I get a lot of flack for not voting. Most don't realise It's a conscious decision.
Let me start by saying local government elections are around the corner here in South Africa, they take place on August 3rd. This means lot's of campaigning and political pressure from the media, family, friends and on social media.
This conversation always seems to lead to the same questions being asked, here are some of the responses I get:
- Well if you don't vote, how can you expect to see any change?
- Who will protect the weak and poor if there is no government?
- Who will build the roads, schools etc.?
- How will we remove the current corrupt government (ANC) if no-one votes?
- If there was no government the streets would be rampant with crime, disorder/lawlessness
I'm sure some of you have had these questions before, and I appreciate the concern. I fear most people haven't taken the time to consider that things could be vastly different, they're too stuck in the current paradigm of government rule.
To give you a bit of background, I have always considered myself an anarchist, since I first defined my political beliefs (Age 13?), I've never really met any like-minded people, but I've always stayed true to my heart and stuck by my beliefs. My father taught me to always have the courage of my convictions, from a young age, and that's always stuck.
I recently became a father, my son Hunter he is now 6 months old.
That's me my son and my beautiful girlfriend paddling a boat on the lagoon in Margate, Kwazulu-Natal, where we currently reside.
My son means the world to me.
Never have I felt such love as I do for my son, he is my everything. Now that he is a part of the world, it is even more important to me that I discuss these things and engage in conversation, the only way I can hope for a better life for my son is if I try create the ideal life I envision for myself.
When I discovered cryptocurrency, it reignited this passion in me, this passion for a better world. It gave me hope that we can in fact create change through our actions, steemit is a testament of this!
Good call OP!
In far too many "democratic countries", voting isn't meant as a way to express one's position but as a way to legitimate the oligarchic system already in place. In today's world, referendums could trivially be held on every important matters using secured cryptographic voting over the Internet, yet we are still signing a blank cheque that gives full power for several years to one among a handful of flavors of the very same elite group. There are also no justifications to the insanely difficult obstacle course one has to undergo to be vetted as an eligible candidate, other than as a process for the current political elite to weed out candidates who threaten to overthrow the status quo.
Don't listen to what the education system and society are hammering as the only valid view. Voting is not a duty. You don't have any duties. You are born free. You can close your eyes and decide everything out there is meaningless. Nobody owns your mind. You don't have to approve something when none of the alternatives you are being given are satisfactory.
If someone asks you which of your relatives should be mugged, would you make a choice? And what if education and society were telling you that it's your duty as a citizen to chose for one of your relatives to be mugged, would you listen to them and accept to make a choice?
You are a free mind, don't let them do that to you. Don't ever vote for something you don't sincerely approve. Nevermind the nay sayers.
What a beautiful family!
Why thank you! I forgot to post my entire family so I guess I will in a follow up post. I have a dog, Wanderlust and two beautiful cats Xena and Duke.
Nice family...soon we will be able to do the secure and honest voting with the blockchain powered software "Follow My Vote"! This system will return the trust in voting to many people worldwide...
I agree in the fact that blockchain may have solved many of the issues that arise when one thinks of how to implement an open and decentralized, self governing society. Its an immutable ledger of truth.