I used to assume that people, on the whole, were rational and reasonable. I now understand that most people can maintain rationality only for the domains in which they have first-hand experience or education, and otherwise will resort to hearsay, fantastical speculations, conspiratorial thinking, and propaganda of all sorts. It is becoming ever more clear to me that the potential genius of a representative system of government is the chance for citizens to put their trust into informed and reasoned individuals to make decisions in their name. We should elect reasoned people, and review their record, not day to day, but bi-yearly, so that our ignorance does not impede their work. Of course, when the representative system has been distorted as it has, we do not trust or respect our representatives.