i'm not being contrary. i'm honestly trying to understand why my vote matters.
in a pile of sand, i don't think that one grain of sand matters one way or the other. i, as a grain of sand, have no effect on the other grains of sand. whether or not i vote, it has no effect on the outcome. i really, truly don't understand why the argument always seems to go from me not to everyone not voting.
This falls into the black hole of social reasoning: a society can only function if enough people play by its rules. Voting shares this category with: having children, working gainfully and participating in the economy (i.e. making money and buying shit), cleaning up after yourself in public places, stopping at stop signs, and tipping.
Arguments about any of these things tend to break down quickly because, well, it's actually okay if you don't do it because other people will pick up the slack, but man, if everyone does it we are on the fast track to hell. People, myself included, tend to react emotionally as well as rationally and forget that it's not about the big picture here.
(Unless you do think that we're all better off not voting, which I don't seem to find you arguing about at all.)
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no subject
in a pile of sand, i don't think that one grain of sand matters one way or the other. i, as a grain of sand, have no effect on the other grains of sand. whether or not i vote, it has no effect on the outcome. i really, truly don't understand why the argument always seems to go from me not to everyone not voting.
no subject
Arguments about any of these things tend to break down quickly because, well, it's actually okay if you don't do it because other people will pick up the slack, but man, if everyone does it we are on the fast track to hell. People, myself included, tend to react emotionally as well as rationally and forget that it's not about the big picture here.
(Unless you do think that we're all better off not voting, which I don't seem to find you arguing about at all.)