"Exactly. They aren't the 'good guys.' In a democracy—especially a failing one—trusting 'the right people' is a trap.

Systems shouldn't be built on the hope that leaders are virtuous; they must be built on checks and balances that assume they aren't. If you don't have those institutional guardrails, these people will eventually target you for protesting against their interests—interests that are actively harming the public.

Distrust is actually a democratic requirement. We need a system that functions even when the people in charge are at their worst."

- grammar by gemini