Crowds

Philosophy Forums Society, Government, and Economics
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Hi
Haven’t written anything for a long time:)

I have recently come across a book called the wisdom of crowds by James something (not very good at remembering names). It talks about how much wisdom a crowd has even relative to the smartest individuals. I also read a book some time ago called “the crowds” by a frenchman Gustav something (can’t remember his last name either". it talked about how stupid crowds can be and how much they loos rationality. now when I try to apply these theories to democracy obviously I get a very opposite thing. I think that democracy is not the best solution to selecting a government, but if crowds are as clever as James laid out, what is wrong?
Yan

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James appears to have his head shoved some great distance up his own rectum.

The intelligence of crowds is manifestly subterranean. They will follow whoever shouts the loudest.

Democracy, however, is the only way to ensure that government is just on the political scale. Otherwise you have a class of elites who work the system to their material advantage etc. When the leaders turn an informed body of citizens into a fearful mob, democracy breaks down and whoever shouts the loudest again asserts control.

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crowds say things like “george bush is great, he kills terrorism very efficiently. we hate terrorism. we love religious fundamentalism.”

crowds should be banned/bombed unless they are composed entirely of smart people like us.

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Whether an individual or a million in a crowd, GIGO. The issue is twofold; education and information. An educated and informed ‘crowd’ may show wisdom. An uneducated misinformed crowd will display the greatest stupidity of which it is capable.

JT

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its all about the fear when theyre stupid, as was recently shown quite well.

if you dont know what to be afraid of, be afraid of everything! ESPECIALLY if somebody else is

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“Crowds say the darndest things.”

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I’ll have to disagree with the author you read, yan. It has always been suggested that as masses grow exponentially, so would ignorance. Having a big population are one of the best ways to keep people ignorant and in control. By making them think that they are part of something special and grand (no matter in what perspective) is only making them happy. They are not full of wisdom, intelligence, etc Actually, most “groups” adopt (unconsciously, but do) the logical fallacy of all because a whole population of people believe in something (a majority, as an ex:) then they feel that they MUST believe in that certain something. Which is why the “masses” are ignorant, for they do not think for themselves. What does it mean to “concentrate” the ideas of the masses? Basically by shouting out the loudest! :wink: