Musings on Government

Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.

– George Bernard Shaw

The more people of a democracy value knowledge, prudence, humility, and most importantly, kindness, the happier they’ll be. Society’s happiness, as John Adam’s put it in his “Thoughts on Government”, is the end of government. America being a democracy, our government, in part, is a reflection of the people; thus, If we desire higher quality representation and leaders, ones that embody these qualities and act with our collective best interest in mind, we must first start with ourselves. By instilling the qualities we desire in our government, we set the bar high, as it should be. America has many complex challenges facing it. We can’t all be experts and no one is perfect; nevertheless, we should hunger for knowledge and know where our own ignorance’s lye. We must search for truth, wherever it leads. We must be kind to one another, even though it seems impossible at times. We must be willing to challenge others beliefs, having candid, respectful, debates. And as always, we must be wary of those who possess great power for even the best of us can abuse it. An individual’s goal in a democratic society is to embody all of these traits as best they can. Just as the captain of a ship navigating a stormy sea can only hope to find calmer waters with the help of good, knowledgeable, officers and crew, we cannot hope to help steer our democracy to calmer waters and a sandy shore without the help of each and every one of us. A better tomorrow is out there for America, even as perilous as the waters may seem today.