Dear Non-Rhombus:
Despite all of our silliness and weird shit, we tend to be more or less logical people. Consider, however, that even the glorious, wonderful logic that you and the Vulcans so admire depends on something: premises. If people do not agree with what those premises are, then neither will they agree on what is logical. Hence, telling everyone to be 'logical' doesn't help, because nearly everyone thinks they are being logical.
This is a pretty basic misunderstanding of what logic is. Logic doesn't change from "person to person" - that would be invoking the relativist fallacy. Some premises simply don't fit, rationally, as well as others, and are often themselves based on fallacy.
Though to clarify, I'd like to see some examples of exactly what you mean by "premise".
People have tried to boil life down to a compendium of logical statements before. The results were things like fascism, communism, social darwinism (a shameful corruption of natural sciences if ever I saw one), and free market capitalism. Ultimately, they all suck in practice, but it can be extremely difficult to convince the powers that be that something has to change because (1) they benefit from it and (2) they have a 'logical' argument to support their position, and they refuse to listen to evidence to the contrary.
You can show people the evidence that you are right, but you can't make them listen. It sucks, but it's true.
Furthermore, this 'Everyone is an idiot except me' attitude is not logical from anyone's perspective except yours. Perhaps you have not read The Black Iron Prison, but one of its key messages is that what you think is a universal truth is, at best, only half-correct. This is not an important lesson because it's from the BIP, it's simply an important thing to understand.
I don't think I have all the answers. I don't like that what I say makes me sound a bit self centered. But most people ARE very sheepish and I am less so. I probably have other flaws, in other areas, like having little control over my emotions, etc., but in that particular area, I'm certainly less of an idiot than others.
It is DEFINITELY illogical to throw away the notion that someone might have a better idea than most others just because it makes them too important It's just downright silly. Wish I could remember the name of the fallacy governing it.
Then surely you can accept that what you tell people will not make them perfect, no matter how unfair that may seem. People are sheep, but they are ornery sheep.
I agree that people make dumb decisions. I agree that people are irrational. I agree that a great many people are jackasses.
But this is something you cannot change.
I disagree strongly. Since people ARE sheep(well, we are technically herd animals, really), it must be somehow possible to lead them in a different direction. Also, telling me that it cannot be changed also adds to my frustration.
Boo-fucking-hoo. Nobody really cares what frustrates you. Frustration just means you still believe I'm wrong, but can't figure out the magic words to prove it to me and everyone else. I know; I've looked for those magic words. They don't exist.
If people can't get any more logical, then the world will never improve. People will never make better decisions and if others make them for them they'll complain about their right to make poor decisions governing other people's lives.
For a start, if Critical Thinking, rational debate were thought from an early age; do you really think everyone would be such a dumbass at reasoning and defending their actions?
But it ISN'T since most governments have a vested interest in keeping people simple. But it's still possible it could happen. It's not going to happen if we sit around smoking spliifs saying "Can't do it, man. Can't do it."
Therefore, your ultimate premise is that people do not, can not, or will not take care of themselves. Tell me how guiding the sheep in some other direction will help anything; sheep still have to shit in the field no matter what you do to them.
You are a single human being among billions, most of whom don't speak your language and the majority of whom will ignore you if you tell them how to improve.
Plenty of "single human beings" have had their influence, and I never really intended to do much alone.
Ask yourself: how great was that influence, really? Did it actually help in the long run? And, most importantly, do you want the responsibility that comes with guiding the masses in the direction you fancy the most?
The ONLY thing you can change is how you deal with it.
Bullshit. That wouldn't solve anything. Sorry, but I detest apathy and I'm never going to be lured over to that side. People are dumbasses with their power online, and there is a way that it can change. The right people have to speak out against it. But if the "right people" don't see any major opposition to it, what are they going to think?
Double bullshit. How you 'deal with it' may include changing people's minds and getting them to see things your way, but unless you want to assert total mind control over them, they will still do things you don't like. You may want desperately to get past the brick wall that is human ignorance, but bashing your head against it will only get you one thing: head trauma.
It's blunt and it will probably give you moar frustration, but here's my explanation of why I think you're going about this the wrong way:
http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=13980.msg447607#msg447607
