In the post-orgasmic euphoria and devastation of another election, I invite people to zoom out and see the…

In the post-orgasmic euphoria and devastation of another election, I invite people to zoom out and see the farce we’re trapped inside. 5 outcomes here from the annual review of the state of democracy, worldwide. /1 https://t.co/uLWtQnaUyL https://t.co/dc3jQbRv6E

Voting is not democracy. And it’s failing and continuing to fail globally, as a mechanism of governance. It’s team sports, masquerading as government. /2 https://t.co/tdSnTlUCh3

It’s the status games that define all social life, across pretty much all cultures, at all times historically. Winning an election is just being the most popular person at school again, for adults. /3 https://t.co/t4uPW8vEID

All societies, no matter where they are, will revert to status hierarchies, usually headed by a God/King or their equivalent. Unless catastrophe forces a collective effort at social repair. /4 https://t.co/ClIFavtws1

This isn’t bad news or good news. It’s us following the same patterns we have for all of human existence. Lost in the belief that we’re doing ‘democracy’ when in fact we battle in teams for our preferred King/Queen. /5 https://t.co/mvEAz1S2nl

The way out of this alternating euphoria and disappointment is to develop (relatively) stabilised status hierarchies. That’s why humans invented Kings and churches, in the past. That’s what they were. Ways to stem the violence of continuous status battles. /6

Electors are trying to restore that stability now. They mostly don’t like elections, where given the option many don’t even bother to vote. Or they vote for the most King-like candidate. They want their Kings and Gods back. That’s history, all of our history. /7 https://t.co/20Eevx6YZd

We’re fighting that default form of human civilisation, and it just keeps reasserting itself through the fog of new names we give for old things. Great calm comes when you see that, I find. /end