasure of "everyone is equal") and the Powers That Be that make bank by keeping us apart through fear and prejudice, but in the early part you could tell it was following a very clearly defined Disney formula while the later parts just seemed jumbled together with a few false endings (I consider this more grand victories that would otherwise end a film such as a character being redeemed).

In short, aside from the social justice talking points, it was a mess.

________

I don't usually make fun of people's names, but if your last name is McNutty, you can't deny you got shit on as a child.

author=Liberty
Here, 'enjoy' what I just spent an hour and a bit watching thanks to my niece.


IF I HAVE TO SUFFER I WILL DRAG YOU ALL WITH ME! >:O

Frogge
I wanna marry ALL the boys!! And Donna is a meanc
18536
author=Corfaisus
in the early part you could tell it was following a very clearly defined Disney formula while the later parts just seemed jumbled together with a few false endings


This is exactly my thoughts on the movie. It's a really generic disney movie that's super predicable. On the other hand, i love the art, message and the fact that we have a detective disney movie. The plot is what needs improving imo, but otherwise it's a pretty fine movie.
author=Dyhalto
author=Craze
until we escape the bipartisan system (put more than just clinton and trump on the debate stage, thanks), "one vote" means you can vote for whoever the rich people have decided gets to run for those votes, if you want your vote to have any meaning whatsoever
Bipartisan is pretty much how democracy will always work. There're only two major paradigms : Left and Right.

You might as well just say that a person can only be good or evil, and you'd be just as (in)correct.
author=Dyhalto
author=Craze
until we escape the bipartisan system (put more than just clinton and trump on the debate stage, thanks), "one vote" means you can vote for whoever the rich people have decided gets to run for those votes, if you want your vote to have any meaning whatsoever
Bipartisan is pretty much how democracy will always work. There're only two major paradigms : Left and Right. Everyone else either places themselves relative to the major parties (Libertarians are right of Republicans), or run themselves strictly on an ideological framework (Green Party).
I'm not saying I nescessarily disagree, but what exactly leads you to believe this?

Also, even if that were objectively true, the paradigm kinda disintegrates when the party becomes systematically corrupt (ignoring the true will of the populace), or fights amongst itself (The Republican party this cycle). The false dichotomy has actually led to the situation we now face in this awful election cycle.

Even our founding fathers were a bit ambivalent (at best) on the issue:

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty." - George Washington

"There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution." - John Adams
A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
A robot must establish its identity as a robot in all cases.
A robot must know it is a robot.
A robot must display a red indicator light when turning evil.


also, this wikipedia article lists 6 factions of the Republican party alone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factions_in_the_Republican_Party_(United_States)
in other countries that have dropped the ridiculous FPTP system, each of those factions would instead just be an individual party, and form coalitions as required to pass legislation (this explanation is greatly simplifying it, but that's the gist). so "bipartisanship" and "only two major paradigms" is blatantly false, even in the USA.
A robot must never oppose an OCP officer.

You guys are right. I need to retract what I said there.
My train of thought at the time was on how virtually all issues are binary, with one side being represented by the two paradigms : Left and Right. Gun Control and Pro-Choice go Left, while Gun Amnesty and Pro-Life go Right. It wasn't so much the parties but the idea of voters selecting... bleh.
It's a flawed idea and it's wrong. So yeah, I got ahead of myself. My apologies.
Kloe
I lost my arms in a tragic chibi accident
2236
A robot should eat icecream with maximum efficiency! Yay!! :D
Hexatona
JESEUS MIMLLION SPOLERS
3702
Hmm... srlsly considering changing my avatar to this:

Hexatona
JESEUS MIMLLION SPOLERS
3702
I aaaalmost put sunglasses on her.

Still might.
Heya, I hope you guys been well. I've been off this thing for a little while, so what have I missed lately?