Quote Originally Posted by Ash View Post
People are not God. They cannot see all ends.

To recognise this is not to consider them stupid, as much as you would like us both to share your misanthropy. A person of low education from Stoke might have an intuitive understanding of how political power should be distributed that, in my opinion, could be superior to the view of a university professor who insists that she, as a highly intelligent and educated expert, knows best and that the best thing is for people like them to decide the law of the land.

On another level, if a Surrey stockbroker always votes Tory purely because he believes it is in his interests, while a west Cumbrian ship-builder always votes Labour purely because she believes it is in her interests, then so be it. Better that they care little for the detail of the policies but have their say, than for them to have no say at all.
I agree that instinct and intuition can be valuable commodities within the marketplace of ideas and that entrenched ideology often pollutes the thinking of educated 'clever' people.

But I'm not sure exactly what you are disagreeing with. If you break down my point, it is simply that current levels of intelligence and engagement are sub-optimal, and it would be better if people were smarter and more informed.

I know they are mere snapshots during which people are asked for their opinions off-guard, but you must have noticed that TV vox pops never manage to find anyone with anything remotely original or insightful to say?