insanecarbonbasedlif's Journal: Why?

politics on the frontpage

Now, please explain to me this. I have voted in a lot of elections. I have never once seen a candidate or an issue won or lost by 1 vote. Sure, it happens, just like winning the lottery happens. But I don't waste my time playing the lottery, so why should I waste my time voting?

And if the election was not decided by 1 vote, my voting or not voting doesn't matter. All your ideologically arguments die on the vine, because the fact of the matter is, no matter how politically passionate I may be, I still only get one vote, and one vote never decides anything in my neck of the woods.

So, really, why does my vote matter? It doesn't affect the outcome of any of the elections. It doesn't even swing the outcome by any percentage points. My vote is worthless. Completely and utterly worthless.

I still vote, but you can't convince me it means anything in the real world. We are owned by the masses who blindly follow the carrots dangled in front of them on TV, and run from the sticks swung at them by the newspapers. It may not be "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", but that's just because it's more insidious and less well planned than that. And don't think that the plutocrats' lack of planning makes them any less dangerous, powerful, or effective. We are still chattal of the corporate machine.

And I could go on, but there's a lot of repetition, so I'll stop, while I'm still right.

my only reply ...

[Abm0raz]

Have you ever passed a test by 1 point? Then why answer any given question cause alon it will make no difference. If you look at yourself as alone in the world, then you are right. If you look at yourself as on of many, then you are wrong. Either way, it's your belief and I'm not one to tell you which one to choose.

-Ab

Re:my only reply ...

[insanecarbonbasedlif]

I have, on occasion, not answered questions because I was sure I had already locked in a high score. And even more so, if there were thousands (or millions) of questions on the test, then 1 single question means even less, and if I skip it, it doesn't affect the rest of the test in any significant way.

It is the fact that I am 1 of many that creates the situation. If I was one of a few, then my vote would be very meaningful. If I was one in a group of a thousand, I might be able to convince ten people of my

Re:my only reply ...

[Abm0raz]

I don't think anyone is asking or expecting you to try and sway others to vote. I, myself, will be writing in a vote for John McCain. He is the man I think would best run the country. Do I think he has a snowball's chance in hell of winning? No. All I can do is hope that enough people write him in so that he realizes that some of us do support him; do agree with him; do what him to run for office. Then maybe he'll run in 2008.

Your vote is only meaningless if you let others sway you from your true fee

The power of one

[Red Warrior]

You are right. We are governed by the masses (who vote). each entity that makes up the masses gets one vote. Your vote, and every other single, discrete ballot determines what the "masses" say.

When you vote, you are part of the mass that gets to make the decisons. Doesn't mean you always get your way. When you don't vote, you are part of the mass that has abdicated, and gets to deal with it.

That said, if you lean to the left, I agree, it's not worth voting. Nah, don't bother. :-)

Re:The power of one

[insanecarbonbasedlif]

When you vote, you are part of the mass that gets to make the decisons.

Or rather, try to make the decisions. I still vote, mind you, but probably only so people will listen to me complain about the worthlessness of my vote. Check out my reply to Abm0raz up a level for a better description of how I feel about it all...

Induction

[LPetrazickis]

The argument I've been making lately is that voting is a lot like induction. n = 1, n = 2, and n = 3141582653 don't matter. What matters is that n = k + 1 exists. If you vote, then you are making the assumption that you are n = k and that's all that needed for n = k + 1 to exist.