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How can we fix government? (U.S.)
JavaJones:
I don't think you can really "fix" people. If the system is not enabling people to participate in government, it's a system problem, not (necessarily) a people problem. Sure, people could and "should" be more educated, interested, involved, but you can't just "fix" them and force it, you need to incentivize, build value for it into the system. So is that fixing the people, or fixing the system? I'd say it's the system not serving the people, not being setup to allow them to participate properly.
- Oshyan
Tuxman:
Government Reform, if not already in the list of oxymorons, is my candidate.-MilesAhead (June 27, 2010, 05:57 PM)
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Something with "morons" is my first thought, too, when thinking about the U.S. politics.
steeladept:
I don't think you can really "fix" people. If the system is not enabling people to participate in government, it's a system problem, not (necessarily) a people problem. Sure, people could and "should" be more educated, interested, involved, but you can't just "fix" them and force it, you need to incentivize, build value for it into the system. So is that fixing the people, or fixing the system? I'd say it's the system not serving the people, not being setup to allow them to participate properly.
- Oshyan
-JavaJones (June 28, 2010, 09:43 PM)
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I find it fascinating when people insist a system is inadequate because there is not enough incentive, because it isn't user friendly enough, yada, yada. You can provide all the incentives you want and people will not do something if it requires effort (a perfect proven example is exercise - companies pay for gyms and/or gym memberships that just go unused because it takes effort to use them). Education can only take you so far, just as incentives. For this reason, I am not wholly opposed to the test idea, as there are many who would not bother to take the test and, therefore, would be the same who would not bother enough to learn about the system as to actually be able to use it. It is the same egotistical self-centeredness that these people feel it is up to the system to make itself useful to them rather than making them learn to make it useful to them.
Note, I am not saying anyone in particular is one of these egotistical self-centered persons, including (especially?) posters here, just pointing out a fallacy of this idea that the system is somehow faulty just because fewer and fewer people understand it/put it to use as designed.
ljbirns:
Until our elected representatives are forbidden to accept more than $ .13 in any shape or form, under pain of , well Gewn 7 said it best, there will never be any reform.
Money talks and our congress people listen- real hard.
MilesAhead:
Government Reform, if not already in the list of oxymorons, is my candidate.-MilesAhead (June 27, 2010, 05:57 PM)
--- End quote ---
Something with "morons" is my first thought, too, when thinking about the U.S. politics.
-Tuxman (June 28, 2010, 10:59 PM)
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morons think they'll get smarter by taking lessons.
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