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Resolved: Politics is Irrational

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hernan

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So, if you like your politics, you can keep your politics. I’m not trying to take it away from you. I’m just saying that I wish good people wouldn’t pour their time and energy down that particular drain—I don’t think it benefits them.

 

Why I Stopped Spending My Time on Politics… And Why I Think You Should Too

 

Discuss.

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"What-me worry?"-Alfred E Neuman

If one doesn't have the time and/or intellectual capacity to pay any attention to the torrent of information pertaining to domestic or global affairs, I can sympathize and understand. These people have no reason to vote. A lack of voter-participation can be interpreted as a sign of confidence with the status quo; (if it ain't broke, don't fix it.) But for the author of this article to advocate ignorance and apathy as a means of improving the state of public policy is sophomoric at best, retarded at least.

 

If this is a discussion of my politics, I try to avoid any references to specific personalities, and direct the conversation to the principles underlying the policies. I care less for the faces that front the parties, the celebrity spokesperson, or the bumper-sticker bromides. But I do care about the course of actions taken by my elected officials. Anyone who doesn't gets the government they deserve.

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I agree with the article. I literally just read that article before logging on here.

 

Focusing on politics and who to vote for to me is a gross mis-allocations of one's time and effort. You are better off focusing on your interests. I plan to donate to people spreading good ideas like reason and self-interest.

 

Democracy is a farce. It's a show. Your vote is nearly worthless. If you do vote, you should vote for the person you actually want in, not the party you think 'has a chance' of winning. Your vote doesn't matter anyway. People actually have the fantastic delusion that their vote has more worth if they vote for one of the two major parties.

 

I cannot change the world. I cannot save people from their own irrationality and self-destructive path. I only focus on what I can do for myself, and I treat government like the weather, something outside of my control that I have to deal with, plan for and accept.

 

Suppose they held an election and nobody came.

Edited by Peter Morris
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One way to look at it is to ask: what is my return on investment for my involvement in politics? It's certainly hard to see that coming out positive for the most politically active among us. What did you get for that donation exactly? And some people are emotionally devastated when their faction fails regardless of the consequences otherwise.

 

But there is another way to look at it: politics as entertainment or as charity.

 

As entertainment, it's certainly competitive with Kim Kardashian.

 

As charity, there is also some reasonableness to it. For most activities, such as voting, the costs are negligible. Giving a small donation to a candidate you like or a political organization you think is doing good is emotionally rewarding.

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