Democracy

I’ve had this glimpse about democracy the other day: democracy is a place where one doesn’t need to say “thank you”. (sorry, very fortune-cookie like, but let me explain):

Not that democracy wouldn’t need civility and politeness, not that it should be about forgetting “good manners”, but it does have an element of “anti-bowing” that I find fundamentally dignifying.

The lamppost on your street doesn’t light any more? It might take a while, but if you complain, someone’s going to come fix it. And while you surely will say a word of thanks to the guy who actually did the work (if you meet him), you won’t then run to the mayor and thank him for his “extraordinary effort”. You won’t bow a million times in front of the mayor’s secretary or doorman and declare to be eternally grateful, just because he let you into the mayor’s office. Some things are just your “right”. Full stop. No unnecessary politeness. No over-the-top thankfulness.

Around here, you have to be prepared to “be grateful” well before anything gets done. You will start saying thank you just to get a chance to hope that anything might get at some point done. So, thank you Mrs. Secretary for answering the phone and giving me a chance to ask for an appointment with the doorman of the assistant of the secretary of the person in charge of lampposts. Thank you, Mr. doorman for actually letting me into his office, allowing me to wait for 5 hours in order to speak to the secretary of his assistant. Thank you, Mr. Assistant for looking at me and agreeing to listen (with half an ear) to my concern, after I professed my complete devotedness to your grandness. And… wait, what did I want to complain about???