Thinking in a democracy, from books to faces

Imagine a world where there's always someone who will give you a little electric shock every time you give the wrong answer to a question---or express a politically incorrect opinion on a political matter.

People could be divided up into little discussion groups which are actually support groups for thoughts related to an identity.  This will keep them busy with much ado about nothing of not vastly overstated importance. 

The opinions people express here will be often ignorant of obvious relevant literature. And typically argued with little semblance of rationality. What people want is confirmational affirmation, others around them saying yes yes thank you. The groups could be formed around political topics. The actual arguments that take place are exposures of deviant opinions followed by immediate zapping or exclusion. It's important that the punishment be swift so that the learning animal grasps the identity between his act and the discomfirmation. So pausing for reflection is definitely out. The function of the discussions in the identity groups is to weed out every one who does not think the same on every issue that is discussed.

Finally, these groups are all like cells. They carry out their discussions in a forum that has many millions of members -- many more people than voters in the largest of countries such as ours. But the organizers of this forum want all discussions to be local and small. The rare person who has good ideas will only be able to share them within his small group. Divide and eliminate.

And as with recorded music played for people on telephone hold with companies, a vague but profound dissatisfaction will actually be cultivated by the very practices that simultaneously are offered to alleviate it.  Fleeing from loneliness and boredom, people exchange those affects for an annoyance that is best directed at the people around them.  People they have mostly never met and don't know.  But they share a shout.  Desperately wanting someone to validate that they do give a shit about something.