THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY

 

THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY

A CRANKY OPINION

The following opinion may be stupid, it may be based on bad ideas, false facts, or fake news, but it deserves to be reflected on and discarded, accepted or at least given a short “Hmmm.” That is the Democracy of ideas.

 

I often hear these days about the threat to Democracy.  It seems to be the new mantra of any argument against divergent opinions,

“That is a threat to Democracy itself.”

It does sound scary.  Apparently, these days, if you do not agree with a popular opinion, idea or science fact (a fact is something that has not yet been disproven) then you are a “Threat to Democracy.”

The idea, I suppose, is that Democracy can not survive bad ideas, false facts, fake news, cock-eyed opinions…in general, Democracy cannot survive stupidity.

I disagree.  I believe that Democracy can not survive without bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions.

“What in the heck are you talking about Cranky, that is just stupid.”

Perhaps, but “here” as some leaders like to say “is the deal.”

If Democracy cannot survive bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions, then someone, or some people have to decide which ideas are bad, which facts are false, which news is fake, and which opinions are cock-eyed, and make sure those ideas, facts, news and opinions are suppressed to preserve the Democracy.   

Who are these people?

Can they be challenged?

How can you challenge the ideas, facts, news and opinions of the idea-fact-news-and-opinion deciders?  You cannot.

Democracy without bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions is not Democracy, it is an authoritarian regime.  At some point you can not vote out the authoritarian regime, because a vote against the regime would be considered based on bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinion.  Any opinion against the “Regime” is automatically dismissed or even litigated against because it is determined to be wrong…or dare I say “Stupid.”

A true Democracy needs bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions.  A true Democracy can then debate and decide and vote on the badness, falseness, fakeness and cock-eyedness of all ideas and opinions.

A true Democracy will sort out bad ideas, false facts, fake news, cock-eyed opinions and it will survive.  A true Democracy is not afraid of bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions, a true Democracy welcomes all ideas, facts, news and opinions.  A true Democracy will decide on validity, soundness and effectiveness of all ideas, facts and opinions.

A true Democracy will make some mistakes.  Some bad ideas may be temporarily agreed on, false facts accepted, news believed, and dumb opinions accepted…but not for very long.

A system that will not allow bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions, will end up with nothing but bad ideas, false facts, fake news, and cock-eyed opinions and they will be accepted...or else!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Trap Set, Me Waitin, Because She’s Nice, Bait Not Taken

 

Trap Set, Me Waitin, Because She’s Nice, Bait Not Taken

 Mrs. C made beef stew last night.  She also made some crescent rolls for gravy sopping.  There is stew for at least three days, rolls for only two.

“There are 8 rolls, four for you and four for me.”

That meant for me anyway, two rolls a night, with one night to go roll-less.

After dinner, I noted,

“There are still five rolls left, I guess I get the extra for night three?”

“Don’t even try it, I only had one tonight, three left are for me and I know how to count.”

It was worth a try.

Tonight I finished my helping of stew with two rolls.  As I cleaned up my plate, I noticed there were still two rolls left and Mrs. C had not yet eaten her stew.  (We do not always eat on the same schedule) Apparently, she had one roll with her lunch.

While she was not looking, I moved the rolls to another counter and covered them with a towel, an act of deception she often does to me with deserts.

Now, I knew she would eventually find the rolls when she was ready for dinner, but I might have enough time to claim I forgot and already ate them.  I love to get a rise out of Mrs. C.

In my head:

“Where are the rolls, I had two left for my stew tonight?”

“Rolls? You mean the two that were on the counter?”

“Yes, you know, the two that I told you last night were MINE!”

“Those were for you?  I just ate them, the stew needed extra rolls for sopping.”

“YOU WHAT!  Wait a minute, even you couldn’t be that big a jerk, where did you hide them, under a towel?”

“You got me, but I did get a rise out of you for a second there.”

In Reality:

As I was finishing my coffee and desert, Mrs. C sat down with her stew sans rolls.

I was ready; any second now she would ask about the rolls.

“I know you really like those crescent rolls; you can have the last two with dinner tomorrow.”

“OMG, I don’t believe you!”

“What, it’s OK, you can have them.”

“No, I don’t believe that the one time you decide to give up something is the time I hid the damn things under a towel!”

“Heah! Like I wouldn’t have found them anyway.”

“Not without first throwing a fit!”

“Once again, you are a jerk!”

And she remains undefeated, untied and unscored upon.

 

TRAP SET, She’s A waitin, because I’m Old, Bait not Taken

 

TRAP SET, She’s A waitin, because I’m Old, Bait not Taken*

I almost always know where my cell phone is.  There are two  exceptions. One is when the phone is being charged.  I will pat every pocket and look in every place I have recently been, looking for the damn thing.

Mrs. C has to prod me.

“Did you look in the charging area?”

“Oh Yeah, thanks.”

The other place is at the bowling lanes.  For some reason, perhaps I’m too upset at not hitting a ten pin spare, I often forget my phone which is always in view on the table.

In past years, bowling team partner, Sue, volunteered to remind me about my phone after the match was over.

“Ahem…forget something?”

“Oh crap, my phone, thanks.”

This year Mrs. C joined the team and it is her job to remind me to take my cell phone at the end of the night.

Mrs. C is not as nice about it as Sue.

The other night, as usual, I forgot my phone.  Did Mrs. C remind me?  No she did not.

Instead she put it in her pocket, thereby setting a wife like trap.

She was just waiting for me to suddenly remember my phone.  She would watch me panic.  She would hear me curse.  Finally she would hear me complain that she didn’t remember to remind me to take my phone.

In her head:

“Oh crap, I left my phone at the alleys!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it is not on me and I always forget the damn thing after bowling…you know that!  Why didn’t you remember to remind me? Sue always did!”

“So did I you big jerk, I have the phone right here, now apologize!”

In reality:

All the way home just talk about the bowling.  At home just talk about snacks and what is on TV.  In bed watching TV.  Finally starting to fall asleep.

“Aren’t you missing something?”

“I am? What?”

“Your cell phone you jerk!  You forgot it at the lanes again, I had to remember it, put it in my pocket and bring it home and you didn’t even miss it! HERE!!”

“Oh yeah.  Thanks.”

“You’re no fun at all, you are too oblivious to even remember you did not remember your phone.”

“Well you shouldn’t try and set me up to be a jerk.”

“Doesn’t matter, you’re a jerk for not being a jerk!”

If marriage was a game, Mrs. C would be undefeated.

 

*No valedictorian was consulted in this title.