wedrifid comments on Rationality Quotes February 2014 - Less Wrong

5 [deleted] 02 February 2014 01:35PM

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Comment author: iarwain1 02 February 2014 05:42:54PM *  -1 points [-]

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill

Comment author: wedrifid 03 February 2014 08:38:20AM *  6 points [-]

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.

I observe that by their very nature claims that something is the "best argument against X" can more readily support X than undermine it.

Rejecting all the arguments against democracy that are better than said five minute conversation constitutes rather comprehensive support for democracy. (It rules out considerations of the various failure modes, perverse incentives and biases that are associated with such a system.)

Comment author: Fronken 04 February 2014 09:56:34PM *  0 points [-]

He never said they were "rejected" or "ruled out". Just weaker than the conversation - which I assume is because the average person is much worse than you, as cultured political disputant, experience.

Probably not true, still, unless you have the raw mind power to deduce all the flaws of the human mind from that mere conversation. And even then, only maybe.