Governments & Culture

[Boerseun]

In all actuality, I would hope for Plato's reign of the wisest, but that isn't gonna happen

Very good points in your post, Teleman -

 

In an ideal world (forget about political parties, etc., if only for a moment), would it not make sense to have government appointed by MENSA? :shrug:

 

MENSA recommends, say, a group of a thousand people to become 'the government'. Then, a panel of a couple of hundred psychologists interview all the candidates, and one candidate is, say, interviewed by ten psychologists, and their profiles compared afterwards - to weed out the Hanibal Lecters and Hitlers and such.

 

Then, after the candidates are weeded out and you end up with say the hundred best and psychologically stable geniuses, they hold an election amongst themselves to appoint the 'president'. Would this be Plato's intention? Would a hypothetical situation like this be to the average citizen's benefit? If you look at voting turnouts, it seems as if most Westerners take their franchise for granted, so they probably wouldn't even notice...

[Qfwfq]

would it not make sense to have government appointed by MENSA?

:shrug:

 

I somehow doubt Plato would have bothered joining MENSA if it had existed back then.

[bumab]

Then, after the candidates are weeded out and you end up with say the hundred best and psychologically stable geniuses, they hold an election amongst themselves to appoint the 'president'. Would this be Plato's intention? Would a hypothetical situation like this be to the average citizen's benefit? If you look at voting turnouts, it seems as if most Westerners take their franchise for granted, so they probably wouldn't even notice...

 

Probably not :wave:

 

Seen the Simpsons where the smartest people are given control of the town? Crazyness. :shrug:

[Fishteacher73]

Interesting idea!

 

So what kind of person do you want to live under? One that is entirely motivated by self-serving desires, or one that makes sacrafices for the good of the whole?

 

:shrug: Obviously, there's no bias in the way I worded that one...

 

I think the issue here is that there are no ENTIRELY selfish nor altruistic motives in humans, so the extrapolated gov't would not be purely one ore the other.

[Teleman21]

Well not necessarily, Platos plan was more of this idea. That we are all suited for different tasks and should accordingly and welcome our tasks. The only problems with this is according to Plato those best suited for rule would be the philosophers because of the fact that they are those who are closest to the forms which equate to wisdom. However, philosophers would not be interested in ruling, because they are more concerned with being with wisdom. A catch 22 of sorts