[calibraxis]

Our own cultures are mysterious to us. Why are we hurtling towards climate change? Why do we sacrifice countries full of people, like in Iraq? Why must we release toxins in water that lower people's IQs? Why do we need to cage so many humans?

Few have satisfactory explanations. (The most common ones don't stand up to basic scrutiny. Folk answers, ideological answers to explain away the ideology's problems, etc.)

[amelius]

Another question I'd like to add to your list: why are the current presidential elections such an incredible mess?

The answer to all these questions could be that democracy has stopped working.

[XparXnoiAx]

Democracy works as well as the voters.

It hasn't stopped working, for an example close-to-home, look at the corruption in SF, that has been there for over a century. As long as voters don't pay attention, we'll have lousy government. Voters are the watchdogs.

[witty_username]

I think it's because of the flaws in the Electoral College (search about it).

Also, only few voters vote in the party primaries.