Freedom and democracy are more important than advancing technology. If China and the US are in a race for Orwellian tyranny, I hope the US loses. Indeed, the US should drop out of the race as soon as possible. Our society has been taught to overestimate the importance of ‘innovation’. Innovations may be good, and they may be bad. If we let companies decide which innovations we will use, they will choose the ones that give them more of an advantage over us.
I liked this part the most as something new and insightful said by RMS.
I am not sure that democracy is better than innovation. I would choose Freedom and Innovation over Freedom and Democracy. Just look at how much has been done in the last few centuries. Nearly everyone can have things today that even kings didn’t have. Democracy on the other hand is just a way of voting for some policy that’s then enforced on everyone. In fact, China can be said to be a democracy more than the US in some ways. I do think we need to safeguard rights and freedoms but democracy isn’t the only way to do that.
I agree, though there are many other western countries that have much stronger democracies than the US. Most of them in fact.
In the US, third parties aren't given equal placement on ballots (you need to get "ballot rights"). Large parties get money from the government for advertising, which small parties don't. The people don't actually vote for who is in power (and votes aren't equal between people).
Doesn't seem like political opposition is a workable right in the US to me. Not to mention everyone has guns, and guns are seen as an "break glass in case of tyranny" tool -- meaning that culturally people are primed to see violence as being a reasonable retort for political disagreements (obviously this is an oversimplification -- but political rallies in the US are far more violent than in many other western countries, despite many western countries having their own problems).
Democracy on the other hand is just a way of voting for some policy that’s then enforced on everyone.
If you think so, no wonder you undervalue democracy. But democracy is much more than that. How you developed this naive concept is beyond me, but I will risk a guess: you have lived in a democratic country all your life.
For the sake of brevity: limiting power. There are many details in the implementation with this purpose. Powers are separated. Terms are limited in time and number. Money for the campaigns controlled. Public opinion can be as dangerous as judges, etc.
In many cases, the good part is not having the power to elect people, it's the power to remove them from their positions when it's clear they're useless or corrupt. When someone is in an executive position for years, they often develop client politics nets. So even if the new boss is no better than the former, it's healthy to send them home while they aren't masterful thieves yet.
Even with all the safeguards, corruption happens. What do you think happens when there are no safeguards?
Some people thinks that living in a tiranny is just a question of shutting your mouth and avoid politics. But that's not it. Imagine you live in such a country and your boss, a politician or a policeman likes your wife or daughter or son. Then you are fired, or threatened or found guilty of anything convenient.
Living in a democracy won't save you always, but it gives you a chance.
I liked this part the most as something new and insightful said by RMS.
I am not sure that democracy is better than innovation. I would choose Freedom and Innovation over Freedom and Democracy. Just look at how much has been done in the last few centuries. Nearly everyone can have things today that even kings didn’t have. Democracy on the other hand is just a way of voting for some policy that’s then enforced on everyone. In fact, China can be said to be a democracy more than the US in some ways. I do think we need to safeguard rights and freedoms but democracy isn’t the only way to do that.