[extropy-chat] FWD [fantasticreality] Nice Summary of Problems of the self-denoted "Cultural Elites"

[Samantha Atkins]

MB wrote:
>> It is not egalitarianism as some
>> overarching ideal that binds us but equality of fundamental rights that
>> binds how we treat and may treat one another.  This equality of rights
>> does not require any rough equality of abilities, wealth, intelligence,
>> knowledge or interests.   This  is the cornerstone of freedom and
>> peaceful co-existence.
>>
>>     
>
> Yes, Samantha, it is. However, if one group, cohesive and separate from the rest of
> the population, in fact has more power and clout in government and law and education
> and money, 
If there is any such "clout" that supersedes the common rights then the
government is already degenerate.  Differences in ability or money are
then not the problem but that the government to some degree puts on the
auction block the very rights it is its sacred trust and purpose to
defend.    How could simply having more education be a threat to
anyone?  Would you advocate forcing equality in education?



> there is a great danger that they will reinterpret and/or change the law
> to no longer be the same for the "better" and the "not better".  
If the republic (NOT democracy) is functional and working there there is
no such ability to change those laws if the people and their
representatives are at all awake and the checks and balances are still
reasonably in working order.  Of course we have largely forgotten and
been made to forget what the machinery was supposed to be for.  But that
is not the fault in mere differences in power, intelligence, wealth and
so on.




> After all, we're
> just coming out of a Jim Crow era. AFAIK we could easily slide back into some
> version of it.
>   

I don't see where that has a lot to do with differences of ability or
wealth or education.  What do you have in mind?

- samantha