How do you use it?
Yeah, this is probably the main criticism of technocracies.
I personally advocate for a more decentralized version of technocracy. I don't really have stake in which decentralized system is best, but each decentralized system has at least some minimum bar to deter those who have absolutely no idea what they're doing from assuming power.
AI can type tedious snippets faster than me, but I can just read the code and revise it if needed.
You can still have a technocratic system that allows moral weights to be 'baked into' it.
For example, currently, in some states, judges are elected. The people decide what kinds of judges align with their values.
However, most of these states require judges to have a law degree to run, which is technocratic—you cannot run for a judge position without graduating from law school (and passing the bar in some states) first.
Sure, there are no good solutions and a vast amount of conflicting legal theories on how to address or interpret certain things, but as a whole, the judicial system is at least more grounded in some understanding of the law rather than random individuals who were able to market their way into judicial power.
I imagine a similar thing would happen for other issues.
There's multiple ways to achieve the goals of a technocracy.
I agree with your criticism, but you're criticizing a more extreme, centralized form of technocracy. I have criticisms of direct democracy, but I wouldn't conclude all democratic systems are bad because of the most extreme version.
And democracy and technocracy aren't mutually exclusive, either.
For the legal example, some states hold elections for their judges, and most require a law degree. This sets some minimum to be a judge in those areas, which is technocratic.
What if a judge claims other judges are fake? Well, the people can evaluate those claims and vote accordingly.
But at least you don't have some unhinged individual with no understanding of the law abusing their judicial powers.
I can't really speak to the bloodshed since I don't know which electoral process you're criticizing, but technocracies don't need bloodshed, no.
For your goldbug criticism, here's one potential example (out of many, many possible systems) that could resolve it: Academic and think tank organizations stake their reputation by nominating economists, and then the people vote on them.
Let's say the Mises Institute nominates a goldbug economist. I highly doubt enough people would vote for them vs all the other candidates by organizations like the American Economic Association, etc. And if they do get elected, whatever chaos that ensues would harm not only the candidate's reputation, but the Mises Institute's reputation. People would vote them out and ignore candidates from the Mises Institute.
Hey, thank you for replying.
I agree that it's faulty to think nobody cares, and I do have some who do care about me.
However, ~75% - 95% of individuals I've encountered have either ignored my dire circumstances, or even actively gone out of their way to invest their time, money, energy, etc. to harm me.
I pay a 'grocery tax' because other self-destructive shoppers at specific stores will ram their carts into me, take pictures of me, etc. I have to either order delivery, or shop at more expensive stores where I haven't experienced this extreme conduct.
I once had a bicycling accident where I had a head-on collision with another bicyclist who another bicyclist accompanied, and I had to do a safety scan of my surroundings and run away immediately since I had no way of knowing if the accompanied bicyclist would get irrationally violent and attack me. The bicyclist I accidentally hit had no safety gear while I did, and they probably died from hitting me head-on - they were unconscious on the ground. I had no way of knowing who they have r*ped, murdered, punched, shot with a gun, stabbed with a knife, fired, slashed tires of, gaslit, etc.
I've since moved out to a safer area, but I still pay a 'grocery tax'. I tried shopping at more affordable grocery stores, and then the same incident happened, so I stole some food as reparations and left a negative review on the place. I've learned that Google Maps will delete negative reviews while Yelp is more representative of the unhinged nonsense that happens, and that store was around 2.5 - 3 stars. The only other 4+ star store I could find was more expensive, and it honestly sucks that I have no other choice.
And don't get me wrong - I am trained in self-defense. I know evidence-based self-defense and used it earlier with the bicycling accident to keep myself safe. My issue isn't keeping myself safe - my issue is that I just want to get through the fucking day without anyone self-destructing on me. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. But they won't leave me alone.
I'm out of time. Will revise this later. Realized I left our suspicious details of the bicyclists.