I think a large segment of humanity (women and men) are hopelessly unable to assert their own preferences, and if an assertive person tells them to do something, they just sort of...go along with it.
Well, that’s interesting. To hell with who gets to screw whom—what do you think about social and political implications of this? This approach basically says that democracy cannot be anything but a sham, for example. It also heavily implies that people need a benevolent philosopher-king to rule over them.
If a “large segment” of people have, basically, reduced capabilities, what does that imply about their rights?
it’s not really victimhood I’m describing here—what I described isn’t quite at the point where I’d call it a crime scene
Oh, come on, the common use of the word “victim” nowadays (especially in the SJ circles) has nothing to do with crimes and legality in general.
what do you think about social and political implications of this?
Pretty bleak. See: Third Reich. But I don’t see how knowing that humans are vulnerable to do things they don’t like when authority tells them to means we should have more central authorities—there’s some inferences you’ve made that are opaque to me. If anything, I would think it means we should be all the more suspicious of authority and vigilantly maintain egalitarianism. (Of course, if you’re somehow guaranteeing that they be benevolent and competent philosophers to boot, that does seem pretty good...)
Oh, come one
I don’t think there is any need to adopt any other group’s broadened usage of “victim” here?
it means we should be all the more suspicious of authority
Your premise is that a “large segment” of people is basically incapable of this, and even if it gets suspicious can be just intimidated and shouted down into submission.
I don’t mean this as confrontational way, just an observation: there’s this pattern of where I write something, and then you respond as if I wrote a subtly exaggerated version containing some additional points which I didn’t actually write. This comment really typifies the tendency.
Just because I think many humans have a weakness for obeying authority and avoiding conflict (do you actually dispute that?) doesn’t mean I think society is going to collapse as a result of this tendency
Just because a lot of drunk people at a night club are often pressured into making quick decisions they regret later doesn’t mean that no one is capable of questioning authority and standing up for themselves.
Maintaining egalitarianism means preventing people from systematically exerting power over one another in a way that significantly overrides each others preferences, and that’s not a non sequitur.
there’s this pattern of where I write something, and then you repeat back a subtly exaggerated version
Yes, I find it an efficient way to gain understanding of other people’s positions. Basically, if you make a point, I don’t know—and I lack a proper word for that—how far are you willing to take it. So I sharpen that point and repeat it back to you. There are several possible outcomes. One is that I misunderstood you and what I repeated back to you isn’t what you meant. Another one is that yes, you are fine with the “sharpened” point. Yet another one is that the sharpened point goes too far so you want to define a boundary beyond which your point doesn’t apply. In any case I understand your point much better.
doesn’t mean I think society is going to collapse as a result of this tendency
I don’t have in mind a collapse. I have in mind a totalitarian state.
systematically exerting power over one another in a way that significantly overrides each others preferences
As far as I can tell, the main function of democracy is to prevent the power structure from dramatically violating the citizen’s preferences. Totalitarian rule doesn’t have that feature, creating a higher risk of it becoming an unpleasant to live in, as well as unstable.
Isn’t that, essentially, what government is?
Yup.
There’s a balance to be struck between facilitating centralized organization and decision making, which involves a top down structure, and preventing top-down coercion.
I think we’re reaching realms of political science which are outside the domain of things which I know about / have thought about enough about to speak confidently.
Well, that’s interesting. To hell with who gets to screw whom—what do you think about social and political implications of this? This approach basically says that democracy cannot be anything but a sham, for example. It also heavily implies that people need a benevolent philosopher-king to rule over them.
If a “large segment” of people have, basically, reduced capabilities, what does that imply about their rights?
Oh, come on, the common use of the word “victim” nowadays (especially in the SJ circles) has nothing to do with crimes and legality in general.
Pretty bleak. See: Third Reich. But I don’t see how knowing that humans are vulnerable to do things they don’t like when authority tells them to means we should have more central authorities—there’s some inferences you’ve made that are opaque to me. If anything, I would think it means we should be all the more suspicious of authority and vigilantly maintain egalitarianism. (Of course, if you’re somehow guaranteeing that they be benevolent and competent philosophers to boot, that does seem pretty good...)
I don’t think there is any need to adopt any other group’s broadened usage of “victim” here?
Well, should we stock on ammo and beans, then?
Your premise is that a “large segment” of people is basically incapable of this, and even if it gets suspicious can be just intimidated and shouted down into submission.
That’s a non sequitur.
I don’t mean this as confrontational way, just an observation: there’s this pattern of where I write something, and then you respond as if I wrote a subtly exaggerated version containing some additional points which I didn’t actually write. This comment really typifies the tendency.
Just because I think many humans have a weakness for obeying authority and avoiding conflict (do you actually dispute that?) doesn’t mean I think society is going to collapse as a result of this tendency
Just because a lot of drunk people at a night club are often pressured into making quick decisions they regret later doesn’t mean that no one is capable of questioning authority and standing up for themselves.
Maintaining egalitarianism means preventing people from systematically exerting power over one another in a way that significantly overrides each others preferences, and that’s not a non sequitur.
Yes, I find it an efficient way to gain understanding of other people’s positions. Basically, if you make a point, I don’t know—and I lack a proper word for that—how far are you willing to take it. So I sharpen that point and repeat it back to you. There are several possible outcomes. One is that I misunderstood you and what I repeated back to you isn’t what you meant. Another one is that yes, you are fine with the “sharpened” point. Yet another one is that the sharpened point goes too far so you want to define a boundary beyond which your point doesn’t apply. In any case I understand your point much better.
I don’t have in mind a collapse. I have in mind a totalitarian state.
Isn’t that, essentially, what government is?
As far as I can tell, the main function of democracy is to prevent the power structure from dramatically violating the citizen’s preferences. Totalitarian rule doesn’t have that feature, creating a higher risk of it becoming an unpleasant to live in, as well as unstable.
Yup.
There’s a balance to be struck between facilitating centralized organization and decision making, which involves a top down structure, and preventing top-down coercion.
I think we’re reaching realms of political science which are outside the domain of things which I know about / have thought about enough about to speak confidently.
It was a nice arc from PUA techniques to viability of sociopolitical structures :-)