Many years ago a very eloquent frenchman (as so many are) travelled across the Atlantic and ventured into what was then the pre-pubescent United States of America (I'd say that that fair land, or perhaps I should say my fair land, is now somewhere in puberty). After his voyage he published a two volume book, "Democracy in America". His name was Alexis de Tocqueville. While perusing the cybernéant this evening I came across a few websites devoted to him and thought I'd post a few of his pithy remarks.

"I am far from denying that newspapers in democratic countries lead citizens to do very ill-considered things in common; but without newspapers there would be hardly any common action at all. So they mend many more ills than they cause."

"Americans of all ages, all stations of life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations...In democratic countries knowledge of how to combine is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on its progress depends that of all the others."

"In towns it is impossible to prevent men from assembling, getting excited together and forming sudden passionate resolves."

Now if we just substitute "America" for "towns", I think that last sentence eloquently conveys an accurate observation.