<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">It is not just "putting people in charge". That assumes their job is decisionmaking, and that is pretty clearly wrong (hang out in a parliament for a while or read a PoliSci textbook). Decisions are a tiny part of the job, with much more of it being management, negotiation and (this is a biggie in democratic politics) representing the viewpoint of the voters. If I somehow magically (and unconstitutionally) ended up in the White House and had the right skillset I would still be a disaster since I do not represent the US people in any sensible way, and I would have absolutely zero legitimacy. Getting legitimacy, that is actually what the current US candidate circus is about. Unfortunately for everyone it is not going very well. anders</span><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">Oh, I disagree completely with the last sentence. This is exactly what needs to happen to our political parties. In the four years the Repubs have ruled Congress they have done nothing to make their campaign promises come true. There is not one victory they can claim. They have bickered with everyone, mainly themselves. They needed shaking up badly. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">I wish democratic politics were as you say, actually representing the voters. They haven't and that's why it's such a mess. They have been representing the viewpoints of the rich donors, while Mr Average Voter could not get two minutes of a Congressman's time. I imagine the first question asked about someone who wanted an appt. to be "Is he on the donor list?l How much did he give?" </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">I'd vote for you, Anders, for president. While you have no obligation to our voters, you would be determined to do a good job. Of course Jimmy Carter wanted to also, but he had no idea how Washington worked.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">Maybe I do need to read a pol sci text. I think it's a huge part of being on top to choose very carefully the people under you whom you expect to carry out your programs. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'comic sans ms',sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">bill w</span></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, May 8, 2016 at 1:21 PM, Anders Sandberg <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:anders@aleph.se" target="_blank">anders@aleph.se</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"><span class="">
On 2016-05-08 18:27, Adrian Tymes wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_extra">
<div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, May 8, 2016 at 9:09 AM,
William Flynn Wallace <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:foozler83@gmail.com" target="_blank"></a><a href="mailto:foozler83@gmail.com" target="_blank">foozler83@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px">I
ask everyone on this list this question: given that
you are far smarter than the average person or even
the average college graduate, did you ever think
that you could do a better job of running your town,
state, or country? Of course you have. Why?
Because you are great an engineering or economics or
physics? You see - being among the elite pumps your
ego -- it certainly has pumped mine, and I AM one of
those who think this way, but I know that this is
dangerous thinking and I am very ignorant of how to
run anything outside of a classroom.</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
I know that I could learn how to run things better. That is a
meta-skill that most people do not have, to a degree that many
use the lack of it as a social or comedic common. (How many
people say they want to "rest their brain" or the like when
merely encountering a complex problem, with no serious attempt
made to begin figuring out how to solve it?)<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br></span>
That is a good answer. Putting people able to acquire relevant
skills in charge is a good idea. But in general there is a big cost
to on-the-job learning: you want to put people in charge who have
the skills from the start. Which skills depends a fair bit on the
job - many jobs running institutions require social skills that tend
to require practical training over long time.<br>
<br>
I like my friend Toby's answer. When asked whether the world would
be a better place if we put a philosopher like him (well-meaning,
very smart and knowledgeable) in charge he gave it some thought and
said: "Either much better, or much worse. And there is no way of
knowing before trying it."<br>
<br>
It is not just "putting people in charge". That assumes their job is
decisionmaking, and that is pretty clearly wrong (hang out in a
parliament for a while or read a PoliSci textbook). Decisions are a
tiny part of the job, with much more of it being management,
negotiation and (this is a biggie in democratic politics)
representing the viewpoint of the voters. If I somehow magically
(and unconstitutionally) ended up in the White House and had the
right skillset I would still be a disaster since I do not represent
the US people in any sensible way, and I would have absolutely zero
legitimacy. Getting legitimacy, that is actually what the current US
candidate circus is about. Unfortunately for everyone it is not
going very well. <br><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<br>
<pre cols="72">--
Anders Sandberg
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Oxford University</pre>
</font></span></div>
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