Don't Vote

Nielsio · #1 10-24-2006, 10:17 AM

Butler Shaffer, The Voting Ritual :

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As others go forth to participate in this silliest of all rituals – designed to convince members of the boobeoisie that they are really running the political zoo – I shall be engaged in more productive pursuits, such as picking the lint out of my navel.

The media priesthood has already begun the chant: if there is something wrong with the political system, we need to go to the polls to fix the problem. One of the media stalwarts has his own solution: “go to the polls and vote out every incumbent.” Don’t dare consider, of course, that there may be something fundamentally dysfunctional about the system itself. If drinking a quart of Scotch each day has given you cirrhosis of the liver, don’t bother with changing your habits, just change to another brand of Scotch!

We need to remind ourselves of Albert Einstein’s admonition: “we can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Trying to reform the political process makes no more sense than trying to reform the carnivorous appetites of jungle beasts. If it is your desire to put an end to the violent, destructive, corrupt, and dysfunctional nature of government, stop wasting your time by focusing on the current management of the system. Rather than dutifully going to the polls to select from a narrow list of options provided you by political interests that you neither know nor control, you might want to inquire into who is providing the cast of characters – and writing the script – for a performance you are expected not only to attend, but to cheer.

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Something I've said before:

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Every state relies on (a monopoly on) force. It is not a business that deals on a voluntary basis. It is completely dependant on various forms of wealth extraction through this power difference (taxation, inflaction, etc). And people then make the claim that the aim of this organization is to safeguard property rights. But this is completely impossible ofcourse, because the people in the territory stop having any property (including their bodies) the instant the monopoly is created. What happens to the people and their property is completely up to the whims of the ruling class. And like I said: the state cannot even exist without parasitical wealth extraction.

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It is the police and the military who hold this territory. It is them who are providing us the 'services' (that they determine themselves, including many negative services). It is them who hold out competition and dis-allow us to opt out. It is them who we should point our disapproval at. And it is them who have chosen to configure their organization through a voting process/democracy. But it is one organization. Voting is not competition, it is joining them.

iron81 · #2 10-24-2006, 10:22 AM

I would like to offer a counterpoint to Nielso's point. Fortunately, Nielso has me on ignore, so I don't need to worry about being rebutted. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

hmkpoker · #3 10-24-2006, 10:24 AM

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I would like to offer a counterpoint to Nielso's point. Fortunately, Nielso has me on ignore, so I don't need to worry about being rebutted. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Mods can't be ignored dude [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I learned that from PoBoy.

Nielsio · #4 10-24-2006, 10:28 AM

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I would like to offer a counterpoint to Nielso's point. Fortunately, Nielso has me on ignore, so I don't need to worry about being rebutted. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Mods can't be ignored dude [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I learned that from PoBoy.

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I had him on ignore before he became mod. It's true that I can't un-ignore him though. Can't be too sad about that.

bocablkr · #5 10-24-2006, 11:51 AM

Everyone who agrees with Nielsio - please DON'T Vote. That will just make my votes count more. Thanks.

Borodog · #6 10-24-2006, 01:38 PM

You're welcome.

Now your vote is only 100 billion to one against making any possible difference.

Good luck with that.

bocablkr · #7 10-24-2006, 01:45 PM

Boro,

You are smarter than that.

TomCollins · #8 10-24-2006, 01:51 PM

I'm going to vote for Kinky. I know it won't do anything. But it will be fun!

Borodog · #9 10-24-2006, 01:54 PM

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Boro,

You are smarter than that.

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I made the number up, it is certainly within an order of magnitude one way or the other for national level decisions.

ShakeZula06 · #10 10-24-2006, 02:20 PM

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I'm going to vote for Kinky. I know it won't do anything. But it will be fun!

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I'm going to write in an ACIst on this forum. Who's with me?