What do we gain by having a vote?

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:28 am

"What do we gain by having a vote?"

It seems to me that what we gain depends upon what we invest. If the vote is not accompanied by an investment of time and intellect directed at comprehending our self and our world then the vote becomes somewhat like our vote as to what is the best football team, ours or theirs.

Because our citizens invest little of themselves into our democracy it is a shallow popularity poll. Those who run the country give us these political teams that we can choose one or the other to be ‘our team’ and we can battle ‘their team’ and shout and laugh and rage at one another all to no avail because those who run the show use all this just to keep us happy with ‘bread and circus’.

I think that our (US) democracy is a shallow popularity poll. What do you think?

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:44 am

Pinky

Do you think it would change if citizens invested more time and effort in becoming more intellectual sophisticated?

mimiki · Post by **mimiki** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:23 am

agree, we do put up with a lot of crap from the people in power. Once and a while they should be reminded why they are there in the first place.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:08 am

mimiki wrote: agree, we do put up with a lot of crap from the people in power. Once and a while they should be reminded why they are there in the first place.

Once in a while we do remind them who is boss. Takes a while to get enough people riled and we are incredibly tolerant of our would be leaders at times but it is a foolish politician that counts on our apathy.

coberst · Post by **coberst** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:18 am

I am not speaking to the millions of practical aspects of all matters, I am speaking about the ability to make good judgments in all matters. The ability to make good judgments is an art and a science and one can learn such things and thus become a more sophisticated thinker and judger. My suggestion is very similar to the give a guy a fish story

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:02 am

Pinky wrote: So no, I don't see any benefits to voting.I'd call choosing voting over the alternative an overwhelming benefit. What alternative is more beneficial?