Human Nature

[Angrboda]

I think that through history, the human proclivity to tolerate, and often actively endorse, authoritarian regimes which themselves appeal to human bigotries is evidence that humans are indeed very often twisted. That's not to absolve politician of their guilt; in fact, it sort of highlights it, in the sense that they prey upon these proclivities in order to attain and exercise power.

Absolving common men of their tolerance for the tyranny of leadership is no more equitable than absolving tyrants for their taking advantage of that tolerance. It's true that some systems are so overbearing that the individual cannot stand up without being hammered down; North Korea comes to mind. But in other cases (Russia, China?) it may be that the populace accepts "stability" and surrenders some freedoms.

Is this symbiosis, is this hopeful stupidity, or is this keeping your head down?

I think this is common to all situations. The cost of trying to change things is always going to be greater than just accepting the status quo and going along to get along.