[svandamme]

I'll add something more.

Its something I see more and more, on public comment sections, for instance on news articles.
Churchill famously get's misquoted but never actually said it.
“The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

Now in those comment sections you can typically find the examples for that statement.

Recently had a nice example news article, about inheritance tax.
Some sensational article that somebody had inherited a house from her brother and then had to sell it to pay for the inheritance tax..blablabla unfair.

right, now all the comments started ranting that it's a double rip off that they had already payed for the house with income tax and then with vat tax and now they get taxed again. SO UN FAIR.

obviously all taxes are unfair to those who have to pay em.

half a day later there's a sensational article about new gubmint cutting budgets for education and schools.

Obviously everybody ranting and raving that the gubmint parliament members should first cut their own salaries and that would solve all budget holes right there an then...

It's just 2 examples that on their own mean nothing, but the same people will happily rant against tax spending cuts in the morning, and about taxes being levied in the evening..

And no amount of logic can point out to them, that you cannot have it both ways, eg, benefit of services provided (budget cost) and not pay taxes (budget income).

Also cannot point out in any way shape or form the mistakes in their logic, eg , no THEY did not pay taxes on that inheritance twice, because the one that first payed taxes is dead and the one paying inheritance tax is paying it on something he's getting something for free.

And forget about the argument that I think it's fairer to pay taxes on something you get for free, rather then something you have to work for yourself.. (tax on labor)

I'll admit to having a very guilty pleasure in arguing logic in those comment boxes, playing the devils advocate, just to see if I can find just 1 reasonably thinker in the mob. I can tel you, tilting at windmills doesn't really cover it. MOB RULE.. and the bigger the mob, the lower the standards.

Most people are really incapable of taking a step back and looking at a problem or issue objectively. A lot of people cannot do it 1 on 1, but even more people cannot do it if there's 2 of them and then it becomes exponentially more difficult to apply logic as more people are in the mix.

News papers thrive on that stupidity
Politicians make a living off it, because they all vote.

The Internet that was supposed to be something to promote science, technology and education, instead has become to accessible, and now it empowers stupidity, promotes outrage(like the n word) and detriments democracy...

Nobody really wants to talk about it, because it's really something that has no solution (other then censorship which is problematic to say the least)... But it's a big problem...It's actively used by politicians, right wing groups, rooskies, and loads of groups and people with power..
It swings elections... around the world...

There is no more honest debate possible.
The mob rule won't allow it
The smack down in this thread topic, is mob rule @ work.