> I actually think it's dangerous to view these people as intelligent, because I really think they believe the things they say.
Actually, it's a lot more dangerous to view these people as stupid, because the decisions they make are singularly focused and very, very effective. coldpie is absolutely right, if the policies are intelligent, the policy-makers should be considered intelligent too, so we can focus on the goals and methods pursued by that intelligence.
> but I think these people are so far gone that they can't understand any difference now.
There's no way to be sure, it might be theatrics all the way down... They do gain handsomely from their actions so why call them stupid? It's very unconvincing because it doesn't make sense.
As for the rest of us there's nothing to gain and a lot to lose in viewing the present policies as a string of random stupidity.
Actually, it's a lot more dangerous to view these people as stupid, because the decisions they make are singularly focused and very, very effective. coldpie is absolutely right, if the policies are intelligent, the policy-makers should be considered intelligent too, so we can focus on the goals and methods pursued by that intelligence.
> but I think these people are so far gone that they can't understand any difference now.
There's no way to be sure, it might be theatrics all the way down... They do gain handsomely from their actions so why call them stupid? It's very unconvincing because it doesn't make sense.
As for the rest of us there's nothing to gain and a lot to lose in viewing the present policies as a string of random stupidity.