Durham General Chat Thread

"Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.''

Winston Churchill - apparently

Yeah, I've heard that. I probably shouldn't post about this person on here just in case they come on, or someone they know does, and tells them ... I mean, I have to be on an exec with them next year... but here are some things I didn't like.

- he/she admitted to having come to one exec meeting at the beginning of the year and no others
- he/she was just really irritating to listen to and quite unfunny
- he/she had some ideas, but followed them with, "these aren't really my ideas, they're my friends' "
- when an unpopular and generally thought strange, but perfectly nice, guy asked them all a question, he/she - instead of answering - just ripped the piss out of him and called him weird, and there was collective laughter from the people at the meeting. It was revolting to watch.

He/she just seems like a nasty person from what I've gathered and I have no interest in working with him/her for a year. I could say more that would paint a better picture of his/her hust, but I don't want to take it too far ...

"Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.''

Winston Churchill - apparently

yes, an I was right when I said that (when I said that he said that that is)


and I'm very happy right now, 'cause I have a conservative balloon

but that;s really mean!


I should hope so too!

Democracy only sticks around because of a complete phobia of new ideas and systems in the political arena. People who are currently king of the castle are not going to allow the system to change to something that sends them down the hill a bit now, are they?

I know the mods will hate me for off-topic stuff, but this is wrong on so, so many levels. We don't value democracy as an instrumental process, that is to say we don't value democracy because we believe it forms the most efficient and effective form of government. Virtually no-one seriously claims this. If they do, it's generally just retoric.

Rather, the point of having democracy is different. Democracy allows a form of government which people can consent to because they feel it is fair. It creates a form of government that we can consider legitimate.

Additioanlly, it promotes liberty and equality; liberty through giving people a measure of self-government and equality by extending this to all. This has the result that a pn artifical political equality is creatd, whicha ffects society by forcing us to recognise that people, in some way,, are equal, despite outward differences. etc.

Right, I have 2 hours to sort out my room and this essay. Is anybody else really glad that it's the end of term?

Kanga dude, do you live on TSR?

When are your exams?

Which exec is this Jelkin? Looks little better than a lame popularity contest. Anyone who voted for this guy ideally should never get to vote again, ever.

Hild Bede. It's strange - sometimes the best person does win, but sometimes it's a complete joke. In defence of the specific one I'm talking about, ALL the candidates were crap. [including one of them who is my friend.] Three out of four said they'd only been to a few meetings because they are boring. I have to say, I got elected on this time, and I'll do a really good job, but I'm not totally sure I was the best candidate in terms of hust and manifesto; it's just that I'm a second year (and had frickin' awesome posters!). Whereas last year I would have said I was the best candidate, but I wasn't even close to getting it because I was against two second years. There you go. Stupid system.

Yeah, though at least people had a choice who to vote for. Imo, if they are going to have a vote, it should be blind ballot, you vote for a number not a name, and the only thing people know is a short manifesto poster. Nice and fair, and morons voting hopefully averages out to making no overall difference.

Given the way some people vote, I seriously wonder if having the Senior Tutor pick some exec members might be better...

Probably! I actually complained to the President earlier this year because most of the current Exec are happy to openly laugh at the "strange" guy I mentioned a few posts ago, making it seem okay for everyone else to do so. His only crime being that he loves DSU and brings it up at meetings a lot. And they're supposed to be responsible for students' welfare ...

Nah, I quite like it up here. Its really lonely when everyone has gone...