I would think that it is true - over the long term - that institutions are reflective of the traits (probably more accurate to say the culture) of the people who make up the society. In the case of Iraq, it would hope that the current state of affairs are not long term.
However, in the case of the Joss-verse, we are speaking of the long-term. The institutions have been i place for a long time and arisen in democratic states. Joss unfailingly shows instituitons above the family-business as corrupt or ineffectual. There are, of course, two reasons for this: (1) Joss is deeply cynical about society or (2) it was a necessary pretext of a hidden supernatural as a means of telling the story of an individual.
I would think it's the latter, but one must still be aware that continually showing institutions in a bad light reflects poorly on humanity as a whole. Further, it ignores the lessons of history in the need for checks and balances to control those who have power. I personally would be worried about living in a world where an individual, no matter how well intentioned, has extreme power without checks or balances. Is that, after all, not the point Joss made in Ats S4 through Jasmine? Although I admit that he muddied the issue by having her eat people.
From an individual's viewpoint, institutions can be an annoyance that get in the way of what they want. In general, institutions must meet many needs.
Publicly funded education is but one example of the tension between the individual and the institution. in our society. Those poeple with money can would rather send their children to the best school their money can afford. The problem is that they then have less interest in publicly funded schools and school populations in those schools come to have an unstated class nature. This is a very real - politically incorrect to say anything about it - issue in the Ottawa area. Those with money, or those with bright children send their children to what we call private schools, French immersion schools, catholic schools, etc. and leave the public schools to those who are poorer, less intelligent or immigrants with English as a second language. The great Canadian myth of our multi-ethnic society means one should say nothing about it. It is a very good example of an institution relecting the unstated traits of the people. It is not, in my view a good thing, but is it what we deserve????
no subject
However, in the case of the Joss-verse, we are speaking of the long-term. The institutions have been i place for a long time and arisen in democratic states. Joss unfailingly shows instituitons above the family-business as corrupt or ineffectual. There are, of course, two reasons for this: (1) Joss is deeply cynical about society or (2) it was a necessary pretext of a hidden supernatural as a means of telling the story of an individual.
I would think it's the latter, but one must still be aware that continually showing institutions in a bad light reflects poorly on humanity as a whole. Further, it ignores the lessons of history in the need for checks and balances to control those who have power. I personally would be worried about living in a world where an individual, no matter how well intentioned, has extreme power without checks or balances. Is that, after all, not the point Joss made in Ats S4 through Jasmine? Although I admit that he muddied the issue by having her eat people.
From an individual's viewpoint, institutions can be an annoyance that get in the way of what they want. In general, institutions must meet many needs.
Publicly funded education is but one example of the tension between the individual and the institution. in our society. Those poeple with money can would rather send their children to the best school their money can afford. The problem is that they then have less interest in publicly funded schools and school populations in those schools come to have an unstated class nature. This is a very real - politically incorrect to say anything about it - issue in the Ottawa area. Those with money, or those with bright children send their children to what we call private schools, French immersion schools, catholic schools, etc. and leave the public schools to those who are poorer, less intelligent or immigrants with English as a second language. The great Canadian myth of our multi-ethnic society means one should say nothing about it. It is a very good example of an institution relecting the unstated traits of the people. It is not, in my view a good thing, but is it what we deserve????