I don’t vote

[harpo-my-“SON”Participant 2410]

I don’t vote. I have never taken part in an election and I never will. To many, the idea that someone who actually cares about what is happening in the world would refuse to vote seems incredible. The common sense of the democratic state tells us that voting is the way that we can change things and that those who don’t vote are apathetic. It has even been said that those who do not vote shouldn’t complain.

But common sense often hides a great many unquestioned assumptions. This is certainly true with regard to the commonplaces about democracy and voting. I hope that by explaining why I don’t vote, I will expose some of these assumptions and raise a few questions.

If my refusal to vote sprang from apathy, obviously I wouldn’t take the time to write this. In fact my refusal to vote stems from a desire to live in a certain way, a way that requires a radical change in the social structure of our lives and the world. As far as possible, I try to confront the world in which we live in terms of these desires, acting toward their realization.

Put briefly, I want to live in a world in which I can be the creator of my life, acting in free association with others with whom I feel some kinship and whose presence I enjoy in order to make our lives together on our own terms. The existing social order consists of a global network of institutions that stands in the way of the realization of this desire. This network includes economic institutions, not just the corporations as such, but also the entire system of economic exchange, private and state property, and wage labor – the institutions of capitalism. It also includes government, law, the police, the military and the social bureaucracy – the institutions of the state. These institutions define the conditions of our social life, forcing us into roles that uphold and reproduce the institutional order. My desire to create my life on my own terms places me in rebellion against these institutions. If I find others with a similar desire and we join together in collective struggle for its realization, that is potentially revolutionary.

In order for the ruling institutions to exist at all, they have to take away our capacity to create our lives for ourselves. They do so precisely by directing our energy into activity that reproduces the institutions, and selling some of the product of this activity back to us.This theft of our life’s energy means that the social order and those who hold power in it are objectively our enemies, because they have made themselves our masters. This is why class struggle is an inevitable part of this social order. But subjectively, we become the enemies of this society when we decide to take our lives back as our own and begin to act on our decision.

Having made this decision, what would voting mean to me? First of all, let’s consider the kinds of choices that appear on the ballot. All of these choices can be reduced to two questions: 1) who do we want to rule us? and 2) with what rules do we want to be ruled? These questions themselves already assume that we should not or cannot be the creators of our own lives, that we should give our ability to decide and act over to others who will determine the conditions of our lives (or uphold those long since determined by the global social order) on the basis of pre-existing rules. But a ballot doesn’t even present these two questions in an open way that allows the voter to choose freely. This would be impossible since election officials couldn’t possibly manage to go through a series of essays in which people described what they wanted even within the limited framework of these questions. So instead we are given a few candidates to choose between for the various elected offices – individuals who want to exercise power over other people, whether for “the common good” or out of crass self-interest –and ballot measures on which to vote yes or no. The candidates and ballot measures are presented to us by professional politicians, people who have the time and money to determine the questions that they are willing to let us vote on. None of this will ever call the ruling order into question, since the electoral process itself assumes the necessity of this order.

So voting is nothing more than choosing which of the masters among the few on the ballot that the voter would prefer to be ruled by and deciding which of the potential rules presented on the ballot for managing this master/slave relationship s/he would like to see them use. Since the democratic process is based on majority rule (with a few notable exceptions, such as the use of the electoral college to choose the president), one’s individual “choices” will not, in fact, determine what sort of servitude s/he will experience. Instead, the “choices” of the majority (as determined by election officials) will determine this for everyone.

In short, voting is not taking action, nor is it taking responsibility for one’s life. It is the very opposite of this. When people vote, they are saying that they accept the idea that others should determine the conditions of their life and their world. They are saying that others should determine the limits of the choices that they make, preferably simplifying these choices into mere either/or decisions, quickly dealt with by a simple momentary gesture. They are saying that they would leave the responsibility of taking decisive action to others. In other words, those who vote are saying that they are content to leave their lives in the hands of others, to refuse the responsibility of creating the life they desire, to avoid the task of finding ways to directly make decisions and take action with others of their choosing that could lead to a real transformation of social reality. So every voter would do well to ask themselves if this is what they mean to say.

I want to make my life my own. I want to find others with whom to create ways to freely act together to directly determine the conditions of our lives on our own terms, without rulers or institutional structures defining our activity. In other words, I want to live in a world without masters or slaves. Therefore, I do not vote. Such desires could never fit in a ballot box. Instead I do my best to create my life in revolt against the ruling order. I talk with others around me about our lives and about what is happening in the world in order to find a few accomplices in the crime called freedom. And I act, alone when necessary and with others when possible, towards the realization of the life and world I desire and against the ruling order and the misery it imposes on life everywhere.

I was bound to be misunderstood, and I laugh at those who misunderstand me. Kind mockery at the well intentioned, but unfettered cruelty towards those would be prison guards of my creative possibilities. This so as to learn as much from misunderstanding as from understanding. Taking pleasure in worthy opponents and making language fluid and flowing like a river yet pointed and precise as a dagger. Contradicts the socialistic purpose of language and makes for a wonderful linguistic dance, A verbal martial art with constant parries that hone the weapon that is the two edged sword of my mouth.

[Loose NutsParticipant 37]

I’m exactly the same for the same reasons. I have always refused to vote due to the failure of our system.

I hate it when people say that I don’t have the right to complain since I don’t vote. I always reply that it’s them that doesn’t have the right to complain since it’s their fault for supporting the system that creates the problems.

I consistently speak out against “get out and vote” campaigns like Rock the Vote and others that prompt people (sheeple) to “do their part”. I do not at all mind being seen as radical for explaining how people destroy this country by voting irresponsibly while they are too ignorant and uneducated. Of course, with the issues being presented by professional politicians, it’s nearly impossible for the general population to decipher anyway.

Great post and it’s nice to see someone else say it, thank you. In this regard, I’ve always gone my own way…..

[KeymasterKeymaster]

Yes sir. I have never voted either and never will. Of course that also means I complain very little about the assholes in power and quite frankly, democrat this, republican that, it’s all the same s~~~ to me. Voting is exactly as you said: giving consent to be governed. I won’t do it either.

Great post Harpomason.

If you keep doing what you've always done... you're gonna keep getting what you always got.

[Anonymous 42]

The Truth: I am lawfully prohibited by law and order from voting. My property, person, and tangible goods are under standing order CEASE AND DESIST! I have been permanently enjoined by Worcester Superior Court Equity 5811 since January 10th 1974, placed under zoning order to immediately CEASE AND DESIST on July 18 1997. I have lawfully and diligently filed claims of independence, and adverse possession. I have NO lawful and legitimate form of government. I live in a Massachusetts condemned family campground.  I live in a nice house, deep in a forest of corruption. It’s only a matter of time before all of America is destroyed by political corruption. It’s as real as the rising sun.

America’s days are numbered. We see the futile attempts to evade destruction all around us. This government is enlarging it’s self on “PRINTED MONEY” (IOU),  but destruction is inevitable, they know it, I know it, the question is, do you know it?

*

*

Ask not what your government can do for you; ask what you can do to P~~~ on your government!

*

*             Did I say something uncomfortable again? To f~~~ing BAD!

**

[Anonymous 42]

Not Sorry for those of you that may choke on the size of my red pills. I had to swallow them first! And therefore I have no sympathy or understanding for blue pill eating FOOLS, snorting pussy fumes!

*

*             My Game Face! 

[Anonymous 42]

Nothing like a smelly fart to clear out a room! Hello,,,lo ,,,lo,,,lo,,, Hey,,,ey,,,ey,,,Yo,,,o,,,o,,,o,,, Yep, nobody likes the deep areas of the MGTOW pond.

Good, I can do a high dive now.

[Cipher HighwindParticipant 1144]

According to the proponents of “democracy”:

.
One cannot complain if one does not vote.

One cannot complain if one does vote, but votes for a candidate one did not win as one consented to the electoral process.

One cannot complain if one does vote, and does so for the winning candidate, because one voted for him.

.

 

Notice a pattern?

[mgtow_85Participant 752]

I’ve gotten the “You should vote!” discussion thrown in my face before, and usually every time when there’s a general election and I refuse to support any of the candidates. I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. Personally, I think both political parties are S~~~, and the only difference between them is that they happen to hate each other.

I asked how I could put in a vote for Obama, or McCain, or Romney, when I don’t even like any of those dicks, and therefore a vote for them would be literally me giving them my permission to put the country into hell. Their only response was that it’s “required as my civic duty.” Sorry, but I don’t believe in the two-party system. It’s dangerously close to the one-party system of a dictatorship, and it’s where if you vote for a third party, your vote doesn’t mean s~~~ anyway because the third party NEVER gets a single electoral vote, and it’s the electoral vote that elects a president, not the vote of the PEOPLE, which only counts as the popular vote. A candidate could get into office with only 10 percent of the popular vote as long as he gets the majority of electoral votes.

But I get these people p~~~ed off at me when I suddenly change tactics and rub it into their faces with, “You need to do your patriotic duty as a CITIZEN and enlist in the military! Because SERVICE equals CITIZENSHIP.” Basically, I throw the entire speech from the movie “Starship Troopers” into their faces, about how civilians are different from citizens because CITIZENS served in the military and a citizen is one who agrees to put their life at risk for the good of the country while a civilian does not. I generally don’t believe in this way of thinking completely, but because they tried to shame me for not doing my “civic duty” by voting, I tear into their fragile egos by retorting that anyone who didn’t enlist in the military to be a “citizen” is a COWARD. They glare at me and walk away.

Guess who won that debate? Ha ha ha!!!

I just don’t choose to vote. Nothing can ever come of it. My vote wouldn’t change anything, and then I’d be getting those annoying summons for jury duty, which I don’t even want to be a part of anyway.

[TyrionParticipant 14]

[Lucas BuckParticipant 51]

I don’t vote either.  Democracy is a sham in the West, and maybe everywhere.  The powers that be understand that if people feel oppressed they may overthrow them.  So they need to be pacified by the illusion that they have a choice.

Here in Britain we have three main parties, nominally of the left, right and centre.  In reality, on all the major issues and most of the minor ones too, the three parties are identical.  Most of the top politicians in this country are millionaires these days and none of the three main party leaders have ever had any real job outside of politics.  The electoral system here is such that a party may get 40% of the vote yet win a ‘landslide’ victory and get two thirds of the seats in parliament.  Thereby having a system of perpetual minority rule, where 60% of voters’ choices are ignored.  But even if we had proportional representation, it wouldn’t make any difference anyway, because the three main parties are all the same.  They all serve the same masters and it ain’t us.

No, I don’t vote.

[Lucas BuckParticipant 51]

[KeymasterKeymaster]

“Ask not what your government can do for you; ask what you can do to p~~~ on your government.”

Thats’poetry. MG-TOWER

If you keep doing what you've always done... you're gonna keep getting what you always got.

[Anonymous 42]

Hey KeyMaster, this web site is poetic justice! It really is! As for p~~~ing on governments? Monkey see, monkey do! Ouu ouu ouu, aha aha (holding my banana!)

P.S. Good video Lucas, I like Nepalitanno, he’s old school constitution, he hasn’t offended me yet, wish  I could say the same about others, but constitutionalists out there, I’m one……

[FangParticipant 102]

If we lived in a democracy, I would be one of those urging all of you to vote. But we’re not a democracy, we are a republic they say, although representative democracy might be a more apt  description.

Some contemporary political scientists allege that we have devolved into a oligarchy but I am having difficulty with that concept. Likewise with plutocracy which I believe is what those aforementioned political scientists is actually trying to say. An oligarchy is rule by a privileged group or groups while a plutocracy implies rule by the wealthy. There obviously is some merit to the latter argument. There’s no doubt that some very wealthy individuals have a lot to say about who gets elected. For example the Koch brothers (conservative) and George Soros (communist) inject millions into elections…they obviously influence the turnout.Only one true democracy still exists-Switzerland. There are many who despise direct democracy. I on the other hand despise representative democracies. In the US, our representative <span style=”line-height: 1.5;”>democracy is in place to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. What many fail to realize is that the American majority is routinely subjected to the tyranny of the minority. This very “organization” was formed to combat one of those tyrannical minorities-feminism, radical or otherwise. Our government has allowed numerous groups of “professional victims” to amass political power far, far in excess of what their meager numbers merit. The result is the majority of Americans are force-fed laws that only benefit specific groups while group non-members have to pay for it.</span>

In actuality the most EFFECTIVE forms of  government are benevolent monarchies or benevolent dictatorships. With these systems the person at the top can govern for the benefit of the majority without having to gain the approval of the minority or anyone else.

One closing thought-anarchy. Anarchy appeals to many including myself. But it’s a lot like communism in that in  theory it’s good but doesn’t work in practice. Plus, Intercontinental Ballistic  Missiles have rendered anarchy impossible. I use ICBM’s as a metaphor for hostile governments. Suppose civil war breaks out in the US (it  eventually will) and America is divided into numerous, fragmented states or city states. How long would it be before a hostile nation such as Mexico or North Korea invaded part of what used to be the United States? Not very.

So you are faced with a binary solution set: don’t vote and accomplish nothing, or be a good citizen and vote and accomplish nothing. The choice is yours.

[Loose NutsParticipant 37]

Here’s a good explanation why I don’t vote:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153158528539183

[DakotaParticipant 341]

Vote?  For what?  If you vote for one dick over another dick, you still voted for a dick…and I don’t like dick.

As far as voting goes, the universe is ruled by one main law, as far as I’m concerned, and that also extends to the political process:  Energy will always flow from a high potential to a low potential…like water flowing down off a mountain.  A nation or people may think they are building a society up by voting, when in reality they are working towards it’s demise or lowest state.  That state is called Nothingness.  The average length of time civilizations have existed is 500 years.  What “destroyed” the Roman, Maya, or Viking civilizations?  Nothing.  Eventually, apathetic people just walked away (or said f~~~-it) and all you’re left with are old stones.  Human nature is oddly self-defeating.

Another handy reason I don’t vote is so I won’t get summoned for jury duty [jury list=voter list].  I’m pretty sure I would end up in jail for contempt should the judge ask me why I should be excused.  My answer:  “I’m not your f~~~ing ni**er so I’ll never work for $25-f~~~ing-dollars a day when slavery has been abolished and the minimum wage is close to $10 bucks an hour…ASSHOLE!”

[Soul ManParticipant 1856]

Anonymous wrote:

The Truth: I am lawfully prohibited by law and order from voting. My property, person, and tangible goods are under standing order CEASE AND DESIST! I have been permanently enjoined by Worcester Superior Court Equity 5811 since January 10th 1974, placed under zoning order to immediately CEASE AND DESIST on July 18 1997. I have lawfully and diligently filed claims of independence, and adverse possession. I have NO lawful and legitimate form of government. I live in a Massachusetts condemned family campground. I live in a nice house, deep in a forest of corruption. It’s only a matter of time before all of America is destroyed by political corruption. It’s as real as the rising sun. America’s days are numbered. We see the futile attempts to evade destruction all around us. This government is enlarging it’s self on “PRINTED MONEY” (IOU), but destruction is inevitable, they know it, I know it, the question is, do you know it? * * Ask not what your government can do for you; ask what you can do to P~~~ on your government! * * Did I say something uncomfortable again? To f~~~ing BAD! **

Understand and agree 1000%.

I am very “passionate” about this subject as well and I’m certain I am on the “red” list somewhere.  However, I prefer to keep my head low for now and conserve my energy for a time when it will be needed and will count.  I don’t think we have far to go before reaching that tipping point.  The writing is on the wall.  The Republic is teetering on an unstable oscillation that is only increasing in frequency…if ya get my drift…and I think ya do.

 

HISTORY...learn from it, memorize it, DON'T repeat it...

[Anonymous 42]

@ Soul Man, I like Texas, you’re the “other” and older “lone star”. We’re very special; we’re the black star! The republic’s “death star”…How COOL is that?

Red list? Nope, Blacklist! I pledge allegiance, to f~~~ the flag, and the republic, as it stands; molested, perverted, and corrupted; F~~~ it!!! Black hole #5811 I Am A PRICK! Brookhaven lake.

Home sweet home, VERY F~~~ED!

I DON’T GIVE A F~~~! But do like being a prick! That’s who I am! Mr. PRICK! Bend over America, this one’s for you! Laws don’t change, however people do! MGTOW level 5!

[Soul ManParticipant 1856]

I’m a ghost at the first hint of a blue helmet on our shores.

HISTORY...learn from it, memorize it, DON'T repeat it...

[Anonymous 42]

  

 

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