http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JackassGenie
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LiteralGenie
While these troupes sound more suited to fantasy, they actually apply to the business of government, if you think of the US constitution as the person giving the wish, and today's government being a Jackass or Literal Genie. My question is, does government interpret the constitution more like the literal or jackass genie? Or something else? And what about other constitutions?
Schools are labour camps.
When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was too good to be true. But it seems I'm not the only one here who reads TV Tropes.
I'd say the US government is more like a JG, with it's misinterpretations and deliberate twisting for personal gain.
Nice but still no cigar. Consider this. You are playing a game of whatever you like with some mates. Before starting you set the rules and all agree to stick by them. Now, you suddenly break a rule and one of your mates complain. You are physically larger and have a known history of being an aggressive bully so you give the others a mean look and silence them quickly. The game goes on and after a few more minutes another person breaks a rule. The others are asking him to be punished but he's a good mate of yours, dating your sister and all. So you stand behind him and tell the others to stop complaining since, after all, it was just a minor offense and nobody got hurt. After another few minutes you break yet another rule. This time you are tired and do not really want to risk a fight against half a dozen people so stand upright (to look even larger than you already are) and say the others they misinterpreted the rules, you were right in doing what you did. The others are stunned and the game begins a new. You break another rule and, remembering you got away so well last time, deliver yet another impressive speech while backing it up with your physical prowess. And again and again. But suddenly another player break one of the rules you interpreted before: he thought that since you said it was alright doing so. You are fuming, so you grab him by his shirt and give him a good thrashing while explaining to him that what it's alright for you is not alright for others. The players begin to be confused and to wonder while they are still playing with an arrogant bully, so they try to leave the playground. Now, you are having such a fantastic time that you do not want to stop. So you simply lock the gate and say anyone trying to leave will be given a good thrashing. So the game drags on with you laughing merrily and the others growing more and more annoyed by the minute.
That's how any Constitution works.
eliotn: My question is, does government interpret the constitution more like the literal or jackass genie? Or something else? And what about other constitutions?
My question is, does government interpret the constitution more like the literal or jackass genie? Or something else? And what about other constitutions?
Jackass/self-interested Genie if the politician is power hungry. Otherwise, Literal Genie but read this to see why that is actually meaningless.
Why anarchy fails