If you believe in Democracy (or even a Republic)

wouldn't you agree that there will be times, when you as a citizen will find that your view on issues does not correspond to the view of others?

(I know I have)

I think that, depending on the system (Democracy/Republic), that we have agreed that in these instances, the view represented by the system (the people as a whole/the representative) will represent the whole. (That's not to say that a person's view isn't important or that they shouldn't be moved by it or that they shouldn't express it.)

So, what happens when one's view differs from the whole?

I think that one they then have 3 options that I've been able to see:

They can do nothing - recognize that their view does not represent the system and live with it as best they can. (We live in an imperfect world)
They can actively try to change others view by empathesising elements that are the basis of their own view in an effect to change the view of the whole.
They can work themselves up in a lather - becoming more and more emotional involved - possibly driving them to act in an unwise fashion. (I like to term this one : The Rush Limbaugh-Clinton effect. ;-)

I think the 3rd may be counter-productive. I suspect the 2nd is the most-productive and that the 1st is the easist on the gut.

YMMV.

Post #92,062 by Simon_Jester 3/26/03 9:45:15 PM Reply	If you believe in Democracy (or even a Republic) wouldn't you agree that there will be times, when you as a citizen will find that your view on issues does not correspond to the view of others? (I know I have) I think that, depending on the system (Democracy/Republic), that we have agreed that in these instances, the view represented by the system (the people as a whole/the representative) will represent the whole. (That's not to say that a person's view isn't important or that they shouldn't be moved by it or that they shouldn't express it.) So, what happens when one's view differs from the whole? I think that one they then have 3 options that I've been able to see: They can do nothing - recognize that their view does not represent the system and live with it as best they can. (We live in an imperfect world) They can actively try to change others view by empathesising elements that are the basis of their own view in an effect to change the view of the whole. They can work themselves up in a lather - becoming more and more emotional involved - possibly driving them to act in an unwise fashion. (I like to term this one : The Rush Limbaugh-Clinton effect. ;-) I think the 3rd may be counter-productive. I suspect the 2nd is the most-productive and that the 1st is the easist on the gut. YMMV.
Post #92,066 by mmoffitt 3/26/03 9:50:09 PM Reply	You know what bothers me about that? Which category did the "Good German People of 1938-1941" fall into? bcnu, Mikem Osama bin Laden's brother could fly in US airspace 9/15/01, but I had to wait for FBI and CIA background checks, 'nuff said?
Post #92,068 by Simon_Jester 3/26/03 9:53:44 PM Reply	<chuckle> you do pick the good ones, don't you? Yeah, there's a risk there...but it's part of being a citizen, imo. (I'm left wondering about the Good Germany People back then who stated they were too busy to get involved in Politics) There are other examples as well, though - from Sufferage to Civil Rights to others, people have worked to change others views....sometimes they succeed.

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