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# A democratic society comes with some pain
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-democratic-society-comes-with-some-pain/
- Published: 2006-09-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:59:01.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By COMMON SCENTS BY CAROLE ORLIN*

As I look back upon the five years since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, I have come to believe that the biggest challenges facing us as Americans today are personal choice and perpetuating democracy.

Living in a democracy — defined as “power of the people” — is quite different from living in a totalitarian state where choice/power does not exist. When everything is black and white, you have no choice but to accept it or go underground and risk life and limb. There is a lot less time spent worrying about what is right or wrong, and what one can do about it. Is it worth being stoned to death for having an affair? In some Middle Eastern countries, no matter how cute your neighbor is, you know it’s just not worth it. Here, we won’t be stoned to death, but we do have our consciences and societal taboos to consider. To choose not to have an affair requires us to make that decision based on our sense of morality, not our fear of being stoned to death. That takes considerably more effort and introspection. There are repeated examples of this that come up in our daily lives. I wonder as times and issues become more complicated, if some part of us yearns to have these decisions made for us — to have the choices taken away.

People who envy those of us who are lucky enough to live in a democracy do not realize that personal choice requires much more of us, yet that in and of itself is the true reward. Yet, how many of us take on this challenge? Unfortunately, too many of us do not appreciate or embrace the responsibility that comes with living in a democracy. Those who think we have it easier do not realize that living in a democratic system requires participation of all in order for it to work successfully over the long run. When you look back at the history of democracy you can see that it is not a given, it is something that is fought for and often lost. The first attempt at democracy was in Athens, Greece in the 5th Century B.C. It lasted about a century and abruptly ended. There were no more attempts for more than 2,000 years.

Many people with whom I speak love to discuss current events, criticize this or that political party, and have very strong opinions about various subjects. However, when it comes to something as simple as voting, they are part of the majority of Americans who do not take the time and effort to vote. How can you complain and not vote? As far as I am concerned, not voting takes away your right to complain. I know an acquaintance who is a vociferous complainer about gas prices and dependence on foreign oil, and he just bought a Mercedes SUV. When I asked him about this contradiction, he said: “Well, we don’t get all that much oil from the Middle East.” I say, enjoy your SUV, but quit complaining. I don’t want to hear one more word out of your mouth about gas prices and our dependence on foreign oil.

Every day we are faced with increasingly complex issues and we have no choice but to deal with them. Otherwise, it is not inconceivable that one day we can lose our ability to make these choices. When democracy was introduced in Athens, there was a smaller population and it was easier to feel that your input was important. There is no question that large societies such as ours are more difficult to run in a democratic manner. Let’s face it, it would be simpler in many ways to have a single ruler make all the decisions for us. Sound familiar? Again, I have to emphasize that democracy should not be taken for granted. In 2000, 120 of the world’s 192 nations were considered democracies. Some democratic governments have collapsed since then (example Nepal); others have been overthrown, such as the Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Instead of becoming discouraged, let’s get mobilized and energized and buoy up our precious democratic system. Democracies are fragile. They require participation of many, or they risk becoming other than what our founding fathers envisioned for us. For those of us who struggle with all the issues that come with living in a democracy today and yearn for a simpler life, well Cuba and Iran are just a plane ride away. For those of us who appreciate and embrace this wonderful experiment called democracy, “Let’s roll.” (Carole)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 11, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)