I voted!

I voted!

Well, I didn’t vote today. I actually voted a few days ago by absentee ballot, but it still counts!

I know that a lot of people are disillusioned by elections. I mean, what is the value of one vote either way in an ocean of votes? To be fair, in this day and age, it’s no surprise that trust in government is so low. We are bombarded by negative messages by political campaigns and media all the time; largely because negative messages are so memorable (Lau, Sigelman, & Rovner, 2007). We are disappointed, by our politicians, by our society, by our consumerist culture (which feeds into a nightmarish-interpretation-of-capitalism-as-life), and by our inability to make a difference.

But voting is more than our rights as citizens of the the most fascinating experiment-of-a-country in the world. It’s more than a privilege, or our duty. It’s our service. It’s our commitment to saying, “yes, I give a shit about what’s going on!” We often forget that we live in a republic, where we vote for people who then make decisions. Why? So we (theoretically) have less shit to deal with on our hands. After that, it’s all a matter of how much stuff you want off your plate (e.g., Do you want to be in control of your retirement? What about health decisions? Education? This is where the actual battles are meant to be fought). If we don’t like the people who are in office, “not voting” reinforces their power in office.

Don’t not-vote just because you are disappointed in the system, or you hate the Constitution, or you think that your vote won’t make a difference. That’s just doubt clouding your head. That’s the negative campaigning, the crappy media messages, the years of being told that you’re just a tiny fish in a big ocean. Fuck ’em. You can make a difference. You can do it by talking, by stomping your feet, by giving to your local community and by taking care of the people you love. And, you can do it by voting.

As an aside, vote also so that your demographic is better represented. I love filling out exit polls afterwards because I know I’ll be another datum that says, “YES! ASIAN WOMEN BETWEEN 18 AND 24 VOTE!!!” If all else, do it for that.

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Also, I am so mad that I missed blogging today @_@ I considered backtracking, but then I decided I was more honor-bound than my original morning-predisposition.