[extropy-chat] No Joy in Mudville

[scerir]

From: "J. Andrew Rogers" 

> Yet I hear garbage reasoning like this 
> all the time, and after the election, 
> on this list of all places.

It is the old "it is bad to be oppressed 
by a minority but it is worse to be oppressed 
by a majority" effect.

But in this expanding and mixing world
(media, breaking walls, information tech, etc.) 
- and now http://ray.tomes.biz/expand.html :-) -
it is more and more difficult to see a real 
majority and a real minority, at least to me.

s.  

"For the Athenians were not only brave and patriotic 
and capable of generous sacrifice, but they were 
the most religious of the Greeks. They venerated 
the constitution which had given them prosperity 
and equality and the pride of freedom, and never 
questioned the fundamental laws which regulated 
the enormous power of the Assembly. They tolerated 
considerable variety of opinion, and great license 
of speech; and their humanity towards their slaves 
roused the indignation even of the most intelligent 
partisan of aristocracy. Thus they became the only people 
of antiquity that grew great by democratic institutions. 
But the possession of unlimited power, which corrodes 
the conscience, hardens the heart, and confounds 
the understanding of monarchs exercised its demoralizing 
influence on the illustrious Democracy of Athens. 
It is bad to be oppressed by a minority; 
but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority. 
For there is a reserve of latent power in the masses which, 
if it is called into play, the minority can seldom resist. 
But from the absolute will of an entire people 
there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason."
http://www.acton.org/publicat/books/freedom/antiquity.html