Lauren, I agree with Eric, brilliant article highly relevant to the United States and world affairs in general. I would argue that the article is also substantially useful as a broader psychological and philosophical piece separate from an examination of the subject matter (in this case “democracy”). The questions the article raises are inherently related to why it would not fit an the Medium platform algorithm. Medium is in the business of attention getting using the same ever escalating hyperbole and quick ego hooks used by TikTok, Instagram, Meta, Fox News, CNN, click ads and … politicians.
You might read this, so I’ll provide one example of a “broader” question I applied to myself while reading your article on democracy. Given the current state of social and political acrimony, polarity, divisiveness and most importantly ever more rapid degree and frequency of change/uncertainty … why do articles of transactional anger, simplified categorical explanations, quick fix, quick blame, fear of apocalyptic collapse (economic, governmental, political, technological, the list is endless) gain such traction on/in (this example) a “writers” platform. A good amount of explanation is suggested in your article — we, as a generalization of human nature, embrace self deception over the much more rigorous and complex task of “growing up” — truly embracing that what is called “ego” is all about crafting solutions of self-myths and self-distractions (cute animal antics, sex appeal, paths to easy money or beautiful life, etc.). The more uncertainty that our unconscious perceives the more fear our intellect tries to solve for. Hence we convince ourselves we are basically “open-minded” while simultaneously intellectually fabricating a maze of biases and comforting dogmas largely in service of denial in order to give the illusion of control and rightness. Tapping into these superficial and ego fabricated myths does fit click algorithms, I can’t blame Medium or democracy for wanting to survive the popularity contest. As it applies to your article I asked myself what fears, prejudices, generalizations, judgements, assumptions, limitations, projections, filters do I bring to how I think democracy “should” (a shame word loaded with ego) work and “is or is not” working (judgement words loaded with grandiosity and self-reference deception). The question left me with a rubble of twisted shadowy debris that led me to do what I’m about to do now — take 20 minutes to meditate and stop my racing mind and just be. Maybe in the quiet I’ll gain a small step idea for being, in compassion, part of the solution. Above all, thank you for expressing depth of mind and effort toward calm objectivity, my guess is we are going to need to adapt to consciousness growth to survive as a species.
