Someone asked me the other day what my political perspective was.
I have a very strong opinion on political world views. It is simply this...
'I DON'T CARE!!!'
Some say it is my civic duty to vote and that I am a bad person if I don't vote. I have never made my way to the polls in my entire life and I do not intend to. For this simple reason ... I don't Care!!!
What are you thoughts on politics and our Civic duties?
I could say much about this but I want to gather soem of your thoughts first.
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9 comments:
Buddy...do you mind if I refuse you the priviledge of saying what you just said. If fact you no longer have the right to share any thoughts on any topic... that we don't approve. I believe the men will be at the door shortly to remove you from your computer and to strike you from the records and vital statitics.
You see Mark... voting and having a say, although small is the system that we have to hold back tyranny. Left to ourselves all culture eats itself. Destroys the very fabric of societies that allows the tyrants to exist.(reference: Lord of the Flies)Infact it's the people who will go to war to protect the vey rights of the tyrant to destroy that keeps the democracies strong, while allowing the very same tyrant to destroy.
Is voting important. No... in the same way...freedom of thought...religion...the press...association...and the freedom to live is not an inalienable right once the vote is lost.
And believe me Mark when I say it will be lost. We are keenly reminded through history how a few men...can destroy culture when the vote is lost.
Just ask Germany in 1938 after electing Hitler and then losing the right to vote. the 1933 election was the lowest recorded turnout in their history... So a small group of people overtook the nation.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/dictator.htm
Just ask the Italians of 1922, when Benito Mussolini was elected and he moved the nation from a democratic monarchy to a republic and then shortly after...the people lost their vote. Oh and yes the election in 1922 was extremely low too... because they just did not care.
So please keep not caring...I'm sure nothing bad will happen... if you don't vote...wait is that boots I hear?
Hmmmm... you never intend to vote? Ever? As long as you're not one of those who complains about who is in power without taking responsibility [your part] for that decision.
Voting seems like a farce in many ways I'll agree. After all, we vote with very limited knowledge for someone we don't really know at all. Promises, promises mean very little coming from someone who is saying what they think you want to hear.
On the other hand, having the right to vote is important as Dave said. It is what sets us apart from those who are tyrannically ruled.
Whether or not you vote is up to you. But maybe we should care, just a little!
Where does the importance lie... in the vote or in the fact that I have access to speak to my member of parlament? If I make enough noise I will be heard. That seems to be how it works in our political system. A Vote really has nothing to do with it.
We are constantly reminded that our one vote really does count. I don't believe it! And why should we vote for the "lesser of two evils"? If you can't support any candidate, not voting is the only honest recourse.
If we didn't have the right to vote would you have access to an MP? Probably not. If you do away with democracy, you do away with the whole system.
Still not saying you NEED to vote, but I have to disagree that the answer is do nothing.
In saying that, I haven't voted yet... (Pot I'd like you to meet kettle, its black)
Actually: Let me break it down for you...
People in the grass in the dirt somewhere near the roots work like they actually care. They raise money...knock on doors and plant signs so that their guy (in this case denoting a generic non sexist term meant to denote a person of either sex, native or non native Canadian descent) can get elected. Upon being elected their hope is that this very same individual will somehow remember the countless minions who slaved away to get the appropriate candidate to sit in his little 2' by 4' desk beside all 308 other small desks filled with others like himself (* see above)
This is rarely the case as the velvet in the cushions of the house of commons have been rumoured (please note Canadian spelling of this word) to be coated with a brain numbing resin that seeps through the members clothes until their ability to remember where they came from is erased completely. Once erased the member believe that..."they are from Ottawa, live in Ottawa, and have always been in Ottawa." This, they mumble without end while other members rise on a point of privilege. Occasionally this incoherent mumbling sometimes becomes chant or rant like and is often accompanied by the pounding of their hands on the desk (*see above for description) as they declare boldly their love for Ottawa.
The grass people who have waited patiently for the bounty that their man (*) would bring them are simply left standing by their mail boxes reading the poorly written and over biased quarterly newsletter that has been written by the members staff member (who it should be noted is from Ottawa) Any reference to home, or the city, town or village where the member has begun this epic adventure has been either edited out by the parties chief whip or has been blacked out by the powers that be to protect the innocent. (now even I’m depressed.)
(ok Mark … you convinced me…I was such a patsy…thanks for showing me the light…)
I would have to agree with anonymous. There is no such thing as the lesser of two evils in my mind when it comes to a political lense.
I think what I have always learned is you get the leadership that you get. Its up to you to work with it [or not work with it]. Here is an interesting point.
A person moved here from the USSR just after it fell apart. They commented just a few weeks ago that the government is far more 'involved' in peoples lives here in Canada than they were in the USSR. I am not saying the USSR is better or communism is a better way not am I saying that what we have is bad. But our political lense tells us that we have so much freedom. To be Frank if we live in the US/Canada... we live in two of the most litigious countries in the world [More so in the US]. The Government is VERY INVOLVED in our lives. So in other words we exercise our right to vote and in exchange the government exercises its right to keep an eye on us from a distance until we miss paying our taxes.
Please understand I am saying this for reason of a broader perspective and not as an anarchist who despises our way of life in the west.
As long as you never complain about the government or soceity or any other... how about you do the same in church, not care about the leadership. Just work with whatever you get! Don't complain about the church and the way its gone if you "DON'T CARE"
Anonymous
I am not sure what point you are trying ot make but I will share a few thoughts towards your comment on complaining.
1) IT is a good life Principle to not complain about anything. There are no good outcomes in a persons life as a result of complaining
2) There are moments when a person is given a certain influence to speak out about certain matters. Being an agent of change for good and complaining are two differnt postures. Knowing when it is the right time to be an agent of change is important... complaining is an expression of feeling powerless... Speaking out in a sphere of influence to bring change is acting out of the ability to change.
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