if you burned them all together you'd be close to the truth

now, here's something i've heard a lot: "there should be an IQ test to vote". or "only educated people should vote". they're very similar, really.

they're very wrong.

the population being educated is listed as a prerequisite for democracy -- for functional democracy. educated, that is, as to what they're doing: having the ability to make educated choices. but claiming democracy should not happen until education is acquired is a chicken-and-egg issue. lack of 'enlightenment' should not be a falsifying condition; claiming it is, claiming anything is, means you support a díaz (porfirio díaz, that is: "oh, of course i believe in democracy, but mexico is not ready for elections yet") -esque manner of stagnancy, in practice.

an educated populace (aware might be a better word, but then it too can be twisted to "people who don't pay attention don't deserve to vote") is necessary for democracy =/= withhold democracy until education is achieved.

( there are at least eight billion points of view in the world. )