 |
 |
The Business Blog at Intuitive.com
|
Dave Taylor has been involved with the Internet since 1980 and
is widely recognized as an expert on both technical and business
issues. He has been published over a thousand times, launched four Internet-related
startup companies, has written twenty business and technical books and holds both an MBA and MS Ed.
Dave maintains three weblogs, The Business Blog at Intuitive.com, focused on business and
industry analysis,
the eponymous
Ask Dave Taylor
devoted to tech and business Q&A and The
Attachment Parenting Blog,
discussing topics of interest to parents.
Dave is an award-winning speaker, sought after conference and workshop participant and
frequent guest on radio and podcast programs.
|
The Conundrum of an "Informed Populace" and Democracy
I went to the polls today here in Colorado -- I never miss a chance to cast my ballot in an election -- and it again struck me how impossible a challenge we have trying to maintain any sort of representative democracy in this country. There I was, staring at a paper that listed names and offices, and I had no idea about any of them, had no information available to me about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, and hadn't even a one sentence bio/campaign promise statement from any of them.In a contest where the candidates have lots of money, odds would be pretty good that some sort of fliers or other material would wind up in my mailbox, but can I trust election materials produced by candidates? (and then again, would I vote for someone whose material I didn't trust? Would you?) Failing that, the options are to check with various biased media sources, each of which have an agenda that doesn't match my own interests and beliefs, to get their perspective on the candidates.
It's the dilemma of the Informed Populace that has tripped me up each and every time there's an election: how do I know what I'm really voting for or against? How do I know who these people really are, and whether I can trust them to represent either my own views on the world or at least those views that are sufficiently congruent with mine that the country will move in a direction that I like?
The next time you're at the polls, standing with a ballot in your hand, ask yourself how much objective (or at least quasi-objective) information do you have that can help you make an informed, thoughtful, and responsible choice?
And yet, even with all that, vote! Whether the process is optimal or not, it's a clear truism that not voting means you have even less voice and really have precious little basis for complaining or kvetching about the state of the country, at least in my eyes.
|
Before you leave a comment, a tip: If you're interested in blogging, you should sign up for my Blogsmart News so you can stay up to date
on the latest insider tips and ideas for your Internet business and marketing
efforts. Sign up right now and you'll get a free copy
of my "Insider's Guide to Blogging" ebook too! |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
The Business Blog
