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Admiral X wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:16 pm
People don't vote because they've been reduced to a binary illusion of choice and they realize it. They're basically being asked to choose between getting punched in the face or the junk and are just walking away from this "choice."
You're not walking away from the choice unless you leave the country, as you still are affected by the outcome regardless of whether you choose or not. The metaphor would thus be better put as:
"They're basically being asked whether they would like to be shot or stabbed, then stabbing them regardless of what they say."
"I know what you’re thinking now. You’re thinking 'Oh my god, that’s treating other people with respect gone mad!'" When I am writing in this font, I am writing in my moderator voice.
Spam-desu
Admiral X wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:16 pm
People don't vote because they've been reduced to a binary illusion of choice and they realize it. They're basically being asked to choose between getting punched in the face or the junk and are just walking away from this "choice."
Collusion between Neo-Cons and Neo-Libs isn't much of a conspiracy theory any more.
"The explosive exchange was contained in notes taken by IRS employees at an April 30, 2013, meeting between Kerner, Lerner, and other high-ranking IRS officials. Just ten days following the meeting, former IRS director of exempt organizations Lois Lerner admitted that the IRS had a policy of improperly and deliberately delaying applications for tax-exempt status from conservative non-profit groups.
Lerner and other IRS officials met with select top staffers from the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee in a “marathon” meeting to discuss concerns raised by both Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) that the IRS was not reining in political advocacy groups in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision."
TGLS wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:36 pmYou're not walking away from the choice unless you leave the country, as you still are affected by the outcome regardless of whether you choose or not.
Yup. By virtue of being born, you become part of the system. You can't opt out. All you can do is exercise what little measure of control you are granted.
TGLS wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:36 pmYou're not walking away from the choice unless you leave the country, as you still are affected by the outcome regardless of whether you choose or not.
Yup. By virtue of being born, you become part of the system. You can't opt out. All you can do is exercise what little measure of control you are granted.
But you don't have to give it your explicit endorsement by voting. Many would rather not vote at all than take the time to come in and vote for a 3rd party or spoil their ballot in protest. Bye not voting at all you have at least the sour grapes position of ''I never voted for them.''
@LittleRaven Please don't tell me you believe in that collective responsibility bullshit. I'm one person. It's not up to me to change society. Let me make a difference the way I damn well please, and in my case, that's through small kindnesses.
"A culture's teachings - and more importantly, the nature of its people - achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves, or find themselves lacking."
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
Yukaphile wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:12 pm
@LittleRaven Please don't tell me you believe in that collective responsibility bullshit.
Collective responsibility? I'm not sure what you mean.
By being born, you became part of human society. Barring truly heroic effort, you can't get away from that. You are locked into the systems your predecessors spent thousands of years building, with all their benefits and all their flaws. You can choose not to vote but you cannot escape the political consequences of an election.
Most of us possess only an infinitesimally tiny amount of on the larger systems that control us. That's a frustrating reality. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't attempt to wield it wisely. Though you are absolutely correct that voting is hardly the only (or the primary) method of improving society.
Okay, thanks. I've talked to native Germans about this who called me personally responsible for Trump even though... I not only voted, I voted for the other side, and... no, you can't blame me for him when I don't agree with a single thing he's done. It's more of the same collective guilt bullshit and I hate it.
"A culture's teachings - and more importantly, the nature of its people - achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves, or find themselves lacking."
— Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
Robovski wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:26 pm
But you don't have to give it your explicit endorsement by voting. Many would rather not vote at all than take the time to come in and vote for a 3rd party or spoil their ballot in protest. Bye not voting at all you have at least the sour grapes position of ''I never voted for them.''
My attitude exactly. I may be stuck with whatever the outcome is, but at least I didn't help it along.
"Black care rarely sits behind a rider whose pace is fast enough."
-TR
Yukaphile wrote: ↑Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:22 am
Fuzzy, it's not just people terrified of brown gangsters. I've always said they're a minority, and they are. The problem here is apathy to the highest degree. It's why half the country doesn't vote. People see the world getting worse, and know it's awful, but feel powerless to do a damn thing to stop it, so they just wanna look out for those close to them. That's what happened in Germany. And for me personally. It's why I've stopped voting (didn't vote at all in the midterms even though my mom already has). Let the world go to hell. I just wanna protect and help those close to me. Maybe small kindnesses will be all it takes to change the world. Because when you're kind to someone, they remember. But on the flip side, when you're cruel to someone, they also remember.
Eh, I think half the country doesn't vote because voter suppression is so popular and successful.
"Believe me, there’s nothing so terrible that someone won’t support it."
— Un Lun Dun, China Mieville
Turnout in both the June primary (25%) and the November general election (42%) was at a record low. Continuing a recent trend, primary election participation declined 8 percentage points from the June 2010 gubernatorial primary. General election turnout fell 13 percentage points from the November 2010 gubernatorial election—and it was low even for an off-year election. Since the 2008 presidential election—the recent high-water mark—primary turnout has declined 33 points and general election turnout has declined 37 points.
Among registered voters who say they do not always vote, 36% cite a lack of interest in politics, elections, or candidates, and 32% mention time or schedule constraints. Fewer cite a lack of confidence in elections (10%) or process-related reasons (9%). Latinos are more likely than whites to mention time constraints, while whites are more likely than Latinos to cite a lack of interest. Older people are less likely than younger adults to name time constraints. Registered voters in Orange and San Diego Counties who do not always vote most often cite lack of interest, while those in the Central Valley name time constraints.
Only 2% cite 'process' as a barrier to voting, although given that this is liberal California, that's not too surprising. However, even in a state where the dominant party wants as many voters as possible to vote and makes it as easy as possible, only 42% can be bothered to show up for a general election. Almost half of that for a primary.
