[ta8645]

> intelligent people

We're constantly patting ourselves on the back for how intelligent we are. And yet we fail to address such systemic problems, which reduce our quality of life. This feels much more like stroking our own egos while letting ourselves off the hook, than an insightful analysis of the situation.

[getoj]

If you’re smart enough to make good money, you can ignore politics for the most part. These changes will offend your sense of justice but they won’t really harm you. On the other hand, if you try to change the system, it is highly likely to destroy your life. The rational decision is to stay out of politics and live comfortably. I think this is a highly effective feature of the global liberal-capitalist system: most people smart enough to win the game are smart enough not to play.

[ta8645]

> On the other hand, if you try to change the system, it is highly likely to destroy your life.

What that implies is that being especially smart isn't sufficient. If being smart was a powerful differentiator, then there would be an opportunity for smart people to enter politics. They would excel because they would have a competitive advantage over the less intelligent people who are currently in politics. They would have the smarts to avoid pitfalls, and profit from their powerful status and accomplishments.

But apparently they don't do this because every single person who is smart enough, has a better opportunity elsewhere. Every single one? I think the more likely reality, is this theory about insufficient compensation being the primary issue, is bunk.

[notyourwork]

It precisely is that because of what I said. Society constructs don’t generally reward politicians in the same way society rewards capitalism. (Gates, Musk, Buffer, Bezos.)

We reward capitalism irrespective of how much (or little) benefit they provide to society at large.

[ta8645]

A smart person could find a way to do something about that; work around the incentive structures, or alter them.

All you're doing is dressing up selfishness as "intelligence", which is not the same thing.

[notyourwork]

I disagree. You are assuming you know what "a smart persons" objective is. If my goal is to life as good a life as possible for myself, doing things that benefit the broader society may benefit me but maybe not. Whereas, doubling down on a lucrative career outside of politics in many cases eliminates all problems because money can dissolve most (arguably all?) personal struggles.

[avgcorrection]

> Society constructs don’t generally reward politicians in the same way society rewards capitalism. (Gates, Musk, Buffer, Bezos.)

Look at the net worth of someone like Dianne Feinstein (RIP) or Nancy Pelosi.