That democracy can reliably be used as an applause light is a sign that we as a society agree it is indeed a good thing.
Or, if I model human behavior correctly, it could also have been as sign that we as a society at one point agreed that it is a good thing but now agree that we agree that it is a reliable applause light. (But I don’t think democracy-approval has devolved to that level yet. We actually do seem to think it is a good idea.)
From the mission statement of the school at which I studied political science:
Through our teaching, scholarship and community engagement, we seek to mold global citizens with democratic values. Though our core is firmly based in the humanities—the critical, historical and comparative study of texts, practices, and contexts—we sustain strong ties to our colleagues in the natural and social sciences, the professional schools and beyond. From the multiple disciplinary approaches of history, philosophy and religious studies we investigate those matters that most make us human—mind, rationality and morality, spirit, and memory; our current areas of strength include: history and philosophy of science, intellectual history and history of philosophy, American and global religious history and cultures, environmental history and bioethics, women’s history and feminist philosophy, Native American history and indigenous epistemologies, history and philosophy of politics and the quest for justice; history, philosophy and politics of religion.
That democracy can reliably be used as an applause light is a sign that we as a society agree it is indeed a good thing.
But not a sign that it is indeed a good thing.
Or, if I model human behavior correctly, it could also have been as sign that we as a society at one point agreed that it is a good thing but now agree that we agree that it is a reliable applause light. (But I don’t think democracy-approval has devolved to that level yet. We actually do seem to think it is a good idea.)
From the mission statement of the school at which I studied political science:
Even if society-at-large agrees something is good, the LW community may disagree in whole or in part.
Other things society-at-large treats as good and applause lights include:
Belief in belief
Deathism
Tabooing tradeoffs of sacred values like human life