The aspiration paradox

There is a problem that I have been aware of for some time, and have posted about with reference to a West Wing episode that I’m not going to bother go looking for now, that has now been given an elegant and accurate description: 

the aspiration paradox

This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest problems in democracies. 

I came across the term recently, and it will be in my coming weekly news post, but it is important enough to warrant its own post. Here’s the mention from my coming news post: 

“the aspiration paradox: the proclivity of people to vote for the sort of life they wish they lived rather than the one they materially do” (TG);  

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

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Finally, remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing.