There are, of course, many examples of human stupity. Smoking is one of them. Subsidizing tobacco farmers and then spending a tremendous amount of money for drugs that help people stop smoking is another. And killing in the name of religious faith is another. And giving any kind of credence to right-wing media clowns is another. And being happy to die for one's country is another. And believing that our brief moments on this planet are meaningful is another. And if human beings are, to a large degree, stupid, then how can we have a meaningful democracy?
I'm reading Arturo Escobar's Encountering Development in which he discusses how development policies towards poorer parts of the globe are a form of colonization, which they undoubtedly are. Yet he is forced to criticize nutrition programs and health-care programs. Without question there's a massive development infrastructure, with many a public and private bureaucrat scurrying toward yet another conference on how to drag the apparently undeserving billions out of poverty. and without question whatever has been done has resulted in a global catastrophe--there being too many people who profit from this infrastructure. Yet those nutrition programs? There can be principled critiques of neo-colonialism, and yet, despite all that, some people do genuinely try to offer selfless help to others. Must we condemn all efforts to do so?
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