Democritus or democracy?

[imomus]

The Guardian today has an interesting breakdown of the kinds of people voting Yes and No in Sunday's Euro-constitution referendum:

"Only majorities of professionals, graduates and pensioners voted for the constitution," says the paper. "More than 80% of blue collar workers voted against. Haves and have-nots were divided by worries about unemployment, currently at a five-year high of 10.2% - and the biggest single reason for a no vote - and globalisation. Geographically, the trend was clear: Paris, with its large number of "bobos" (bourgeois bohemians) and high-profile socialist mayor, voted massively in favour. Lyon, Strasbourg and Bordeaux were in the yes camp. But Marseille, Nice and Lille said no."

(Fear Eats The Soul, Guardian leader, Tuesday May 31st)

It seems to me that a very similar thing has happened to Europe that has happened in the US: the people voting Yes to the EU constitution have the same educated, urban profile as the people voting Democrat in the last US election. And in both cases they've been defeated and outnumbered by less tolerant, less affluent and educated, more anxious, irrational and xenophobic people from smaller towns and country areas. People who feel like outsiders to the political process are now, with splendid passive aggression, exacting their revenge by dealing it blows. In many cases these people are also outsiders to the process of wealth creation: strip away the blue coasts and the big cities and America loses the economic powerhouses which make it the world's predominant power. It's the same in Europe: the people now determining the shape of the continent are the insecure poor, unwilling to share their meagre income with Polish plumbers and Turkish bakers, but also unwilling to admit their economic dependence on the dynamic city folk and political elites they've just dealt a slap in the face.



Jean de La Fontaine would probably have been a Yes voter. France's greatest writer of fables describes how the townspeople of Abdera summoned the great doctor Hippocrates to treat the philosopher Democritus, believing him to be mad. Hippocrates arrived and conversed with Democritus. They turned out to be kindred spirits; it was the townspeople who were mad. But what do you do when the majority are mad or abnormal? In a relativist conception of the universe, is it even possible to call a majority "abnormal"? In a democracy, can a majority be "wrong"? Surely we have to oppose to La Fontaine's fable the famous Brecht poem which advises the East German government, when it tells the people they have to redouble their efforts to regain the government's confidence in them, to "dissolve the people and elect a new one"?

Everyone who's ever believed profoundly in either a principle or a project, only to see a majority of the people spurn or destroy it, has to question, from time to time, the very idea of democracy: the idea that the majority of the people knows best what's good for the world. We all know that big majorities of the people would, given referenda on the death penalty, war, abortion, immigration and other issues, often choose the most barbaric and atavistic options. There are all sorts of sensible measures you can propose to improve the situation: give the people better access to information, improve education, make the political elites more responsive, make them explain their visions better. But although the editorials won't say it, I will: majorities of the people, at any given time and in any given place, are likely to be mad, bad and wrong.

I mean, someone in my position more or less has to believe that. For twenty years I've been making records. They've been available in shops and played on the radio, but the people have almost completely spurned them. If the people are always right, it would seem an unavoidable conclusion that my records are just a million times worse than Kelly Clarkson's. So give me the choice between Democritus and democracy and, well, you can see how passive aggression might just make me vote for the "mad" philosopher.

Comments

[bearzbub.livejournal.com]

That is some mad philosophy you've got going there. A majority of people have bad taste, it's a fact. Uncreative reality television does not locate talent, it simply showcases fools

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

the people now determining the shape of the continent are the insecure poor

But don't you think it's brilliant that the poor are finally becoming a force to be reckoned with, demanding that their very pressing needs are seen to *before* we all go marching off bravely into the future? Ignore us at your peril, they're saying. Maybe we're not the ideas men... but we still outnumber you.

[spoombung.livejournal.com]

"Only majorities of professionals, graduates and pensioners voted for the constitution," says the paper. "More than 80% of blue collar workers voted against. "

What was it that Quintin Crisp said?
"The working classes are such a disappointment"

Seriously, though, this really is a bit of a head-scratcher. Liking and intergrating with foreigners is generally something associated with nice, educated, leftish people - but there's loads of famous lefttes opposed to it all (including Tony Benn) on the grounds that it's all a bit undemocratic and unelected etc. Hmm. (scratches head)

[spoombung.livejournal.com]

"We all know that big majorities of the people would, given referenda on the death penalty, war, abortion, immigration and other issues, often choose the most barbaric and atavistic options."

I see your point, but we have the option to do this in nearly every election in every country as there are always plenty of barbaric parties you can vote for at any time...but it doesn't happen that often.

This has nothing to do with your post, but I thought you might like to know...

[iconoclastastic.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine saw you perform several years ago, when you were doing the thing that if people paid you money you'd write a song for them on the spot.

Just tonight I met a new person that remembered the song you composed for that person from those years ago, and thought it incredibly good and clever...enough to remember the title of it. The rememberer and the muse-man had never met previously. That's pretty cool, I think.

[rhodri.livejournal.com]

Maybe you need to have an "ASK MOMUS!" section on your website. Kelly does. This significant omission could be badly affecting your career.

21. Do you have any tattoos? If so, what is it of and does it have any significance?

Kelly: YES. I HAVE A JAPANESE SYMBOL THAT MEANS "BLESSED" ON THE BACK OF MY NECK WHICH I GOT WHEN I WAS 18. I GOT IT BECAUSE I AM BLESSED WITH SO MUCH IN MY LIFE. ALSO, THIS YEAR I GOT A BABY CROSS ON MY RIGHT WRIST. I GOT A CROSS TO REMIND ME THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE LOOKING OUT FOR ME EVEN IF IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT.

Momus! Do you have any tattoos? If so, what are they of, and do they have any significance?

[spoombung.livejournal.com]

Also it's quite refreshing that MPs (on both sides of the spectrum) in the UK turn down the death penalty time after time (against public opinion) which rather comes around to your suggestion that maybe real politics are best left to real politicians.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

12. What advice would you give others who want to accomplish what you've done?
Kelly: NO MATTER HOW MANY DOORS SLAM IN YOUR FACE, THERE'S ONE THAT'S WAITING FOR JUST YOU.

Nice, she managed to work in a reference to Kafka's parable "Before The Law".

[rhodri.livejournal.com]

Kelly: I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO FIT IN ACTUALLY ATTENDING COLLEGE, BUT TAKING CLASSES ONLINE DEFINITELY.

We can see those online existentialism classes paying off.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

It's great. The constitution was defeated by radicals, workers, the marginalised, the poor, socialists, greens, communists, public sector workers, and students. It was backed by the elite. It didn't win in Paris because of the bohemians - look at the local breakdowns - it won because of the commuters.

[(Anonymous)]

Perhaps blue-colour workers are more savvy because they have a tradition of having to absorb change. Media workers' every breath is façade (how the whole thing looks, is it more or less polite, what class of person does it make me to believe this or that).

Put simply for those who don’t understand – 'slow values' and 'standing up to America' were NOT stated in any published version of the treaty, and clever people don't sign things they half complete in their heads. People where not prepared to buy something being sold by a shady right-wing crook like Chirac.

Lots of media workers fetishise the French Revolution – so why didn't they join in this time?

[(Anonymous)]

Aaah, years are passing, and grey gets blacker or whiter every day...

- Well, the ego is always right, isn't it? "I" am good, the "others" don't understand me, what's why "I" am not selling as many cds and don't get top charts successes as "I" should... «Serve the rich, screw the poor / Don't let the bastard grind you down» indeed

- Wat about Brittany? This region isn't particularly richer or poorer than, say, Rhone-Alpes (Lyon, Grenoble, etc). So why the massive vote for "yes" ?

- What about the whole debate that went on and on and on, on the yes blogs and the no blogs? Surely the no blogs were run by insecure poor uneducated people, weren't they?

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

...the very idea of democracy: the idea that the majority of the people knows best what's good for the world.

I was always under the impression that the point of a Rousseau-esque democracy was rather that the majority of the people should rule themselves - and the minority - according to what they want to see happen, what with them being the majority, rather than that they are supposed to be somehow correct and justified in some vague universal sense.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

"The streets of Paris, strewed with the carcases of the mangled victims, are become so familiar to the sight, that they are passed by and trod on without any particular notice. The mob think no more of killing a fellow-creature, who is not even an object of suspicion, than wanton boys would of killing a cat or a dog".

You might want to listen to this radio programme about The Terror (http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20050526-0900_40.mp3).

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Wat about Brittany?

It's true her records are better than Kelly's.

i live in a paper bag!

[cityramica.livejournal.com]

who's Kelly Clarkson?


xo

[georgesdelatour.livejournal.com]

The fundamental problem with the European project is it's always been "top-down", never "bottom up". It starts with Monnet and Schuman insinuating their ideas into the bureaucracy and the political class, and keeping far away from the unwashed masses. Well, now the masses are revolting.

But what if it had grown from the bottom, like the suffragettes, Gandhi's movement for Indian independence, or Luther King and the American Civil Rights movement?

Re: i live in a paper bag!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

She's some American Idol winner who sells millions of records and gets asked about her tattoos. But I'd rather know about your tattoos.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

The trouble is, when you're at grass roots you tend only to be able to see your own turf. You need to be up at the top to see things like global injustice.

[mini-snape.livejournal.com]

I'm Dutch and voting against tomorrow, because of the way animal rights are neglected in the constitution. I would vote yes if they changed it to incorporate them.
Generalisations don't take these sort of choices into account, be careful with them.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I think it's worrying that you're rejecting a whole framework on the basis of a single issue. I'd ask you to reconsider, and then work within EU structures to improve treatment of animals. Any successes you had would be Europe-wide rather than restricted to single states.

do you really want to know? because you're about to....

[cityramica.livejournal.com]

mischashoni no tattoo,
by mischashoni

1. yume, (hey wow i have a kanji tattoo that i got when i was 18 just like kclarkson!)
2. star (hey wow i have the same tattoo all the emo kids got 2 years later!)
3. "flesh" (now that's one i like...and that often goes unappreciated)
4. zen circle/coffee stain *new!* (permanent impermanance....and i like drawing pictures with my (orange!) sharpie necklace in the middle of the circle)

and coming soon!
5. robot/tree (oh man the thought of this one makes me happy)
6. camera (so i can take imaginary photos when i forget my "real" camera)
7. icelandic "plus-sign" against evil (to be etched when i have to return the pendant/talisman that says the same to it's rightful owner)

and then there's the piercings....but maybe i'll just show you those in new york.

ano..
i just spilled a box of crackers out the window! i think there are racoons below investigating!

[imomus.livejournal.com]

The constitution was defeated by radicals, workers, the marginalised, the poor, socialists, greens, communists, public sector workers, and students.

You forgot "Le Penistes, xenophobes, fascists, racists, Turk-haters, NIMBYs, country cousins, myopics, ostriches, thick hicks, provincials, retards, dreamers..." You also forgot all the socialists who voted yes. As The Guardian says:

"In party terms, far-right groups such as Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National and the far left united against the treaty. The centre-right UMP and UDF were in favour, the Greens split. François Hollande's Socialist party, which backed the constitution in an internal ballot last year, divided 56%-44% against it. Thus the morning after the referendum was going to be bad day for the socialists, whatever the result."

[(Anonymous)]

Often because you created them.

[beingjdc.livejournal.com]

Not really, it's predictable that the bulk of the far-right are going to vote against anything international, but that's always been true - it doesn't explain why this referendum was different.

As for the Guardian, that sorry article by Kettle claiming that the key problem is that in the modern world we can't afford a welfare state, and that no really means yes, but yeah, if in doubt or stuck for an argument then calling your opponents racists usually works.

The three key reasons for voting no were firstly unemployment, secondly
general disillusionment with the French and European political elite, and
thirdly rejection of the neo-liberal bias in the Constitution - no other
reason was cited by more than 25% of No voters.