We’ll agree that democratic failures are system failures, but disagree about whom accountability reasonably falls upon within the system. To me it’s stupid to hold an electorate accountable, it’s the people who take some greater role who can be usefully held to account. 1/

fatalism about the inevitability systems eventually break may be right or wrong, but is also useless. we all die, but our role is to try to live and live well as long as we can. 2/

i don’t know if what we’re now suffering is inevitable breakdown, but before it collapses all the way to postapocalyptic sticks and stones, i’ll be looking for ways to stabilize, reform, and reinvigorate it. 3/

which will plainly include much greater accountability for people in leadership and crucial institutional roles (as well as much higher pay in some of those roles, so individuals can reasonably be expected to resist venal incentives). /fin