[DirtyDog]

Has anyone noticed that nobody gives a **** about anything other than their own over-complicated lives? I can't find even one person to have a lively political discussion with (in the real world not here).

We have a law here that says for a ballot measure to pass, at least x% of registered voters had to have voted on the measure. Locally that means that measures never pass because the minimum number of people don't vote.

Is it democracy anymore when nobody cares enough to participate?

 

[Westy]

I vote but feel it is a waste of time anymore. None of the candidates are interested in the greater good, those that do have no chance of winning. Few voters have a clue and are just voting for some single retarded issue, straight party line or on some false image of a candidate that would have no impact on how they do the job even if it were true. I guess the only reason why I show up is so I feel I have more of a right to complain.

 

[H8R]

Notice what's happening?


Keep everyone fat and/or stupid and they don't get involved. No one gives a fvck anymore. They'd rather stay wound up in their own BS or just sit on their ass watching dumb TV and not talking or doing.

American Gladiators is coming back on the air. Coincidence?

 

[DirtyDog]

Notice what's happening?


Keep everyone fat and/or stupid and they don't get involved. No one gives a fvck anymore. They'd rather stay wound up in their own BS or just sit on their ass watching dumb TV and not talking or doing.

American Gladiators is coming back on the air. Coincidence?

If forum rants could change the world, you would be the next president.

 

[H8R]

If forum rants could change the world, you would be the next president.

Except that I delete all the best ones.

 

[BadDNA]

What really gets me is all the talk of "Somebody should do something about that".
<RANT>
How about you? Why don't you get off your fat ass, put down the tv remote and do something about it. Start a petition, write or call your elected officials, even if you didn't vote for them, even if they hold views opposed to yours. They need to know how the people they're supposed to be representing feel. They need a wake up call. They need to be afraid that if they don't behave in a manner that best serves the people who vote that they'll be out on their asses at the next election (if not sooner). It's well past time to take back the government "Of the People, By the People and For the People" from the hands of corporations and special interest groups. So again, get off your ass or STFU. If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.
</RANT>

Not directed at anybody in particular, unless you're a whining lazy bastard, in that case do something about it yourself or STFU.

 

[DirtyDog]

case do something about it yourself or STFU.

Attitudes like this are part of the problem. We either get to be a superhero of social activism, or we are supposed to shut our mouths.

Actually, if a large group of people refused to STFU as you say, and actually started to talk about things, there could be the start of a movement.

It takes masses. One guy emailing his congressman isn't going to do ****.

 

[fluff]

Attitudes like this are part of the problem. We either get to be a superhero of social activism, or we are supposed to shut our mouths.

Actually, if a large group of people refused to STFU as you say, and actually started to talk about things, there could be the start of a movement.

It takes masses. One guy emailing his congressman isn't going to do ****.

You are right, but then so was he. If you know that you need the masses then you should be trying to mobilise them.

People in the 'West' are too comfortable to care very much, too many of them have too little time, energy or intelligence to understand the way things are, never mind to try and change them. Add in the (mis)information overload from the media and you have a population of which 99% have no interest in change. Most probably it was ever thus; revolution is usually fomented by a surprisingly small number of people.

 

[BadDNA]

Attitudes like this are part of the problem. We either get to be a superhero of social activism, or we are supposed to shut our mouths.

Actually, if a large group of people refused to STFU as you say, and actually started to talk about things, there could be the start of a movement.

It takes masses. One guy emailing his congressman isn't going to do ****.

My ranting got in the way of rational thought. What i was trying to say was that the people who do no more than acknowledge that there is a problem and then expect somebody else to fix it should do more. I'm not saying that you have to be out on the sidewalk in front of the Capitol with a picket, but do something. Whether it's talking to your congressman or debating a particular issue with other people (like minded or not), any action is better than inaction. Like you said, if you get enough people to stop and take notice of the issue things will happen. Unfortunately in a lot of cases people will readily accept that there is an problem but do nothing toward a solution.

 

[fluff]

http://www.globalrising.org/

http://www.amnesty.org/

http://www.hrw.org/

Add your voice to the masses already trying. Or at least feel that someone else cares. If you immerse yourself deeply enough you can start to believe that everyone around you cares; so why is the world not simply changing...

 

[firemandivi]

I always thought of voting as picking the lesser of two evils, but than again I've never voted. I do plan on registering if Hillary wins the Democrat nomination, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't vote against her.

 

[fluff]

I always thought of voting as picking the lesser of two evils, but than again I've never voted. I do plan on registering if Hillary wins the Democrat nomination, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't vote against her.

Vote for the candidate you agree with. If none exists then go along and spoil your ballot paper. If the spoilage gets high enough it becomes a protest in itself.

 

[DirtyDog]

I realize that there are online organizations - organizations exist online for everything. Primarily I was talking about the total lack of caring on the local level.

http://www.globalrising.org/

http://www.amnesty.org/

http://www.hrw.org/

Add your voice to the masses already trying. Or at least feel that someone else cares. If you immerse yourself deeply enough you can start to believe that everyone around you cares; so why is the world not simply changing...

 

[firemandivi]

I'm thinking about pulling a Brewster and voting for NONE OF THE ABOVE

 

[H8R]

I do plan on registering if Hillary wins the Democrat nomination, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't vote against her.

She is the best thing that could happen to the Republican party unless we get another 9/11.

 

[DirtyDog]

If you know that you need the masses then you should be trying to mobilise them.

Mobilizing them would be a good thing. But that isn't even the topic of this discussion. I was addressing the lack of interest/action/caring on the individual level.

IT IS OK to talk about issues without the "then do something about it" standard reply.

 

[fluff]

Mobilizing them would be a good thing. But that isn't even the topic of this discussion. I was addressing the lack of interest/action/caring on the individual level.

IT IS OK to talk about issues without the "then do something about it" standard reply.

That's fair enough; ask yourself how well you understand an issue, then check again to be sure you do. Then ask yourself how much effort it took to find out the details and how to raise it as an issue with the powers that be. Once you've raised a few issues and encountered the inertia, beaurocracy and vested interests of the powers that be and (probably) changed nothing, ask yourself why it is that so few people bother.

We should all care, we should all act but, as much as it frustrates me, I can understand why people don't want to know. Knowing means having to make a choice to act or not, sometimes, for many people, ignorance is truly bliss.

 

[H8R]

I was addressing the lack of interest/action/caring on the individual level.

People go with what they know. If not giving a fvck is in fashion, that's what most people will go with.

There are just way too many creature comforts and distractions.

 

[X3pilot]

We are a self absorbed nation and society. The few people that speak out forcefully enough to be heard are immediately label extreme ________wing loon. Be a sheeple and go along with the status quo is what we are led to believe and we are indoctrinated at an early age to that.

What if we started treating our government like it was meant to be in the first place? A responsibility of your citizenship to hold office, putting private gain adide to serve your citizens? Where political office was to represent YOUR people from YOUR home area to benefit the COMMON good? Not for it to become a career of luxury and corruption.

What if the power of the internet launched one good candidate that WASN'T a lawyer, rich kid, priviledged family member or heir to "lineage" of politcians? What if we could have one massive write in vote?

Why am I ranting? *sigh*

 

[blue]

The internet is key in fermenting the next great change in world politics/socitey, it is the global medium that enables the mobilisation of huge numbers of people in an instant. It must be kept free of constraints for this to happen.

 

[fluff]

The internet is key in fermenting the next great change in world politics/socitey, it is the global medium that enables the mobilisation of huge numbers of people in an instant.

I'm not so sure about that bit. And as regards the rest I fear the horse is about to bolt.

 

[ire]

A fair number of the people I know don't vote, and don't much care. They would just prefer to go about their lives. We have the same problem around here for passing tax increases, they need X number of registered voters to show up and they never do. Our schools are under funded becuase of this.

<edit>I was looking at voter turnout across the nation, and boy do we suck. Best we can do is around 60%

 

[kidwoo]

I like sitting around talking about 'those people' and 'everyone in this country' on the internet.

It reminds me of just how much more involved I truly am than 'everyone else.'

 

[H8R]

I like sitting around talking about 'those people' and 'everyone in this country' on the internet.

It reminds me of just how much more involved I truly am than 'everyone else.'

I win hearts and minds with my mad skillz.

 

[jimmydean]

I vote, I care, I have even helped local campaigns. But I've said it before and I still mean it:

I would rather people NOT vote if they don't know what they are voting for.

If you don't care enough to research and vote, then you also should lose your right to bitch.

 

[Transcend]

I always thought of voting as picking the lesser of two evils, but than again I've never voted. I do plan on registering if Hillary wins the Democrat nomination, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't vote against her.

If you don't vote, you can STFU. It is the height of apathy. It takes maybe 20 mins to get to your local polling station and make your voice heard.

 

[Transcend]

I win hearts and minds with my mad skillz.

I am getting rock band so that i can learn to wail on the drums and have skillz.

Oh, and I vote. Right down to the absolutely useless yet hilarious local city level.

 

[jimmydean]

If you don't vote, you can STFU. It is the height of apathy. It takes maybe 20 mins to get to your local polling station and make your voice heard.

In Oregon you can register online and vote by mail. Technically speaking, you don't even have to leave the house.

 

[ire]

In Oregon you can register online and vote by mail. Technically speaking, you don't even have to leave the house.

That's what I love about our state.....all about the laziness. I heard voter turnout went up when they went to absentee voting

 

[N8 v2.0]

the US could follow Australia and make it mandatory* for people to vote.. but then that may not be a good idea either


*i think someone from Oz told me that once

 

[ire]

I'm with Jimmydean, if you don't do the research, don't vote. I think some pretty horrible choices would be made with mandatory voting

 

[N8 v2.0]

I'm with Jimmydean, if you don't do the research, don't vote. I think some pretty horrible choices would be made with mandatory voting

like the recent Oz election... got it!

 

[stevew]

Is it democracy anymore when nobody cares enough to participate?

Local elections are one thing I am bad about participating in.

My fault.

 

[OrthoPT]

I'm with Jimmydean, if you don't do the research, don't vote. I think some pretty horrible choices would be made with mandatory voting

but when those choices are made and then lived with, don't you think at least some of the voters would learn to choose more carefully next time around, like a learning curve? I mean, they wouldn't have the excuse "I just wasn't sure" to fall back on anymore. I know it's a difficult concept for some, but maybe people should start taking a little more personal responsibility for the world they live in. JMHO.

 

[ire]

like the recent Oz election... got it!

If you think it's horrible, then I would probably like the outcome I know they changed leadership, but I haven't read up on it. Doesn't this mean they are out of the "war on terror"?

 

[valve bouncer]

the US could follow Australia and make it mandatory* for people to vote.. but then that may not be a good idea either


*i think someone from Oz told me that once

It's true, although you are unlikely to get in any trouble for not voting as long as you have a reasonable enough excuse.
I'm ambivalent on it, obviously it sounds non-sensical that you are forced to vote in a democracy, the flip-side is that the winner can truly claim a mandate from all the people. I don't think it's a bad thing that once every 3 or so years you're asked to participate in choosing who leads you. Like Fluff said, if you aren't enamoured with any of the choices you are offered then write "f*ck, who chooses these jokers" on your ballot paper like I did at one election. Don't know if it changed anything but certainly made me feel better.

 

[$tinkle]

hey wait...wasn't voting mandatory under saddam? better watch yer back: freedom's on the march

 

[fluff]

hey wait...wasn't voting mandatory under saddam? better watch yer back: freedom's on the march

I'm not sure and I have no authoritative sources but I have a feeling that perhaps mandatory voting was not at the root of the evils of the Saddam administration, or the war to remove it.

 

[valve bouncer]

hey wait...wasn't voting mandatory under saddam? better watch yer back: freedom's on the march

I can see where you're going with this....Saddam was president, Bush is president...therefore God is Satan. What do I win?

 

[$tinkle]

I can see where you're going with this....Saddam was president, Bush is president...therefore God is Satan. What do I win?

collect all 72?