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RE: Politics, Partisanship, and Propaganda
Lumping all politicians into one 'evil' group is an arrogant and dangerous attitude, that gets us presidents like DT.
Lumping all politicians into one 'evil' group is an arrogant and dangerous attitude, that gets us presidents like DT.
Claiming authority over the life, liberty, and property of strangers is an arrogant and dangerous attitude. That is what politicians do. There is no representation. There is no agent/principal relationship. Blaming a consistent philosophy of liberty for electing Trump is like blaming a consistent philosophy of peace for Al Qaeda.
"Evil": any act which intentionally harms any person who isn't currently initiating force or violating private property; harms someone who does not deserve to be harmed at this moment.
Philip Zimbardo, in The Lucifer Effect, defines it thusly: “Evil consists in intentionally behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy innocent others—or using one’s authority and systemic power to encourage or permit others to do so on your behalf.” So he includes the use of (imaginary) political "authority" to influence others to be evil under his definition of evil. I agree.
Do all politicians use politics? Yes. Then all politicians are committing evil.
Would you argue against lumping all rapists into one "evil" group based on the definitional act they commit? If so, why the inconsistency?
Recognizing reality isn't "arrogant and dangerous". Burying your head in the sand because it hurts your feelings is.