Minority vs. Majority

    ” We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.”

            Doctrine & Covenants 121:39

      Few things in life distort the relationship of communities and society more than power and politics.  The American revolution and the revolution in France introduced democracy to both America and Europe in roughly the same time period.  The French revolution ended up much more violent and tumultuous than the former, described by Charles Dickens as “the best of times” and “the worst of times” simultaneously.  The French revolution was an extremely violent and intolerant uprising.  It led to mass beheading and guillotining of the aristocracy.  It led to the rise of the first of the modern despots in Napoleon, who enthralled the recently empowered majority, was voted into power which he refused to release and unleashed upon the rest of Europe, as the revolution ran off its rails.

The Storming of the Bastille in 1789

 

Points of Interest #27

It’s back, the feature in where I share all that is virtuous, lovely or of good report in my wandering to cyberspace.  I may have complained that I am sick of it in my last post but I am over that now.  Please disregard it, which I leave only as a reminder to me and warning to others about what happens when certain medications are stopped or skipped.   Instead, turn yourself to the very best of the past week in the Internet-

Is medicine losing its credibility?

The Internet is full these days of eager skeptics, debunkers, anti-crank, and anti-Quack websites. In the harsh, absolutist language full of insults, innuendo, and invented terms like crank, woo, pseudoscience, and quackery. This has in turn led to a proliferation of counter websites using pretty much the same tone. Whether it’s global warming, physics, autism, herbal remedies, homeopathy, acupuncture, or the oldest and most overdone argument of all, God. The insults fly, the adrenaline rushes and the dopamine rewards. What is shut off is logic, understanding, and trust. Welcome to wonderful world of the Internet.

The problem is, this approach doesn’t influence anyone except like minded individuals, who become more stubborn and radical. These skeptics are doing more harm to their cause than good. Most Americans, by a large majority, don’t believe in evolution and it’s not for a lack of loud voices proclaiming the evidence. I think some of this is a natural reaction. Call me crazy, but I don’t think people like being told they are stupid. Not only that, I don’t think people who refuse to take scientist’s word on an issue are stupid at all.