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Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

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Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#11

Post by lawnchair_larry »

If you saw the types of people that try to position themselves around politicians, you would think this about everyone too.

Rich donors are by and large not buying political favors, they're trying to buy social status. They idolize these politicians and want to impress their social circle by shaking their hands. It's truly pathetic. They are the kids who got picked last in gym class and are still insecure about it. They would probably take a bullet for the chance to host a fundraiser.

It's like how many cops deal with lawbreakers and miscreants all day, and develop a negative disposition towards the rest of the population, subconsciously thinking that their sample reflects the population at large.

Also, people are voting for Trump. In light of that, it takes extreme optimism and generosity to think that millions of voters are anything more than hopeless morons.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#13

Post by DannyB2 »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #9

How did America wind up with a "political ruling class" who "have no idea what Americans think and they don't care"? Wasn't America the place you went to leave that kind of arrogant nonsense behind?

As a patriotic American, I'm proud to stand up and say I love the freedoms we used to have!

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#14

Post by woodandsteel »

I've read that when the general public is surveyed on various issues, they turn out to be generally ill-informed. For instance, they think that foreign aid is ten times higher than it is, or that the rich have a far lower proportion of the national wealth than they do.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#15

Post by dalke »

vannevar wrote: post #10

The study's authors hardly sound like disinterested academics. They sound a lot more like people trying to sell a book that capitalizes on a political trend.

I don't understand your comment.

I have never met a "disinterested academic". To the contrary, most academics are quite interested and many are enthusiastic about their area of study.

Many are also involved in outreach, to get others interested in their research topic. This includes researchers who write and sell books meant for the general public, and, yes, to affect policy.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#16

Post by AnimalMuppet »

woodandsteel wrote: post #14

I've read that when the general public is surveyed on various issues, they turn out to be generally ill-informed. For instance, they think that foreign aid is ten times higher than it is, or that the rich have a far lower proportion of the national wealth than they do.

That's true. But it does not follow that those who have accurate information, but live lives that are very different and disconnected from the average person's, are able to make good decisions for the average person.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#17

Post by woodandsteel »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #16
woodandsteel wrote: post #14

I've read that when the general public is surveyed on various issues, they turn out to be generally ill-informed. For instance, they think that foreign aid is ten times higher than it is, or that the rich have a far lower proportion of the national wealth than they do.

That's true. But it does not follow that those who have accurate information, but live lives that are very different and disconnected from the average person's, are able to make good decisions for the average person.

That's a good point.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#18

Post by oldmanjay »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #9

How did America wind up with a "political ruling class" who "have no idea what Americans think and they don't care"? Wasn't America the place you went to leave that kind of arrogant nonsense behind?

It's sort of the same reason I keep giving for why I like Rust over other languages - sufficient vigilance is very difficult for humans to maintain, and so unexpected catastrophes happen.

I'm optimistic that there are technological solutions for this particular crisis, although I admit I don't know what they will be.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#19

Post by zigzigzag »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #9

How did America wind up with a "political ruling class" who "have no idea what Americans think and they don't care"? Wasn't America the place you went to leave that kind of arrogant nonsense behind?

I bought the book and read it last night.

Basically it blames the New Deal and the massive expansion of Congressional ambition that accompanied it. Such vast programs of regulation meant it became infeasible for Congress to write the laws entirely by itself, so it created lots of regulators and agencies to do so for it, and then delegated lots of power without much in the way of accountability.

Re: Washington's governing elites think we're all morons, a new study says

#20

Post by vannevar »

dalke wrote: post #15
vannevar wrote: post #10

The study's authors hardly sound like disinterested academics. They sound a lot more like people trying to sell a book that capitalizes on a political trend.

I don't understand your comment. I have never met a "disinterested academic". To the contrary, most academics are quite interested and many are enthusiastic about their area of study. Many are also involved in outreach, to get others interested in their research topic. This includes researchers who write and sell books meant for the general public, and, yes, to affect policy.

"Disinterested" in this context refers to self-interest, such as a financial interest in the outcome, as opposed to an interest in the truth. The language used by the author in the interview seemed exaggerated, and aimed at taking advantage of the prevailing anti-government populism, rather than shedding any real light on it.

We have a republican form of government here in the US, rather than a direct democracy. Of course subject-matter experts in government are going to say that they shouldn't rely on the judgment of the public at large. That's a far cry from calling them morons.

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