Repeating platitudes about democracy isn't really much of a reposte to Einstein, though.

And that isn't the bandy about the false equivocation that despotism is the answer - I think they've both stupid fucking ideas. Maybe we can make Platonic robot AI overlords, a la The Republic's Guardians (I say this mostly joking).

But no, democracy isn't clearly the answer at all, and for that matter I don't think it can work well in a multicultural society, where you just get tyranny of the majority anyway.

Maybe people can be elevated sufficiently that you don't tyranny of the majority as much, but instead get people thinking beyond themselves.

You must be a young person lol.

Not sure you fully appreciate how stupid the average person is. It is literally impossible to get many men to think at all, let alone think ‘beyond themselves’.