Kolya on 9/11/2020 at 19:58

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I think you'll have to do with your daily dose of QAnon.

Nicker on 9/11/2020 at 20:37

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Regardless of what structure you use, it will only work if good people are diligent in keeping bad people from gaming the system. Some structures are more resistant to corruption, some less but none can be immune. If a narcissistic, rapist, fraud and profligate liar can squat in the White House, the system needs fixing. The USA was a few votes from becoming another North Korea.

Nicker on 9/11/2020 at 20:48

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Trying to be encouraging. Living next door, you know.

Kolya on 9/11/2020 at 21:08

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While the voting system is weird and partly unfair, I think the bigger problem is hidden behind the question why nearly halve of the US voted for a wannabe fascist dictator. What drove them to do it? Which specific fears, what lack of education, and what kind of media exploiting these vulnerabilities? I'm pretty sure, you'll find that some of their fears are in some ways justified. Halve of the US isn't just stupid. That's a lazy answer. Media like facebook, twitter, google could be broken up and forced to follow rules. And it would necessarily require a critical look at the left, which seems to be more about economic liberalism and identity politics these days than worker's rights, unions, tariffs, education. Goals that help everyone and not just a few.

Nameless Voice on 9/11/2020 at 21:28

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I think that's just a certain fringe, though. A vocal one, sure, but there are still a lot of leftists who are passionate about things like worker's rights, fighting climate change, socialism.
Sadly, a big part of it is that things like identity politics are easy wins. It doesn't really require all that much to e.g. not persecute gays, but actually building a working socialist society costs a lot of money to set up - and no one ever dares to ask for the increases in taxation which this would require.

I think that's one of the biggest problems with our current humanity as a whole with regards to politics. The majority of voters are mainly interested in what is best for them in the short term.

"More taxes? Bad, I'll have less money!"
"Only rich people have to pay more taxes? But I might be rich some day!"
"More taxes, but I can live more cheaply? But I'll still have less money, even if I don't need as much!"

IMO that should be a huge target for educating people if we want a better world: that if you don't need as much money to live well, then paying more tax to achieve that isn't a bad thing - you'll still be better off in the end.

A lot of people (left and right) want to have their cake and eat it too - they want better services while paying less tax, but that's just not realistic.


Somewhat related, I'm a big fan of the concept of Universal Basic Income, where everyone is given a fixed minimum amount of money, regardless of anything else.
It would need a big reshuffle of the entire taxation system to achieve, but if implemented properly most people would be at least the same if not better off, and it has so many other advantages.
It would effectively eliminate poverty in a single step. It would also allow people to just quit terrible jobs without having to worry about starving, pushing up the minimum standards for workers - if an employer doesn't treat their employees well, then no one will want to work there if they can survive without doing so, They will hold out for decent jobs.

(Admittedly, my main reason for pushing for UBI is that it would also enable people to follow more unusual careers that they are interested in but generally aren't vary profitable, such as art and game development.)