It may sound contradictory, but I believe it isn't.
How many introverts are going to run for public office? Does that mean we should have much less political say? Does it mean we have much less to say? Does it mean the world can do without all of our insights? Or these must always be whispered in the ear of a particularly generous extravert?
Reflect on the assumptions in our system for a while.
Many experts—not all, not necessarily even a majority, but certainly a strong contingent—are introverts. (I haven't verified the claim it's a majority. Either way, there are many introverted and extraverted experts.)
Expertise is very obviously and painfully underrepresented in republics.
Now you have an idea why: experts should not be expected to be the same people winning popularity contests. Some experts are popular, some not, and it has little or nothing to do with their level of expertise. If your angle is "Well if it's all the same, then why can't we just make everyone happy and get photogenic, popular experts in here?" then I hope you understand that's a bias.
Decisions by and/or for the group should be made based on knowledge, skill, ability, results, and sharing. The best answer should rise to the top every time, not by suppressing other answers or flattering a crowd but by succeeding on its merits.
We are so far from this vision that it hurts.
If you've been blotting, please stop blotting out the realization that representative democracy needs a big update.
Economic and social and environmental problems, issues with government corruption and inefficiency and overreach—all of these can be addressed by an improved process. Without improving the process, where is the hope?
You can't keep fixing a TV by hitting it. At some point, you need an upgrade. You need to go out and get a rethought version of the same implement.
If one doesn't exist yet, guess what?
Nobody is stopping you from coming up with a better way.
How would you know? How would you test it?
You can't know, and you can't test it, if you don't even try.
As I once heard a professor of philosophy say to a student: "Confusion!? Wonderful! Confusion—is the first step on the path to understanding."
You have to be willing not to know, willing to feel stupid, willing to get confused. Then you start your search. You'll find something new and useful if you stick with it.
I promise.
I promise.
