Choosing not to vote (part 2)

gr-not-votingChoosing not to vote places me outside of the influence-making realm, which is good, if simply because I’ll be standing with the ones who are most vulnerable to the consequences of democracy’s terrible choices. I may not presently share in all the consequences *yet*, but that can’t be my excuse to seek out more powerful tools to get the job done. Just like I don’t want to gain monetary wealth in order to achieve a greater community good, I wouldn’t want political power to achieve the goals of human flourishing. Instead, I’m willing to remain politically poor in order to challenge artificial boundaries and witness to power from the margins. Obviously, no one does this perfectly but it still seems like a beautiful way to challenge the present status quo.

Choosing not to vote (Part 1)

gr-not-votingChoosing not to vote is an act of resistance. Since powerful people rule over the rest of society, very few really want to stand outside of the collective systems. It’s like a death sentence (at least that’s the fear) to be cut off from the group. So we participate in democracy and maintain the status quo, perhaps seeking out better leadership, all with the positive intention to affect real change. But our efforts are quickly and tragically absorbed by society for its own ends and its own profit.