chapman@fornax.uucp (02/27/87)
> > Sure, if the majority is not properly educated then they will make > stupid decisions. The alternative is to have some "board" or I think this deserves some more comment. It is a topic which has always bothered me. In my opinion democracy and freedom will be conficting values/forces unless the electorate is educated. It also seems to me that along with the so-called "right" to vote must come some responsibility. First of all is the responsibility to vote. I would argue that there is something seriously wrong in a society where so many people do not avail themselves of the ability to have some say in their country's actions. The voter turnout statistics are quite depressing. During the recent election in BC the local station interviewed people (sidewalk style) about voting. there was a 22 year old woman who wasn't going to vote because "it just doesn't concern me". This was her first opportunity to participate in an election and she just couldn't be bothered. Secondly there is the responsibility to make reasoned and informed decisions. There have been suggestions that some people should get more votes based on their education, contributions to society in general etc.. I can understand the proponents motivation in this but I think it is too dangerous as it effectively disenfranchises the majority. The only solution I see to this is to provide people with every opportunity possible to educate themselves and to learn to reason. Since most so many people cannot even be bothered to vote it is unlikely that there would be an enthusiastic response to any expenditures in this direction - but what is the alternative but to be governed by the very low common denominator of the population? With regard to the CBC in this context I believe the following to be true. People cannot appreciate or enjoy a certain activity unless they are exposed to it. If they do not appreciate it they will not demand it. Thinking and learning is hard - it only becomes fun once you get good at it. We have a whole generation of parents now who are tube addicts - it is unreasonable to assume they will do anything but turn their children into addicts as well. So we have a vicious cycle which I contend is precisely similar to the often noted muti-generation welfare family syndrome - one generation sinks and all those who follow learn to do the same by example. It is unlikely that we will ever get people to give up the tube (use it in moderation anyway). If we wait until there is a demand for alternative programming it will never come. The CBC provides an alternative, although not an ideal one, and so should recieve funding. It is an existing base in a powerful medium with which we might help dezombify the next generation. The question as far as I am concerned is not: should we subsidize the CBC, but: how can we make it a more powerful tool to help create a population of thinking, informed, critical and active citizenry. Stay tuned to this station for comments on the education system. 1
sanand@radha.UUCP (Sanand Patel) (03/02/87)
In article <210@fornax.uucp> chapman@fornax.uucp writes: >First of all is the responsibility to vote. I would argue that there >is something seriously wrong in a society where so many people do not >avail themselves of the ability to have some say in their country's >actions. The voter turnout statistics are quite depressing. During > As an aside, in a (free) country where there is low voter turnout, I would infer that most are *happy* as things are. As voter turnout increases, I would infer that the (any) country is in trouble/turmoil. Countries that are in turbulent times/troubled times have a *very* high turnout >90%. [see also Megatrands by ?? for stats only]. -- --- --- seismo!mnetor!radha!sanand --- utzoo!dciem!radha!sanand --- 416-293-9722 ext248
henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (03/03/87)
> First of all is the responsibility to vote. I would argue that there > is something seriously wrong in a society where so many people do not > avail themselves of the ability to have some say in their country's > actions. The voter turnout statistics are quite depressing... Indeed they are. Perhaps we should re-examine the assumption that voting constitutes "having some say in the country's actions". It seems to me that the Number One reason why people do not vote is that they are convinced it will make no difference. I'm not sure of any way to change this conviction, partly because I tend to agree that it is a realistic assessment of Canadian politics. I did once see an intriguing suggestion on increasing voter turnout: pay for votes. Not for *specific* votes, mind you, but a flat payment of (say) $50 for turning out and voting. Expensive, yes, but perhaps worth it. -- "We must choose: the stars or Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology the dust. Which shall it be?" {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry
manis@ubc-cs.UUCP (Vincent Manis) (03/04/87)
In article <135@radha.UUCP> sanand@radha.UUCP (Sanand Patel) writes: >As an aside, in a (free) country where there is low voter turnout, I >would infer that most are *happy* as things are. As voter turnout >increases, I would infer that the (any) country is in trouble/turmoil. >Countries that are in turbulent times/troubled times have a *very* high >turnout >90%. [see also Megatrands by ?? for stats only]. I'm not sure I buy this reasoning. I have voted in every election for which I was eligible at the civic, provincial, and federal levels. I even voted in civic elections when I lived in the suburbs, where most elections are fought over obscure zoning battles. People who vote may do so because they're mad as hell, happy as hell, or merely feel an obligation to do so. They may also vote because they're legally required to. Both Australia and the USSR have this requirement (I believe), though I wouldn't want to compare the happiness of their citizens. In fact, if people have given up on their government, they're less likely to vote. In the US, the percentage of people voting in the presidential elections has fallen each time, with more and more people saying it just doesn't matter. Moral of the story: VOTE!!!