(urth) re silk is caldo

[Chris]

The sense in which it's obvious is a bit weak, but I am not sure how to more properly put the case.

In a sense even under the dictator you have a say, insofar as you obey (or don't obey) the law, you overthrow (or don't overthrow) the dictator who made it, etc. It's hard to be a member of a society without bearing a portion of responsibility for the way that society is. Same applies in democracies; those who don't vote are equally responsible for the state of affairs by tacitly approving whatever is done in their name.

It is nice, of course, when your part in this process includes some alternative other than violent revolution and risk of your life and limb.

-- 
"When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set." -- Lin Yutang



> Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 11:19:59 -0800
> From: walters at doubtfulpalace.com
> To: urth at lists.urth.net
> Subject: Re: (urth) re silk is caldo
> 
> > Aramini said:
> > I do not feel that
> > your average trapeze artist or even banker has any right to have input
> > into government - but they can certainly show you how the trapeze works or
> > how to apply for a loan."
> 
> If I don't like the trapeze artist's performance, I can go see a different
> trapeze artist. If I don't like my dictator, I'm out of luck.
> 
> No matter how benevolent the dictator's intentions, he will go wrong with
> no accountability. See Karl Popper's THE OPEN SOCIETY AND ITS ENEMIES for
> a full treatment of this thesis.
> 
> This is leaving aside the obvious moral point that if one has to obey the
> law, one should get a say in it.
> 
> -- 
> Tim Walters | http://doubtfulpalace.com
> 
> 
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