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identical critique of democracy, just sub in “manipulation of voters“ for choice of readers”

(my comment is admittedly in poor form since I’m just redirecting to a hobby horse of mine)

H.L. Mencken is my preferred critic of democracy.

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard."

or

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

Mencken's cynicism and mockery were arguably the type of thing Kierkegaard lamented, and perhaps in a sense were more a cause of social breakdown more than a consequence.

From reading his journals the editor of the Corsair publicly mocked him and used the paper to hide behind (in the name of journalism). His lamentations on journalism are very much due to this personal attack and he does name the perpetrator in his writings.

Kierkegaard himself had his targets for cynicism, primarily the state church (Danish Lutheran) that he attacked endlessly in his writings.

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