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rsynnottlast Sunday at 1:19 PM2 repliesview on HN

Well, I mean, it's _both_.


Replies

lcnPylGDnU4H9OFlast Sunday at 2:28 PM

One is a precursor for the other. Being mean and inflexible is their means of avoiding personal growth, which leads to the incompetence. Of course, they are exceptionally competent at being mean and inflexible because it’s what they practice in their lives.

But I think the point they’re making is that it’s moot that they are mean and inflexible if those traits make a good government. It is at least more relevant that they are incompetent at governing; even if both points are likely to fall on deaf ears and even if one naturally follows the other.

sorcerer-marlast Sunday at 3:36 PM

The problem is that when the going gets tough, people think they’re willing to accept big ol’ meanie heads in order to get good outcomes.

They are not aware that even if you were okay with that, that’s not the trade off that autocracy gives you.

And inversely, being “good” does not imply someone is incompetent. In general, the reverse is true because being good is such a powerful tool to achieve things (i.e. to be competent).