Political Memes

Yep. People are the problem. Plain and simple. As the old saying goes, power corrupts.

Taking the USA as an example, since they're the most vocal about capitalism and democracy, the fact that it took them as long as it did to identify that smoking causes cancer and a slew of other ailments because of tobacco group lobbying is the most direct and pure example I can find of how the system is both corrupted by the people who run it, and balanced by the fact that the people still have a say. For years, the dangers of tobacco products, which we have and share as common knowledge, were either obfuscated or downright refuted by those in power to do anything about it. The fact is, tobacco is bad for you. But for years, even doctors would prescribe cigarettes to relieve common ailments...

In current times, I'm certain many of the same type of situation is happening, it will just be years before it's made clear who was falsifying information and trying to deceive the public into believing that things that are actively harming the public, are actually good, or vice versa. IMO, this is happening with the environment right now, global warming and the electrification of most things like vehicles and whatnot. I have my own theories on who is lying and who is telling the truth, and who is ultimately responsible for the rising global mean temperature and destruction of the environment, which I won't get into right now. Simply put, these situations have existed for a very long time and eventually the truth does emerge... At least, it has so far. That speaks to my point that democracy can, at the very least slow down the damage that otherwise could be caused.

It's an interesting phenomenon to watch unfold, again and again. It would seem that the majority does not learn from history and is therefore doomed to repeat it, taking the rest of us along for the ride.