Your point about a significant portion of the population operating at level 2 literacy is one reason why I oppose direct democracy in favour of representative democracy. Another is that even higher level people simply don't have the time (or even inclination sometimes) to examine issues with the amount of detail they require.
However, I don't believe electoral democracy is the answer either.
Which is why I support sortition. It's the only possible solution that isn't just the insanity of doing the same thing over and over while expecting different (better) results.
As for the next obvious question of "how can sortition make use of a population that is half level 2 or lower?" No doubt certain filters (e.g. educational, age, comprehension) will be necessary to be in the pool, but Helene Landemore (and others) also makes the point that a large group of dedicated people (who aren't geniuses) can provide better answers than a small group of really smart people. It's worth looking up her work and sortition generally.
Democracy isn't about elections, it's about the people ruling. And randomly chosen representatives will be statistically representative, which is supposed to be the point behind elections anyway, right?
Another plug for non-partisan representative democracy is from Edmund Burke: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion." and “Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain … parliament is a deliberate assembly of one nation, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices ought to guide … "
Documented Russian troll farms, using exaggerated and manipulative content as a way of sewing dissent, disproportionate grievance, and social division.
This is precisely the formula used in the US in the 2010s, that lead to the formation of the MAGA movement in the US, and the first documented cases of election influencing by foreign agents.
When is our federal government going to crack down on the insidious sewage being spilled into our social media?
When are we going to shut down Facebook, as a tool of social damage and destabilization?
When are we going to get serious about amending our laws to update our sedition charges, to reflect the presence and use of social media?
We are at risk right now of becoming as toxic and polarized as the US. And if, like the US, we end up becoming essentially ungovernable, that is the goal of more predatory regimes with their eyes firmly fixed on us.
Well now, this is an interesting and compelling summary. As one born in Alberta and feeling a connection there through many relatives and memories, for sure do not want to see Alberta get taken in by this interference and manipulation.
While I have your attention, I'll point out that because you have so many posts, using the Back button to return to the list from a just-read post loses your place in the list, necessitating scrolling down a whole lot to where you left off.
According to Google's AI there are Previous/Next buttons that can be enabled as follows:
Writers can activate these buttons by going to their Dashboard, clicking on Website editor, selecting the Posts section, and toggling on "Show navigation buttons".
Location: When enabled, these navigation links appear at the very bottom of each post, enabling readers to move sequentially through the publication's archive.
That would be very helpful, if in fact AI is not just making it up ...
Your point about a significant portion of the population operating at level 2 literacy is one reason why I oppose direct democracy in favour of representative democracy. Another is that even higher level people simply don't have the time (or even inclination sometimes) to examine issues with the amount of detail they require.
However, I don't believe electoral democracy is the answer either.
Which is why I support sortition. It's the only possible solution that isn't just the insanity of doing the same thing over and over while expecting different (better) results.
As for the next obvious question of "how can sortition make use of a population that is half level 2 or lower?" No doubt certain filters (e.g. educational, age, comprehension) will be necessary to be in the pool, but Helene Landemore (and others) also makes the point that a large group of dedicated people (who aren't geniuses) can provide better answers than a small group of really smart people. It's worth looking up her work and sortition generally.
Democracy isn't about elections, it's about the people ruling. And randomly chosen representatives will be statistically representative, which is supposed to be the point behind elections anyway, right?
Another plug for non-partisan representative democracy is from Edmund Burke: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion." and “Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain … parliament is a deliberate assembly of one nation, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices ought to guide … "
I will take a serious read of your comment but just at a glance you know why we are miserable sods. We see ignorance everywhere..lol Namaste Brother
Documented Russian troll farms, using exaggerated and manipulative content as a way of sewing dissent, disproportionate grievance, and social division.
This is precisely the formula used in the US in the 2010s, that lead to the formation of the MAGA movement in the US, and the first documented cases of election influencing by foreign agents.
When is our federal government going to crack down on the insidious sewage being spilled into our social media?
When are we going to shut down Facebook, as a tool of social damage and destabilization?
When are we going to get serious about amending our laws to update our sedition charges, to reflect the presence and use of social media?
We are at risk right now of becoming as toxic and polarized as the US. And if, like the US, we end up becoming essentially ungovernable, that is the goal of more predatory regimes with their eyes firmly fixed on us.
Well now, this is an interesting and compelling summary. As one born in Alberta and feeling a connection there through many relatives and memories, for sure do not want to see Alberta get taken in by this interference and manipulation.
While I have your attention, I'll point out that because you have so many posts, using the Back button to return to the list from a just-read post loses your place in the list, necessitating scrolling down a whole lot to where you left off.
According to Google's AI there are Previous/Next buttons that can be enabled as follows:
Writers can activate these buttons by going to their Dashboard, clicking on Website editor, selecting the Posts section, and toggling on "Show navigation buttons".
Location: When enabled, these navigation links appear at the very bottom of each post, enabling readers to move sequentially through the publication's archive.
That would be very helpful, if in fact AI is not just making it up ...
Thank you mark i think you are going to love the next copy