The great constitutionalists, from Aristotle to Montesquieu to Madison, believed that the populace should have a voice, but they also thought, with Cicero, that the well-being of the people was the highest law. Survival and flourishing is most important, not pandering to popular passions.

Any small “r” republican knows that a good society divides up power among authorities, repositories, and mysteries, such that all are checked and balanced; neither the bounder nor the mobile vulgus can become tyrannical. Pluralist theory seeks both safety and stability in multiplicity. The wisdom of crowds—and brokering institutions.

  • Neuromancer@lemm.eeM
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    9 months ago

    There are conservatives that think that non-heteronormative people shouldn’t exist and shouldn’t have rights. Very few. I have yet to meet anyone who thinks that. Usually, the debate is over what a right is. Many people accept trans people, but they do not think they should be forced by law to use whatever pro-nouns people want or that they should compete in sports opposite of their biological sex. You will see most debates sit around those points. I use whatever pronouns a person wants except they or them. It’s just polite. I do see why people argue over it, but that’s just me. To me, it’s the same as wanting to be called Bob if my name is Robert.

    without calling them fascist/nazi/whatever

    That is the hard part, most liberals don’t want to have a conversation, they want to scream fascist/nazi or whatever.

    And I won’t put this blame entirely on the left wing, the internet has made it easier than ever for conservatives (and progressives, to a lesser extent) to pick the “junk food” option of listening to only voices that validate their beliefs instead of challenging them.

    I would say both sides are just as guilty. Twitter, Reddit, Lemmy are all know for extreme left views.