Is there any cow more sacred to Americans than voting? Few things spark such rage and distrust as questioning the ballot box. It doesn’t matter how reasoned your argument is you will be met with fury and scorn. Voting is something you don’t question. We are told that it is both a duty and effective, with no evidence to back that up.
“People died for your right to vote!”
So what? People died to keep slavery going. People died to create theocracies. People died to get a good selfie shot of themselves on a cliff.
The willingness to die for something tells us nothing about the quality of that thing. Whether something is universally good, or why a previously good thing is still relevant, is not defined by the amount of blood shed.
It is a distraction and an appeal to emotion. Show me how my single vote can reasonably effect change and I will vote, but don’t tell me to waste my time because of something outside of my control.
“If you don’t vote you have no right to complain?”
Why? Because I was given the opportunity to vote? So what? I am given the opportunity to do a lot of things that I abstain from, but if someone else does those things and it negatively effects me I have every right to complain. If I’m in Las Vegas watching two people play poker I have every right to complain if they take my money from me to bet. My opportunity to join in the gambling has no relevance. Really, the only people who can’t complain are those that voluntarily participated in the system.
“But if you don’t vote then Trump/Obama/Clinton/Bush/Supreme will win!”
Nope. They will win (or lose) regardless of my vote. There is no place in this country where my vote matters on a national election. It is simple math.
“But it’s your duty!”
To who? To my country? Nah, if I had any duty to my country (which I don’t) that was paid in full by four years in the military. Besides, voting is the least effective way to implement long term change in the world. If all you do is vote then you clearly don’t care about improving this country. Regardless, my only duty is to uphold my explicit commitments. I didn’t sign your fucking social contract.
“People all over the world wish they could vote!”
Irrelevant. People all over the world wish they could force religion with violence. People all over the world wish they had a sex robot that looks like Seven of Nine. The desires of anyone else is not an argument for the morality or efficacy of an action.
So, go vote (or don’t). But leave me out of it. Voting, like all sacred cows, should be ridiculed for what it is… a illogical practice that exists mostly as a way to justify tyranny and allow the public to participate in a congratulatory circle jerk. Go ahead and wear your “I voted” sticker with the blood stained American flag on it. You, like millions of Americans before you, pretty much just wasted your time.
Wandering Oak 