3. Beware of Labels

We’re all told now to avoid making assumptions about people based on certain categorizations, though few heed this advice. This is because the stereotypes that are built up around various groups tend to be self-reinforcing, as a person who encounters an example of stereotypical behavior will allow it to confirm their beliefs, while other behaviors are given less attention.

When it comes to treatment of groups, a certain principle is important: statistics which apply on a massive scale do not necessarily apply on an individual scale, or vice versa. When you see a person who belongs to a specific group, their actions and traits contribute to the collective social image that group maintains, but some contribute more than others. A stereotype that is held about a group, even if founded in truth, is an amalgam of these collected traits, and cannot be proven to apply to every member of the group. Thus, when you recognize a person as a member of a group, it is not possible to comprehensively verify that anything known about their group is also true of them, without observing them personally.

It’s easy to see the harmful effects of categorism: everyone is sometimes mistreated because they belong to a group which contains bad people, and are unfairly compared to them. But positive categorism can be equally harmful. If people intentionally protect members of their group regardless of conduct, they harm the integrity of that group, as outsiders will see them unjustly protecting villains. Those same people will put themselves at risk from unscrupulous individuals who would use their group membership as fodder to support their own goals, or even to undermine the ideals of the group itself.

Never seek comfort in mere communal membership. Don’t assume another is “one of us” and therefore trustworthy. In order to have true group cohesion, you must be ready and willing to weed out the bad blood, to excise people who don’t conform to standards or whose goals are malicious.

This applies to such obvious things as ethnicity, religion, class, creed, but also and especially to political organizations. Those who are unwilling to adequately test and investigate their colleagues for possible wrongdoing are responsible for perpetuating those wrongdoings.

2. You are the Source of Governmental Authority

The meaning of democracy is rule by the people. In order for it to function, the people– all of them– must accept the personal responsibility and burden of rule. Allowing their representatives to make decisions on their behalf necessarily saps them of their own freedom. At the very least, they require guidance to properly carry out their jobs.

A good public servant can perform their duties with a minimum of direction from their constituency. Even so, they should be continually asking for feedback on their actions. One who fails to do so is not working in the public interest and must be replaced.

Likewise, when you encounter one of your servants, you should express some interest in the work they’re doing and some guidance as to how they should proceed. They won’t necessarily obey your exact wishes, because they have many bosses and must find the best way to serve all of them. However, they should at least show some amount of humility and a willingness to address your questions. This applies to a head of state, or a legislative member, all the way down to a local police officer.

Obviously, for many people and many situations, this kind of interaction will not be plausible, and may even be dangerous. That is what we’re trying to change. The more people can muster the will to treat their servants properly and remind them of their appropriate place, the better the performance of those servants will be. Aberrations in political character must be treated as such and punished appropriately.

1. The Government is Public Property

The most important thing to remember is that all members of a government, or employed by that government for any purpose, are public servants and answerable to the population at large. This is true regardless of the formal structure of the government; any agent who disagrees with this is an enemy of the public and not a valid authority figure.

The government is empowered by the consent of the people. Therefore, their instructions and purpose also originate in the will of the people. When you see an agent of your government, know that that person is your employee and your servant. It is your responsibility to give them orders. If they fail or refuse to serve, it is your responsibility to punish them appropriately.

It cannot be overstated how important it is to maintain a proper relationship with elected officials. Grandiosity and authoritarianism toward a constituency cannot be tolerated. Servility toward voters is the basis of a functioning government.