Why should I vote?

[Dan.]

[ QUOTE ]
1. for civic duty is not an argument
2. because our country was founded on it, doesn't fly
3. because if no one voted, our gov't couldn't function is fallacious as well.


I would like someone smarter than me to explain why I should cast my meaningless vote when my Utilty Curve suggests I do otherwise?

And if I were to vote and believed strongly in a candidate, why would I not be better off taking that time and convincing MANY others to vote.

[/ QUOTE ]

You shouldn't vote. Do you see why?

[J_V]

Cool stuff. I always hated the Beautiful Mind example though because it doesn't hold up that well. Analyzed individually there is no way all of them going for the hot blonde would be highest on all their utility functions, but would be higher for 1-2 individual people. Why I can't suspend belief on this issue, I don't know? It's not succinct and nicely packaged like the transportation example. Thanks for the link.

[J_V]

Interesting as well. I guess I'm going to have to eat the moral responsibility of 1/250 million here if one of the candidates turns out to start the apocalypse.

I really enjoy these discussion about philosphical econonomics. Maybe someone can recommend a book?

[vhawk01]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you realize that your argument is that because everyone else is spending money choosing to vote, I should be forced to spend my money also?

If anything I am increasing the weight of their vote. If I were to vote, I would certainly want to rest of the voters to stay home.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ummm...that isn't my argument at all. My argument was more a free rider argument, and I wasn't disagreeing with your premise, at least I don't think so. I don't see any reason why I should vote.

EDIT: Or recycle.

[FortunaMaximus]

It's a simplistic example, but it is one of the deepest scenes in the movie.

All those demons, and I get what the script was trying to convey, and Crowe did that so well.

Ah, but that's for the birds.

Interesting discussion. I'm rather lazy with some arguments though.

He was right, though, the optimal path isn't always the Occam path. Human nature simply doesn't work like that. More Archimedes-like, really.

[Kyle]

[ QUOTE ]

I really enjoy these discussion about philosphical econonomics. Maybe someone can recommend a book?

[/ QUOTE ]

[samsonite2100]

I think one thing often omitted in these discussions about the utility of voting is that in reality voting is more than a yes/no proposition in a vacuum. In other words, there are social dynamics involved with going to the polls that carry more weight than just a single vote. The individual act of voting helps to foster a collective atmosphere of voting-friendliness, although at the same time, yes, one's own vote will never be the swing vote in a presidential election.