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Offline AATW

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Democracy Is Overrated
« on: December 06, 2021, 05:47:38 PM »


He does have a point, tbf.

I used to joke that there should be a test before you can vote, I am getting increasingly serious about that as I get older.
And I don’t mean an intelligence test but just some basic indication that you know who you’re voting for and what they stand for would be nice.
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline Iceman

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2021, 06:28:50 PM »
The best argument against democracy is a conversation with the average voter, and all that…

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Offline Dr David Thork

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2021, 06:31:15 PM »
The same stupid video appeared in my youtube feed as well.
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Offline AATW

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2021, 06:38:21 PM »
The same stupid video appeared in my youtube feed as well.
Hmm. I’m worried what that says about my interests and how aligned they might be to yours  :(
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline Crudblud

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2021, 07:37:59 PM »
Hobbesian monarchy, then?

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Offline honk

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2021, 08:58:33 PM »
There is no possible scenario in which any kind of "test" to see who should be allowed to vote and who shouldn't be wouldn't promptly be manipulated and abused by the people in charge of said tests to only allow their preferred voters in.
ur retartet but u donut even no it and i walnut tell u y

Offline Action80

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2021, 09:17:52 PM »
People who clamor for "democracy" are clueless, mindless morons.
To be honest I am getting pretty bored of this place.

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Offline xasop

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2021, 10:02:47 PM »
There is no possible scenario in which any kind of "test" to see who should be allowed to vote and who shouldn't be wouldn't promptly be manipulated and abused by the people in charge of said tests to only allow their preferred voters in.
Given that all democracies currently feature such a test, this is patent nonsense.
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol

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Offline AATW

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2021, 10:05:14 PM »
There is no possible scenario in which any kind of "test" to see who should be allowed to vote and who shouldn't be wouldn't promptly be manipulated and abused by the people in charge of said tests to only allow their preferred voters in.

One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
Seems fairly reasonable that you should check people actually know what the various parties stand for before they vote for one of them.

One thing which doesn't help in the UK is we have a particularly poor voting system which yields results that don't even close to represent how people voted.
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline AATW

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2021, 10:06:48 PM »
Given that all democracies currently feature such a test, this is patent nonsense.
Do what?!
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline Dr David Thork

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2021, 10:12:39 PM »
One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
so people who are more educated and smarter get to run the country the way they want to, at the expense of dimmer people with lower incomes who are disenfranchised.

That seems like an elitist gerrymandering policy to bury the poor. Have another go.

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Rama Set

Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2021, 10:16:36 PM »
One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
so people who are more educated and smarter get to run the country the way they want to, at the expense of dimmer people with lower incomes who are disenfranchised.

That seems like an elitist gerrymandering policy to bury the poor. Have another go.

That kind of information is not difficult to come by and would require a minimum of effort. You could even provide study guides to all prospective voters.

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Offline AATW

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2021, 10:19:20 PM »
One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
so people who are more educated and smarter get to run the country the way they want to, at the expense of dimmer people with lower incomes who are disenfranchised.
Are you just upset that you wouldn't get a vote?

But no. As I said, not an intelligence test.

But if someone can't identify basic key policies that the parties have put in their manifestoes then on what basis are they voting? Because they think Boris is funny? You don't have to be particularly educated or smart to pass a test like that, you just have to be engaged. Shouldn't people be engaged and understand what they're voting for, or against?
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline Dr David Thork

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2021, 10:30:25 PM »
One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
so people who are more educated and smarter get to run the country the way they want to, at the expense of dimmer people with lower incomes who are disenfranchised.

That seems like an elitist gerrymandering policy to bury the poor. Have another go.

That kind of information is not difficult to come by and would require a minimum of effort. You could even provide study guides to all prospective voters.
So intellectually lazy people don't get a a vote? Why not? They live here too?

Are you just upset that you wouldn't get a vote?
I would guess I'm more in tune with politics than the average citizen. I think it would be an unreasonably high bar if I was someone also unable to vote because of your test.

But if someone can't identify basic key policies that the parties have put in their manifestoes then on what basis are they voting?
Maybe they like the man's face. He looks trustworthy to them. That might be a better reason to vote for that candidate than that you read the candidate pledged to close down a polluting pipeline ... which that politician is lying about in his manifesto.

Because they think Boris is funny? You don't have to be particularly educated or smart to pass a test like that, you just have to be engaged. Shouldn't people be engaged and understand what they're voting for, or against?
If it was the law that whatever a politician said in their manifesto, they had to actually do when they got into power ... sure. You'd need to know what you were voting for. But being as we have a system where the biggest fucking liar wins the prize ...no. Your test is meaningless and if I want to vote for the guy with the nicest tie, its every bit as valid as your choice.
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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2021, 10:35:12 PM »
One suggestion I heard was that the test would be on which policies go with which parties.
so people who are more educated and smarter get to run the country the way they want to, at the expense of dimmer people with lower incomes who are disenfranchised.
Are you just upset that you wouldn't get a vote?

But no. As I said, not an intelligence test.

But if someone can't identify basic key policies that the parties have put in their manifestoes then on what basis are they voting? Because they think Boris is funny? You don't have to be particularly educated or smart to pass a test like that, you just have to be engaged. Shouldn't people be engaged and understand what they're voting for, or against?

But what if you know about X but not Y candidate? 


Honk is right: this would be abused to no end.

Q4. Which candidate has the stance that boys should be spanked as punishment?

*Candidate answered 12 years ago in a town hall meeting*

The price of free and fair elections is that alot of stupid people will vote based on very shallow reasons or just vote purely by party and not give a fuck about anything else.
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

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Offline AATW

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2021, 10:54:58 PM »
Q4. Which candidate has the stance that boys should be spanked as punishment?

*Candidate answered 12 years ago in a town hall meeting*
I'm not talking about some trivia quiz which people would have to study extensively for.
Before an election each party publishes a manifesto which no-one reads. But the key points from them could be made available.
And sure, Thork is right in that parties lie in them. So people would have to take that in to account when they choose to vote.
But I don't think it's unreasonable to think that people should be encouraged to have some idea of what they're voting for over and above "he's got an honest face" or "I think his speeches are funny"
Tom: "Claiming incredulity is a pretty bad argument. Calling it "insane" or "ridiculous" is not a good argument at all."

TFES Wiki Occam's Razor page, by Tom: "What's the simplest explanation; that NASA has successfully designed and invented never before seen rocket technologies from scratch which can accelerate 100 tons of matter to an escape velocity of 7 miles per second"

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Offline xasop

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2021, 11:04:33 PM »
Given that all democracies currently feature such a test, this is patent nonsense.
Do what?!
All democracies have an age requirement to vote. Now, that's not what you were talking about, but it does satisfy Saddam's description of a test that he believes would be corrupted. Its existence is proof that a restriction on who can and cannot vote can be implemented in a way that doesn't compromise democratic principles.
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol

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Offline Dr David Thork

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #17 on: December 07, 2021, 11:05:31 PM »
And sure, Thork is right in that parties lie in them. So people would have to take that in to account when they choose to vote.
So what is the point in reading the manifesto if it can be full of lies?

There are plenty of people who think a big bus lied to them in the Brexit referendum. Many think the government lied to them about the dangers of Brexit with wild doom predictions and even plagues of super gonerea. We are 5 years later and still no one really knows who told the truth, how it really effects them and whether the opposite outcome would have been better.

So "I don't like foreigners" was every bit as valid as "Brexit will save the NHS £350m a week". The manifesto pledges don't mean anything. Testing people's ability to remember who told what lies isn't helpful.

But ... absolutely everyone should be able to look at the current incumbent and think "I want that fucker out". And you don't need to know the manifestos to have such an opinion because their governance is your lived experience. And if you hope for something better, vote for it.
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Rama Set

Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #18 on: December 07, 2021, 11:08:21 PM »
Given that all democracies currently feature such a test, this is patent nonsense.
Do what?!
All democracies have an age requirement to vote. Now, that's not what you were talking about, but it does satisfy Saddam's description of a test that he believes would be corrupted. Its existence is proof that a restriction on who can and cannot vote can be implemented in a way that doesn't compromise democratic principles.

Reaching the legal voting age is not really what anyone is talking about when they say “test” in the context of having educated voters. Seems a bit disingenuous.

I think you can make a knowledge test that is reasonably egalitarian though and that could be a good idea. It’s better than people voting on blind tradition or gut instincts.

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Offline xasop

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Re: Democracy Is Overrated
« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2021, 11:33:32 PM »
Reaching the legal voting age is not really what anyone is talking about when they say “test” in the context of having educated voters.
Saddam said «any kind of "test"». Checking someone's age is a kind of test.
when you try to mock anyone while also running the flat earth society. Lol