Parks & Rec: Is Democracy Doomed?

[@WisecrackEDU]

What's your favorite media exploration of the government?

[@Blackdollarsrio]

Roots

[@kingsofcydonia2924]

SpongeBob

[@stepheng6349]

The Robin Williams film Man of the Year

[@anonb4632]

In the Loop

[@GhostFire669]

Branded the russian film about advertising

[@themurderbotfeed7688]

Its does both, it exposes the difficulties inherent to democracies while also pointing out how much good competent leaders can make

[@Ramsey276one]

Good one!

[@caleb_artzs2533]

Amazing take away

[@vincentbuscarello1357]

NOOOO BUT .... MUH NIHILISM

[@seand.g423]

@@vincentbuscarello1357 NOOOOOOO... BUT... MUH SOCIOP-- AH MEAN "HYPER-PATRIOTISM"...

[@shooteroffuture]

Competent leaders? Like Lesley “waist every government dollar ever” Knope?!

[@JacobyIsMyName]

The thing I love the most about Parks and Rec is that Leslie Knope is such a good person who believes so much in making Pawnee a better place, that Ron Swanson can't help but believe in her. A libertarian on a mission to dismantle the government machine from the inside literally believes in this left-leaning, ambitious and creative goof-ball so much that he helps her run for office. His core beliefs never change during the show; he still hates big government, but the way he sees the role it plays in the lives of the people change because of his friendship with Leslie. It gives me hope that people with different ideologies can still find common ground and at least respect each other.

[@seand.g423]

*in trope-ass French accent* "two. Days. Later..."

[@halfwaytobedlam3234]

@@seand.g423 more like 'meanwhile..."

[@mountainhun]

Having watched the series multiple times over the last few years, I have to say I view Ron as more of a liberal fantasy. Democrats believe that people on the right are stubborn but rational, but can be brought around to work together if one appeals to their reason and humanity. But the reality is that the Republican party has become such an ideologically rigid organization that "unity" or "cooperation" means complete capitulation to their demands. And since Democrats want to appear like the rational, cooperative party who are willing to cross the aisle, so they wind up capitulating and giving up big portions of their own agenda, such as being forced to put in the flaws in the Affordable Care Act that Republicans proposed, just so six years later the right can point at those same weaknesses and claim that socialized medicine is impossible. Ron Swanson is how we wish we could interact with our conservative friends and relatives, but the country is so divided that even funding the post office has become a huge political touchstone.

[@shayneweyker]

See Innuendo Studios' channel for lots of discussion of this.

[@chihiroogino7464]

@@mountainhun I like your comment but don't see Ron as a liberal fantasy. He's a libertarian. It is reasonable to distrust in the government because some (maybe most) congress members are corrupt. That said Libertarians get a little crazy (for my taste) occasionally when the distrust extends to entire departments and agencies. Or when they think people shouldn't need a license to drive... That's a bit much lol. But yeah my point is that the Ron Swanson aren't a fantasy, they are real people that can be reasonable. If anything, we have to stop being pit against each other and clean house... House of representatives and congress of course ;P fire these corrupt asses that made us distrust government so much

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.” ― Mark Twain

[@zenatti364]

“Politicians must not exist.” ― Me

[@joshuachen5476]

Incidentally, Mark Twain wrote during the Gilded Age, the period of the greatest government deregulation, inequality, and poverty in American history during which the govt was basically controlled by billionaires. Sounds familiar. Wonder what politicians he was talking about.

[@anonb4632]

@@zenatti364 * should not 😆

[@wotwot6868]

Yep, for the same reason why we don't want Kings, Queens, Emperors, Czars (few exceptions like the chair of UN Human Rights, the Absolute Monarchy dictator King or Saudi Arabia). Yet there are forces that want us to slide back into that, this happened in recent history, and seems to be ramping up in our lifetime. One must pause and think about why this happens and how might we prevent it; what causes such regression? What causes people to lose faith in today's gov't? Do the people in gov't office really represent all including the minimum wage earners?

[@anonb4632]

@@wotwot6868 No, they're bought and paid for. The real decisions are made at private international conferences like Davos which are invitation only.

[@Dimbledude]

There is one thing that can unite a country if Parks and Rec has shown...Li'l Sebastian.

[@LexingtonAve]

It shows that deep down, people just need a common ground love or ideas to unite them. Their love for Lil Sebastian overcame everything else

[@GorgeDawes]

“I don’t get it.”

[@FireRose720]

Your 5,000 candles in the wind...

[@MajesticSkywhale]

@Drinker_Of_ Milk maybe, but i don't really think love of your nation is much different then love of your family, it's the same idea, anyway. And Lil' Sebastian will always be like a brother to me.

[@khalira1]

its a tiny horse!

[@mr.goldenglasses6839]

I’d work all night if it meant nothing got done. -Ron Swanson

[@andymandy8114]

@Justin how they just one every one to have more rights so it doesn't turn into a communist government

[@kholofelolekgoathi2757]

First thing they teach in design class: "It is impossible to design a product or system that an idiot cannot break with sufficient time and effort, for this reason just try your best and hope you don't get sued." The democratic republic the American founders engineered was well intentioned but it failed to forsee the possibility that the politicians that were to lead would eventually become entrenched barnacles that serve, what are essentially life long terms as they jump from party to government to corporate positions. Serving no other purpose but to impede their political and ideological rivals.

[@colorpalette3986]

will true to your statement but let's not kid ourselves here because in there time was a different situation as well as ours in this day of age

[@josethebioform7519]

Honestly they did forsee it they just did their best to prevent it

[@kholofelolekgoathi2757]

@@josethebioform7519 a swing and a miss if I ever saw one.

[@josethebioform7519]

@@kholofelolekgoathi2757 couldve been much worse tbh

[@june32nd]

As a person who works for their township. Parks and Rec is 100% great representation of a township government and the nonsense that happens. It is exaggerated for comedic effect but the basis of that comedy is based in truth. I never found the show funny until after working for my town and now I find it hysterical.

[@june32nd]

@ could say the same thing about your job. I won't. I will say working for my towns DPW, im busting my ass everyday to keep the town clean, fixing roads and fixing everything people like you complain about after ruining it yourselves.

[@june32nd]

@ I don't live in your town, dumbass I'm talking in my town. Sorry your town sucks. Sucks to suck. Youre one angry boomer, see ya later Karen.

[@billhicks8]

@ You're a nasty little prick, aren't you?

@@billhicks8 where am I wrong? Fuck the government. It's beyond corrupt

[@MLBlue30]

@ Leave then! Fucking move somewhere else, ungrateful parasite!

[@ItsJustChurch]

Every day we live is a spoiler for Hamilton.

[@wisemankugelmemicus1701]

@@thetruth4654 you're fucking stupid

[@MajesticSkywhale]

@@wisemankugelmemicus1701 publication nobody's ever heard of, "herd immunity expert" this should be good.

[@wisemankugelmemicus1701]

@@MajesticSkywhale Even all that aside, you making a joke has nothing to do with Coronavirus just shows how fucking context-oblivious he is

[@ashesmandalay1762]

So basically, you're saying a Democratic Republic works well on paper, but requires its administrators to have unwavering loyalty to their community and dedication to the people they serve? Yeah... that seems doomed.

[@screeno42]

That's actually the problem with most governmental systems. If the leaders become too divorced from the interests of the people they rule, they will no longer support those people and the system falls apart. I'm admittedly no expert on this stuff(hell, I'm pretty sure I only sit slightly above an "armchair" level of understanding), but from what I've seen and heard, the only solution that comes to mind for me is addressing the cultural view of leadership itself. The greedy and self-interested among us seek positions of leadership because we see these positions by their power first and responsibility second. Sure, you and I and everyone else in these comments could probably go on and on about how this representative isn't doing their job or that leader is a puppet of some special interest, but what's the tagline that comes to mind when we think of the position of national leader? The power of course. "They're the most powerful person in the country!" And if you're country's big enough, maybe one of the most powerful people in the world! But what if we view the position by its profound responsibility? What war-hawk wants to be expected to handle several thousands of people fairly and justly? What power hungry plutocrat wants to know that everyone expects a minimum level of behavior well above what they wish to maintain? Unfortunately, the best fix is the hardest. This cultural view of "leading others=power" has existed and been reinforced over millennia, how do you change something that entrenched?

[@richardgurney1844]

@@screeno42 I love your philosophy here! Thank you for that :)

[@zotaninoron3548]

@@screeno42 Athens attempted to resolve this by making selection to the boule, a sort of congress, be a lottery. Like jury service.

[@lens_hunter]

​@@screeno42 I figured that out when I was very young. We let the worst of us run things because most people just wanna go about their business and be left alone.

[@mrhutchblackdog4636]

Sadly thats why empires usually last longer than democracy, more effective and less tolerance for traitors and useless. Democracy has the problem that when chosen the person now is better than the group, that makes the person less connected, so to counter this the elected person should be more active with the people or public spaces, activities. To be with the group to understand its needs. But most elected just better themselves and shut themselves in their privileges

[@hiropon2985]

more like Parks & Rec: How to RON a Government ;) gottemmmmmmmm

[@qwertyuiopaaaaaaa7]

I think Parks and Rec was really a show for it’s time, and it seems laughably in appropriate for the modern view of politics. It came out during the Obama “hope” era. Of course the show has a positive outlook. I’d be really curious to see how a similar show would translate modern political discourse. “Oh no, Ron, the alt-right is holding a white suprematist rally in Ramsett Park.” “Jerry got covid from a jogger not wearing a mask, his funeral is next week.”

[@jacobhuff3748]

I'm with Winston Churchill on this, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others." Thanks Wisecrack, you now got me thinking about EU monetary policies and debt.

[@cptkilgore]

"A democracy is a horrible form of government. But everything else is worse." -Winston Churchill

[@doggytheanarchist7876]

Winston never tried anarchy. :-) And I believe he never tried true democracy either. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@chihiroogino7464]

@@doggytheanarchist7876 I can't tell if you're joking or in high school to suggest anarchy as an answer...

[@chihiroogino7464]

Love Churchill. He had flaws but he was a great man for his time

[@tonylawson2222]

@@chihiroogino7464 I'm *also* suggesting it, though most people who've read Chomsky would call it "syndicalism." Imagine Democratic unions of workers electing their bosses, instead of corporations. Imagine local militias and councils, rather than the larger federal system we are accustom to. "Anarchy" refers to the state of people governing themselves.

[@majdjinn5042]

@@tonylawson2222 Sounds easy to manipulate.

[@fumblztv8979]

If you are American, there should be no such thing as a spoiler for Hamilton.

[@lachlana7738]

There should not be spoilers for anything based on history

[@simiamalum5487]

In spirit, I agree; however, if you are an American, you should not be getting your history from a musical. It's entertainment based on history, NOT history. It, like any other historically based entertainment, should inspire people to learn the actual history, NOT serve as a stand-in for actual education.

[@supremeburgersims]

@@simiamalum5487 I learned alot about us history class in hs and it was just cool to watch hamilton because of how it portrayed the history ya know?

[@supremeburgersims]

I also agree that your history lesson shouldn't be solely from a musical. Its definitely had some creative liberties to have a better narrative structure

[@roastchicken2114]

They were dead the WHOLE time!

[@felipeflores5403]

"We all know that America is a democracy" You sure about that?

[@emilmark7882]

America is not even a country. It’s a GOD DAMN continent!

[@sdagoth3037]

Only a democracy would have put someone like Trump is charge.

[@realsciencerhythm]

it is becoming a plutocracy and nobody is doing anything serious about it, so good luck, they (US inhabitants) are going to need more than that though...

[@sdagoth3037]

@Trevor Horton America is a representative democracy. The electoral college is only a factor during presidential elections, not any other election. It's used instead of the popular vote to give states with lower populations more say, like it or not. We aren't a direct democracy, but we are a democracy. If you were half as smart as you think you are, you'd be twice as smart as you actually are.

[@jhinthevirtuoso4886]

@@sdagoth3037 biden isnt any better though good luck with a senile corrupt crook

[@JotaC]

As I was studying Political science, I came back to parks and rec and finished the show, I couldn't be more impressed about the whole political theory that is behind the shows intent and even the humor. Yes, there's a lot of federalism, like you pointed out, but that's just scratching the surface. Robert Dahl's pluralist theory exemplifies all of what you've said about power groups fighting for their interests, Schumpeter's elite theory is tackled on the election run of Leslie against Bobby, and even Ann's whole character arc, from when she just wanted to fill the pit in her yard and thinking this could take some weeks at most, to taking a government position and even campaigning and managing an election is all explained beautifully by Hirschman's explanation of the expansionist tendency of the public life, and how the lack of satisfaction in the private life makes people turn to the public one.

[@Goodbrew84]

I'd love to see a video on Fargo's portrayal of evil - each season seems to have a unique take on it's origins and propagation.

[@calapai7]

I think Parks and Rec is a double sided coin. On one side, it shows how thankless government work can be, and how local government people are relentless in their jobs. On the other side, it has a very cynical take on citizens that is very Obama-era like, where constituents are idiots and can't value good public servants, and we should hold up politicians as being above us. I have a real problem with the character's inconsistent beliefs, where we're explicitly told Sweet Ums is an evil corporation, yet Ben goes to work for them despite this, and we're supposed to be happy. Or Leslie's admiration of politicians who contradict her moral belifes, such as some Republican figures. Anyways, it's a mixed bag and it gets more complex in the era of Trump and populism.

[@samlerman-hahn2674]

I have a lot of issues with that show, namely that Leslie Knope doesn't think about parks and public space in the context of a broader urbanist practise (the fact that we never hear from her colleagues in public transport is a glaring omission). The way that it approaches the topic of emergency management earlier on in the show is pretty inaccurate and ignores how these practises perpetuate racialised urban poverty (in real life, someone in Ben Wyatt's position generally would have made the city fire practically everyone and sell or otherwise privatise everything, and then leave, as in Detroit and Flint). I also didn't like how they rehabilitate Jennifer Barkley, and made it seem like her industry of political operatives isn't inherently harmful to democracy, and Leslie's thirst for Joe Biden definitely didn’t age well. That said, the show is still hilarious, especially when you remember that it's all filmed through the lens of her arrogance and centrist politics (which conveniently line up with those of the network).

[@MajesticSkywhale]

@@samlerman-hahn2674 wait she's a centrist? i always thought Ron described her pretty accurately as "slightly to the Left of leon trotsky"

[@samlerman-hahn2674]

You Have to Live It She's supportive of American social democracy, but doesn't support significantly expanding it, she doesn't show support for organised labour, and at no point does she question private ownership of the means of production, support land reform, or really call for any structural changes to the American political economy. She's firmly within Obama's political sphere; she is not a leftist, or even as far left as American electoral politics goes.

[@MajesticSkywhale]

@@samlerman-hahn2674 I'm just using it as an excuse to quote Ron :P Though his first statement is more accurate, an "absurd idealist" I should've said that

[@samlerman-hahn2674]

You Have to Live It That said, to the credit of Leslie's leftism, she did not violently break up a sailors' strike (at least not canonically).

[@IcedTeaMain1]

Crazy Fact: In 2006, a Coca-Cola employee offered to sell Coca-Cola secrets to Pepsi. Pepsi responded by notifying Coca-Cola.

[@AR-so6ch]

Bullshit lmao

[@jordankennedy9920]

@@AR-so6ch nah it's true

[@Zenbladison]

That employee should have called RC Cola

[@mr.knowitall5019]

Wolf cola for life!!

[@Ramsey276one]

THEY KNOW

[@ashketchup247]

12:05 The graphics that go with your quote are PERFECT. I'm glad the editor is a true P&R fan.

[@CUniverse]

I'm a simple man: I see a Ron Swanson thumbnail, I click. (Update: its Leslie now, but my statement still stands)

[@thattimestampguy]

Judging a video by its cover.

[@willh2690]

@@thattimestampguy its Leslie Knope now. Wiscrack keep changing the thumbnail.

[@fugu_3467]

This did not age well...

[@tjhorton]

Brilliant wisecrack. I love how you offer great reasons behind the shows. Illuminating, entertaining, and patriotic sympathies.

[@matthewdrummond1340]

Wisecrack: "Shut your burger hole. We're getting there..." KZbin immediately after: Slurpee ad.

[@patrickstarfish420]

As a non American, I understand little to nothing to the topic. I just clicked the video simply because of parks and rec.

[@nithinrajieasow847]

Amen brother.

[@JimboDoomface]

Learning!

[@chihiroogino7464]

Lucky you (probably)

[@badassoverlordzetta]

"Shut your Burger Hole" is really the kind of wisdom that our nation needs right now. Talk less, eat less, spew covid bile at other people less. Keep up the good work Wisecrack.

[@MLBlue30]

It's a good start.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“They have money for war but can't feed the poor.” ― Tupac Shakur

[@Gglobe]

Yeah and either way it’s spent, we the people are the ones paying for it... such bullshit

[@DorkingtonHacker]

You have a quote for every video, but this one's a real stretch. Vaguely related to government, but not really about democracy per se, nor the process of government in general, which is the subject of the video. Mr. Shakur talks about results rather than method, and not with any great concern for accuracy -- instead of "can't feed the poor," it should be "don't feed the poor" -- The problem he is describing is not one of capability but of intent. But it's a song, not an academic paper, and if he used "don't feed the poor" in this context, it might sound more like a command than an observation.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

@@DorkingtonHacker Thank you for pointing out that.

[@joshuachen5476]

I feel like this episode could've gone deeper into the debate (between democracy and republicanism). IMO there are problems with using Parks and Recs as an analogy for this topic: 1) From what I've seen, Parks and Recs doesn't have factions so much as it has an above average amount of eccentric individuals. A few oddballs voicing personal concerns, or three people shouting at each other in a scene, doesn't really constitute an analogy to factionalism, which usually means large groups of people taking sides on a broader social issue. 2) The show is caricature, obviously. The question is, does the average person have the bare minimum of common sense to behave like a grown adult during a collective decision-making process? If there were a group culture/procedure which suppressed the disruptive whims of a few overly eccentric individuals, wouldn't it be at least as effective as the top-down, authoritarian methods of the Federalists? 3) James Madison's premise that factionalism is bad, and that an objective "common good" exists, must be called into question. Isn't this very idea--that there's a collective good independent of the interests of individuals with all their separate demands--isn't this the epitome of fascist corporatism, or other forms of authoritarianism? The problem here is that the show reduces politics to the peculiar concerns of individuals--Ron's peculiar political views, or some citizen's weird fetish. That's not how society works. When one group dominates another--say, Britain vs colonists, or rich quasi-aristocratic slaveowners (*cough* "founding fathers" *cough*) vs poor farmers--factions are absolutely needed. Factionalism in class-society (which is something that Parks and Recs, like most American sitcoms, ignores) is a good thing--it's a way for people to come together to advance their own neglected interests, and to make society fairer for everyone. Claiming to be against factions was a way for Madison to defend his own interests--which is why he once said, no joke, "our government ought to secure the permanent interests of the country against innovation. . . . [The government] ought to be so constituted to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority." Yikes. There's a huge debate to be had here. One of the best cases for democracy comes from David Graeber in his book The Democracy Project where he argues, among other things, that maybe ordinary citizens are capable of coming together and working things out like regular adults. Graeber would also point to the existence of mass-societies like Rojava which very much, and successfully, operates on bottom-up consensus-based democracy. On the other side of the aisle, defenders of technocratic anti-democratic systems (à la the Federalists) are usually wealthier individuals or people in power, for some reason . . .

[@NickCombs]

Democracy depends on two things: 1. Strong education, so that not only do we have experts in any relevant field of study, but also so that the populace knows enough to understand whether they should (or should not) trust an expert opinion. Education is a vast topic as a whole. Its strength is more about how well its subjects apply to a citizen's life, including not only technical skills like STEAM and finances, but also soft skills like self-confidence, communication, morality/ethics, and a passion for learning. 2. Strong communication so that people burdened with making decisions can quickly and accurately gain the data needed from those who can offer it. This includes transparent methods for data collection and analysis that help us understand how every vote makes a direct impact. It goes both ways too. Decision makers need to present the results of the data collection along with their decisions to the public in a clear and verified format. I was going to put a third dependency along the lines of "strong leadership that adheres to the laws and serves the people" but I realized a well-educated leader solves that problem. It really makes it clear how much of our laws (here in the States) are band-aids on a pervasive ineptitude that results in shortcomings which incentivize immorality and greed.

[@10wuebc]

I am a big fan of strange ladies lying in ponds distributing swords as a form of government.

[@blablamccain4986]

Just want to say, love your channel. it's been a rough year but your videos are really well done and make me think deeply about the world.

[@Irishidentitarian]

Never even noticed this level of genius in Parks and Rec

[@Ajbarili]

I like that Micheal has to talk about Hamilton despite having 0 interest in the show. Demonstrates that he can look at something he subjectively dislikes and talk about it objectively.

[@atlasofthemoon2485]

I am loving these recent videos more than I usually do.

[@jyotektosgaimur]

Do a video on the philosophy of SpongeBob. I don't mean to impose though.

[@isabellaacereto]

A certified wumbologist!

[@alexl1178]

Spongebob anime*

[@the_quadracorn]

Great timing! Just finished a binge of this show yesterday

[@NoUploadJustComment]

It's funny how you have to give a spoiler alert for Hamilton when just referencing events of early American history. It's like giving a spoiler alert for Schindler's List when talking about the end of WWII.

[@SvenDzahov]

spoiler alert but the nazis didnt like jewish people

[@crystalpowell8619]

This is great. Wisecrack is highlighting my favorite show!!!

[@LukeC908]

I see what you did there...using actual footage of Hamilton under the fair use clause because it’s educational and other videos can’t because it’s just entertainment.

[@sapereaude239]

Criticism of democracy's deficiencies has been given by promiment American voices. Quotes from the novel _Starship Troopers_ which are very much relevant here. _"Citizenship is an attitude, a state of mind, an emotive conviction that the whole is greater than the part."_ Heinlein also advocated former military men as apt for state leadership as _"a soldier accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic of which he is a member"_ and the civilian does not, or at least not very well. He also predicted that a crisis (in his futuristic novel) brought about democratic collapse in the 20th century, but as things are that might happen in the 21st. When dogmatic ideologues of 2000 year old religions make contemporary policy, it's bound to be bogus and ineffective. Hence, traditionalism is wearing itself out at the expense of everyone. We need leaders, men and women, who have demonstrated that they put _"group welfare ahead of personal advantage"_ and this is best and fairly done through voluntary military service. Everyone else can play money games and set up companies if they want personal wealth, but decision power SHOULD NOT EVER go to those people... rather should not HAVE ever gone but alas, here we are.

[@evelienheerens2879]

They skipped right over the fact that the motivation for the founding fathers to issue the declaration of independence and form the united states, was to protect their freedom. Specifically, their freedom to continue to own slaves as there was a strong abolition movement in the united kingdom, as well as their freedom to violate the treaty that the united kingdom made with the native Americans that expension towards the west would stop where it was at the time. You see, the founding fathers had a lot of money, so they wanted to live in a state where they could continue to exploit, or even increase their ability to exploit, slaves and native lands. So they built them an economic and political system where money makes the rules. That's why only male land-owners could vote. I oddly think that understanding this to be the root of this system of government and economics explains a lot of US history as well as a significant portion of the current problems. A summary of what many smart people think about democracy: The core tenant of a functional democracy has to be political equity. This cannot be achieved without economic equity. If there is no economic equity then the rich will skew the political equity. This skewed political equity will allow the rich to create laws that increase the economic gap which again increases the political gap. More money -> more power -> more money -> more power on one side less money -> less power -> less money -> less power on the other Right now that money doesn't just buy tv ads. It buys fox news, it buys targeted ads over facebook to change the way people think about political issues, it buys increasing control of the media and the way the media operates. By now what is really going on anywhere is almost impossible to know for certain and most if not all people will be informed by unreliable sources. Good luck achieving consent of the governed. Well, consent may be possible, informed consent not so much.

[@dannehrbass2977]

Fun fact: in ancient Athens, the birthplace of democracy, elections were actually pretty rare. They were reserved for the most important positions, like top generals and statesmen. These positions were actually known as the Oligarchy. That's right, ancient Athenians viewed elections as Oligarchy, not democracy, because they recognized how easy they were to buy and corrupt. The democratic "congress" was actually made up of normal citizens who, rather than being selected by election, were chosen by a system of random drawings known as Sortition. Kind of like a jury. I think a similar process should be considered here in the states.

[@37macherie00]

never heard of sortition til now and that sounds like a cool idea actually.

[@darkecofreak23]

Ah, Wisecrack. I can always count on you for light and airy topics. 😂

[@vanphung7270]

Democracy is hugely ran on the fact that most of the population have to be well educated. In US case, they are educated, sure, but well? That still depends on what state you came from

[@puppeiluv826]

Michael, you're my favorite since quarantine 😌💕 When you make videos, can we talk about solutions as well as the problems?? After many years of avidly watching every wisecrack video, this keeps bugging me. Like ok here are our problems and why they exist which is awesome to know! But.. Now what? Like what philosophies could combat these issues? What have other nations tried? What organizations out there are working towards these things?

[@nerdletter3773]

That’s what the comments are for! We come down here and discuss solutions :)

[@woodbridgesfinest1904]

I had no idea Alexander Hamilton. And our 4th President James Madison were quite so cool. I'll have to read the Federalist Papers .

[@collinmiller4721]

Literally, every American citizen needs to watch this.

[@atinity6749]

Yasss, finally someone makes Parks and rec content!

[@jackrotz2139]

Damn it! Now I gotta start watching parks and recreation, I had no idea the show was that deep.

[@Redmenace96]

Much better than I predicted from the tentative click! Good stuff!

[@ProfessorPolitics]

I think what Parks and Rec did quite well was also make the point that neither good ideas or cool pragmatism is enough to successfully make a state. A lot of Leslie's actual policy successes come by getting her hands a little dirtier (not in the sense of doing "bad things" but in the sense of digging in and doing the work of coalition building) rather than persuading people by ideals alone. But efforts devoid of a positive, unifying ideology also fall flat as people need a thing to believe in to buy-in to a course of action and follow-through with it. So, basically, the marriage of Ben and Leslie is exactly what you need for a state to work.

[@FireRose720]

A video on both Parks and Rec and Hamilton. I am _satisfied_

[@jaycrib303]

As long as there’s intellectual susceptibility, democracy will be at risk.

[@chivasowle286]

“Paper money as good as stock in Entertainment720”...Brilliant!

[@Brainwashed101]

Really cool! Federalist No. 10 is one of my all-time favs.

[@mbanerjee5889]

Parks and Rec and Hamilton? We need more videos for this.

[@Ramsey276one]

I think it is mathematically obvious Small town= enough staff to serve everyone quickly Enough police to patrol each block/answer 911 calls Big City= not enough=slow service=unhappy people(some of which ARE THE SERVICE EMPLOYEES!)

[@SleepyMatt-zzz]

That's why I'm never moving to a big city. Growing up in small cities, my heart can't handle it, cities are stressful. It's no wonder people in larger cities seem unhinged sometimes (Not suggesting small cities have their fair share of problems).

[@twodumbcats390]

Parks and Rec's meeting crowds are just live action South Park "ravelravelravel"

[@richardfontenette5436]

The crazy thing is that I just went and watched Parks and rec again last week

[@Waitwhat469]

I am surprised you didn't explore the concept of limiting it's effects in terms of Ron Swanson's approach. The answer litterally being that if the Parks department has no power, no one's complaints to it matter, and they are forced to solved or deal with it in other ways.

[@arminxvs3372]

"Democracy is so overrated." (F. Underwood in House of Cards) But it is the most acceptable sytem at the moment so we have to go with it until something new comes out.

[@colorpalette3986]

that is scary to think.

[@Sesshounamaru7]

Anarco-syndicalism ?

[@arminxvs3372]

@@Sesshounamaru7 You think that would work?

[@donniehdea9281]

Something new will never come out if nothing is tried

[@arminxvs3372]

@@donniehdea9281 problem is, a lot was tried and a lot can work with the right people. But those are always rare so folks corrupt every system.

[@palomajune1863]

"Hamilton spoilers" .... AKA reality...

[@Liliquan]

Yes, because, Hamilton THE SHOW is 100% realistic. And not like all other mediums, a partial representation of reality at best.

[@camel_of_the_mojave8772]

Since money shows revealed preferences I think it would be a great limiter as far as showing who is mature enough to have a say in a system if they can figure out how to pay in even a tiny amount more than they take out from said system

[@MagiconIce]

Well, the term "Republic" actually means, that the head of state is elected. Hence why Great Britain, despite being a Democracy, is not automatically and in fact never was a Republic, because they use a hereditary Monarch to fill the position as head of state, even though nowadays it is largely ceremonial. What you guys meant was a difference between INDIRECT and DIRECT Democracy, but that doesn't influence the trait of being a democracy or not. E.G. if the US President would be elected by the people of the USA directly and not indirectly via the Electoral College, atleast in that question the US would be a DIRECT Democracy but also a republic.

[@jimmyking8074]

Was hoping you all would do this, YES

[@andrewlundquist4888]

I dig the civics breakdowns. People dont understand the reasons behind the original system. I'm still surprised that the wisecrack team went themselves with excitement over the thought that southpark was going socialist last season. Do more of these please so people can stop emotionally supporting socialism without thinking.

[@jackpumpkinpatch2119]

Only just discovered this show recently. Really enjoyable

[@mzread-aloud6804]

Without delving into the "intentions" of the framers of the constitution, the country's real awakening to its government and the individuals place within it, usually happens when individual freedoms are threatened. Renewed interest is growing among those who feel they have been disenfranchised by their republic. Rightly so. The poor are poorer, ethnic groups across all lines of division, immigrants, even leaders in industry and government are seeing where the winds are leading and it is not in the favor of those trying to hold onto a version of government they are barely able to control. Our founding fathers designed this republic to be imperfect, and they did so with the intention of having it changed over time. The only thing they wanted for our government to do, other than set up a way for the darn thing to pay for itself, was to ensure that all peoples could be free. The simple fact is, there are plenty of people in our government that don't think so. They would love to see a version of our government that relies on a vision that only they share. Those crazy people at the town hall, they got together, convinced just the right number of people that they could do a good enough job, got elected into many levels of government, and now... Well were seeing just where that goes. We used to have a litmus test for those going into politics that bordered on the strange. Candidates that lived such pure uncompromising lives with little to no smudges as to present an idea of leaders that were bland, closeted, and without fault or exception. Now we have, in its most extreme example a man in power who ran a successful T.V. show, was accused of raping a 13 year old girl, was accurately quoted with "grab them by the pussy", and is so illiterate it makes 3rd graders question where their lives are going. Our country is out of balance. The same balance you note in your video. The one our founders tried to instill in our gov. during its creation. The only thing that can make it better? Learn. Learn about our founding. Talk to people about it. Open discussions with people you wouldn't normally. Listen to viewpoints you find uncomfortable. Don't be defensive, be understanding. Try to create spaces with people you know and care about in your community that showcase a place of public discourse that will eventually lead to greater, bigger ideas that can benefit all people, and create a stronger country.

[@brucemahon8860]

Do one on how knives out satires mystery movies and characters

[@Dogofwarno7]

I mean, man, I kinda think most people have a fundamentally different philosophy of government of both before or after compared to the founding fathers. before, it was medievalist stuff wherein governments were in charge, people were subjects, and their rights were meant as a means of maximising their use to those in charge. after, with various socialist causes, government was meant to be a big brother, providing everything for which the citizenry can prosper, paid for with the labor of citizens and in so doing improve the lives of people. Now, there are exceptions to those two, I don't doubt, but I think that's the standard. Founding fathers, first and foremost, wanted a government where if a Tyrant, whether directly monstrous or some officious moral busybody, could not fuck over everyone if put in charge. unfortunately, for this to work, the same hurdles and obstacle need to be placed on the rare virtuous politician. They just got away from an insane, STD riddled king that could by fiat control people's lives. also, along with being education, Founding Fathers were historically literate, which along with explanations above, were most likely taught that the wisest man in the history of antiquity was sentenced to death by majority vote (Socrates in ancient Athens) when there was a smear campaign made against him by his enemies to the voters. I'm just putting it out there that the founding fathers did not design the US to be this optimally designed utopian thing, but as a mechanism designed to be functional while having every conceivable means put in place to minimize tyranny.

[@markit8785]

It cannot be said enough, the founders hated democracy. Democracy was thought as a terrible form of government.

[@markit8785]

@@kendallmoore4826 you just wanted to say a bunch of stuff

[@Redmenace96]

Markit8: you are over-simplifying. They were wary of pure democracy. More nuance, and 'hate' is not a legit summation of anyone's reservations or aversions. The Founding Fathers, and many others, signed on for the Bill of Rights. Which is a bulwark against the abuse of pure democracy. Why did they do that, if they 'hate' it so much? Also, during the video, the dude showed that the FF put up many barriers to direct democracy. (wisely). Your complaint is that this video did not show enough 'hate'? When you speak in terms of hate and love, you don't help the conversation.

[@markit8785]

@@Redmenace96 maybe hate is too strong. Democracy was frowned upon. The BofR aren't even needed. The constitution didn't give powers to violate those rights. I.e. If the gov doesn't how the power to silent speech...then it can't. There was no need to then say they can't, no where in the constitution gives the fed the power to do so.

[@JesusHChrist2000]

Fun fact: Pawnee's town Map is based on a map of Christchurch, New Zealand.

[@sennui09]

That opening theme is so nostalgic!

[@mathewjoseph1318]

Wow Parcs and Rec AND Hamilton in one video!!

[@coachhannah2403]

We'll see in November!

[@hermaeusmora2945]

I just started watching Parks and Rec, thanks for this video Wisecrack!

[@bea4156]

Fantastic video!! 👏👏👏👏💯💯💯💯

[@Jess-xx4lm]

Parks and Rec meets Hamilton!??! Niceeee

[@kathlynarchibald-drew]

This episode was FREAKING AMAZING!!!

[@_ch1pset]

You always hear people saying, "can't we just get along," or something along the lines of trying to bring together "both sides" in order to make things better. The big problem is you never see anyone give a reasonable proposal on HOW to make that happen or what's necessary to do it. Parks and Rec, although somewhat idealistic, does attempt to show us the HOW. It boils down to sitting down, and listening, not to special interests, but to the community as a whole and coming to a compromise. It's a very long and hard process, and removing special interests from the equation is not always easy. What is clear in reality is, there are significant faults in the structure of our government that may have led to, or at least exacerbated, inequalities in our society AND the government itself. Parks and Rec idealizes the role of government as a mediator between conflicting interests within a community, but what we find in reality is that the government also plays a role in influencing the interests of the community, as we see with the Trump administration and with the Blue Lives Matter movement(started by police officers). I'm not saying that Parks and Rec completely avoided this, but the show doesn't really dive into the topic of social engineering or propaganda.

[@CuddleCuttlefish]

I was just distracted this whole video thinking about how Michael pronounced 'Vincero' differently from every other KZbinr sponsored by them have.

[@Hayanomie]

PLEASE do an analysis of "In Time" with Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried

[@sagan.]

I need ALL the videos on that were described as “that’s a topic for another video”

[@quwokka-e5l]

what is the series at the beginning with the Sakrotes joke?

[@ΘέμηςΞανθόπουλος]

the good place

[@TheCreepypro]

man you guys used this show to mine this topic beautifully yes the founding fathers put up many barriers between the people and the government so they wouldn't have direct access to actual decision making but the point of that wasn't so that they would be up forever they were meant to be temporary they were essentially the training wheels the country needed to get up and running so it could establish itself and not collapse right away the founding fathers surmised that in the future when the country was ready they would slowly take down those barriers one by one until they weren't needed anymore of course that isn't what happened at all instead people got so used to them that they needed to be taken away practically by force which is what let to things like the civil war and the the civil rights movement in the 50's heck even now we are feeling the affects of this as we are slowly realizing that a lot of stuff we had had around since then we don't need anymore like the electoral college and the current police system when you think about it like that you come to realize that despite how far the US has come, it still has a lot more left to go in terms of maturing and becoming what the founding fathers always wished for it to be

[@nick3yme]

Having a bad day and seeing Parks & Rec content made me :)

[@gabrielmcintosh1455]

We need a Wisecrack video on Wes Anderson #Save2020

[@sprylocked4299]

I believe that people in state and local office represent the people fairly well. There are also federal congress people who are not crazy rich. I think cynicism is the destroyer of democracy and that instead people must: Have faith, Be ACTIVE, and question the intentions of their government from the local level to the federal.

[@mr.crow-571]

Do altered carbon!

[@hoshi314]

a funny thing that a lecturer told me during political psychology class is that Democracy is nothing more than a "Contest of Popularity" and i actually find that to be legit be it you are a good leader or not

[@MDoddio]

I think Parks and Recreations was a faction for getting its actors and directors into the MCU

[@theunheardvoice007]

What if your faction supports destroying other factions or groups?

[@vivekprajapati4787]

I am now binge watching.. these video

[@travismester]

Great memes. Great information. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@vincentbuscarello1357]

To the final question, yes. Also, we need a Ron specific vid pls.

[@R3GARnator]

If you want a show that will make you hopeful about democracy, watch the danish show Borgen.

[@stevenmennella7579]

Never watched the show, but have enjoyed discussion from the guy with the beard. That being said, the title intrigued me. The US government is neither a democratic republic nor the other thing you stated, but a constitutional republic. We were cobbled together as a nation of laws written in the constitution by admittedly flawed men seeking a compromise in representation between those providing capital (ie the Senate) and those providing labor (the house of representatives). Laws agreed upon by these groups was established to be deliberative with the checks and balances between legislatures as it is with the branches as a direct repudiation of democracy, while casting aside monarchy and striking a balance between the two extremes.

[@RayvenFE]

Democracy: The God that Failed. Hans Hermann Hoppe

[@umanuu]

this is just a slight tip, but I recommend centering whatever prompter you're reading off of a little more because your magnificent blue eyes are quite noticeable when they take those slight glances to the left and appears a bit off-putting. Otherwise, great work all around.

[@quintustheophilus9550]

I love democracy. I love the Republic.