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Comment by axiosgunnar | Hacker News Reader

What makes you think they don‘t? Actual physical visits are to eg finalze deals, when high-bandwidth communication is necessary. And by high-bandwidth I mean body language, spontaneous n-to-n conversations between all participants, etc.

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i don't think decisions that affect millions should be based on body language

What should they be based on? Its kind of stupid to ask people to behave like Spock like value maximizing machines.

While I see your point, I find commuting umpteen hours for a 5 minute conversation that could have been over the phone, over email, or over zoom-skype-jitsi rather soul-sucking.

And Spock did have emotions.

> like value maximizing machines.

thats the job of a head of state

More like the Tal Shiar, if we’re using Trek references — politicians don’t try to deny emotions.

they should, it's just a job, not their personal drama

Everyone’s personal drama is their job, to some extent or another. You don’t get to run a country unless you can get people emotionally invested in you doing so, because if the electorate — be it the whole nation in a democracy or the aristocrats in a monarchy — is not into you, they’ll pick someone else instead of you.

the issue with democracy is that, because it relies on popularity, it selects for self-absorbed sociopaths. Being one is essential for getting elected but a nightmare after election

You may find this worth your time: https://youtu.be/rStL7niR7gs

we dont call heads of government rulers anymore, and being ruled is not something we aspire to

Given the man’s well documented history of pathological dishonesty [0], I suspect that body language is how he was elected.

[0] e.g. https://youtu.be/ZVOV3sU8Ays

It’s somewhat crazy that I can’t tell without clicking whether this is about Modi or Johnson.

Interesting. FWIW, Modi doesn’t have that kind of reputation in the sections of the UK news that I follow.

Yes I assumed you meant Modi as well. Regardless of how I feel about both of them. It could happen any time two “populist” leaders are brought up that way.

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