One reason public opinion is not a reliable guide for governing is that:

Public opinion can be an unreliable guide for governing primarily because opinions can often be based on ignorance. Many people may not have the necessary information or understanding of complex policy issues to form an informed opinion. This lack of knowledge can lead to opinions that are superficial or misinformed, potentially skewing the representation of what constituents truly want or need. When decision-makers rely on public opinion as a guide, they risk following misguided perceptions rather than well-founded beliefs derived from comprehensive understanding.

In contrast, the stability of public opinion can suggest a more reliable foundation for decision-making, but it does not account for the potential ignorance underlying those beliefs. Additionally, while public opinion is often derived from surveys with representative samples intended to reflect the broader population, the actual knowledge and understanding of the issues at hand among respondents might still be lacking. Finally, public opinion can sometimes appear to reflect elite views, where the voices of informed or influential individuals are amplified over those of the general populace, but this does not fundamentally address the issue of ignorance among the broader public.