If we assume the best in people, we can radically redesign our democracy and welfare states.
Rutger BregmanRead
We so often tend to think our democracies are ruled by procedures and laws, but they are also governed by implicit rules and assumptions and one of them is the ability to feel shame - that you can be shamed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Democracies rely not just on laws but also on social norms and emotions like shame.
In this quote, Rutger Bregman emphasizes that the functioning of democracies is not solely dependent on formal procedures and legal frameworks. Instead, there are underlying social dynamics, including emotions and societal expectations, that govern behavior within a democratic framework. The ability to feel shame, for instance, plays a critical role in maintaining accountability and ethical conduct among citizens, suggesting that governance extends beyond mere rules to include a nuanced understanding of human psychology and social relations.
Themes
DemocracyShameGovernanceSocial NormsAccountability
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about civic responsibility, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of social values in maintaining a healthy democracy.
More from Rutger Bregman
All quotes →Since long workdays lead to more errors, shorter workdays could reduce accidents. Overtime is deadly. Tired surgeons have been found to be more prone to slip'ups, and soldiers who get too little shuteye are more prone to miss targets.
Rutger BregmanRead
My hope is that the corona crisis will help bring us into a new age of cooperation and solidarity and a realization that we're in this together.
Rutger BregmanRead
This is what a crisis does: It makes you question the status quo. That doesn't mean that after a crisis we move into some kind of utopia. But it is an opportunity for political change.
Rutger BregmanRead
While it won't solve all the world's ills - and ideas such as a rent cap and more social housing are necessary in places where housing is scarce - a basic income would work like venture capital for the people.
Rutger BregmanRead
Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and generals. That we can trust people to govern themselves and make their own decisions.
Rutger BregmanRead
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