May 30, 2004
On Politicians
An excerpt from Plato's "Gorgias":
Socrates: Then what we said before, it seems, is correct: we are unaware of the existence of a single good politician in our state. You admitted that there was none now, but have mentioned some former examples and selected these we have just reviewed. They, however, have been shown to be on a par with present-day specimens. So, even if they were orators, they did not make use of the true art of rhetoric (otherwise they would not have been discarded) or even of the sort that merely flatters.Callicles: Yet surely, Socrates, not one of the present breed has come within miles of accomplishing such feats as did any one at all of the elder statesmen.
Socrates: Nor am I, my dear friend, censuring them, at least as servants of the state; they seem to me, in fact, to have been more serviceable than the present generation, and more capable of giving the state what it wanted. But as for transforming its desires instead of toadying to them, as for persuading and coercing fellow citizens to the point of self-improvement, there is not, in a word, a whit of difference between generations. Yet this and this alone is the task of a truly good citizen.
Absolutely. The pitfall of democracy is when the public's desires become resentful, decadent and self-destructive. We've seen it before, and we'll see it again... At some point someone, somehow, has to persuade the public to return to the road of self-improvement.
How to practice good citizenship without resorting to authoritarian methods?
Well, we could always try putting our considerable individual intellects to work convincing people that they don't really want a janus-faced, low-IQ coward in charge of the country. I plan on hitting the pavement hard starting in August.
For the record (and for some of our readers who may be curious about the politics of the GNC), there are at least four regular contributors or commenters who are at least considering voting for the President. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm counting myself, Downto, Piraeus, and Smeej (if he ever pipes up).
Which is something I have difficulty understanding. Thank God none of you are in swing states.
Sleepnotwork,
You'll actually be living in a "swing state", so you might even consider "going clean for Kerry". We'll see if Kerry contests Colorado. I hope so, though it won't be easy going up against the right-wing radio machine. The Dems have a good chance at picking up a Senate seat there as well.
As for the quandry of how people I respect and who follow the news can even consider voting for Bush.... I suppose if I don't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say it at all. I would love to learn whether these people believe Bush is a better president than Clinton, or why Bush's duplicity is excusable. I'm especially curious to know whether they believe America would be a safer place under Bush than under Kerry.
Bah... Sorry for my bad humor above. Still, I would honestly like to hear from you Bush supporters out there. If supporting Bush is a reasonable position, then you shouldn't be afraid to let us liberals know what's up. At the moment, I'm convinced that voting for Bush is just kuckoo. Even if you're voting on the basis of a cultural war position, national security is surely too big a factor in 2004 to continue with Junior.
That's my position. So please educate me. How is Bush a better president than Clinton, and how would he be a better president than Kerry?
What do you mean by "going clean for Kerry?" 'Cause however much I support him, if you think that guy's getting my cocaine fund you're fucking crazy.