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I'm Atheist and I vote!

Have you? Will you?

We have mail in ballots in my state. I just voted. I hope you will too.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on October 29, 2012 at 9:47pm

Excellent!

Ted, at least you will be ready for the next election!

Every vote matter, blue state, red state, or state of confusion!

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Permalink Reply by Regina M on October 30, 2012 at 3:09pm

I'll be voting on Tuesday! I live in a small town, so going in early on my way to work isn't much of a pain. I love going in on the day. Iowa has early voting as well, so voting places have popped up all over-grocery stores, library-and I've seen people using them. My fiancee is talking about voting this year for the first time in years. Woohoo!

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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on October 31, 2012 at 12:49pm

I voted on the first day of early voting - got my little "I Voted" sticker. I've voted in 13 Presidential elections and been on the winning side 5 times and hopefully on Nov. 6 it will be 6 wins. As Rachael Maddow says, “If you don't vote because it's to difficult – then you are fulfilling someone else plans”

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Permalink Reply by jay H on November 1, 2012 at 9:26am

Ok, for fun, here's an exercise:

Please give a RATIONAL reason why I should vote. The chance that my vote will change the election are astronomically small. "because it's the right thing" or "because I'll feel good" are emotional, but not rational reasons. "What if everyone didn't" doesn't count because my vote has no affect on 'everyone'. "Because it gives you the right to complain" is a complete non sequitur; the fact that no candidate remotely earned my vote does NOT mean I can't complain.

So, how about a hard nosed, rational justification?

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on November 1, 2012 at 9:33am

“No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.”
Voltaire, among others.

I don't know how you define rational, but voting is the mass effect of many individual actions and inactions. It is the basis for democratic society. The fact is that your individual vote, by itself doesn't matter. Neither does one brick in a wall, or one one car on the road, or one soldier in an army. But taken together, votes matter a lot.

In the end, no one can be convinced that their individual action matters, if they take an entirely individualistic point of view. That's the argument between individualism and communitarianism. But much of human history is via mass action.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on November 1, 2012 at 12:03pm

Here's where I completely disagree with you, Jay. Your response seems to be focused on the presidential election. When you get your ballot, there are generally quite a number of other candidates and issues on which to decide. Things that are local to your community, depending on the State in which a voter lives. City council persons, county officers such as sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, judges, treasurers, water and fire commissioners, etc. I happen to live in a county with a population of 7,000. Of that, there about 3,000 eligible voters. And of that number, probably 2,000 actually cast ballots (I know - I held elected office in that county for 8 years). I once saw a judge, who presides over the local circuit court from traffic to murder cases, get elected by 13 votes.

Skip the presidential slot if you feel like it. But if a school board member, who ends up doing a crappy job, wastes money, and is a creationist, gets into office in a squeaker, you still going to complain?

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on November 1, 2012 at 12:13pm

You said it better than I did.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on November 5, 2012 at 2:53am

What led you to conclude that life is rational?????

Your not having done yourself in proves that you too are irrational.

Be kinder to your nose.

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Permalink Reply by jay H on November 1, 2012 at 12:23pm

Keep in mind that I'm not actually trying to discourage voting, but critiquing some truisms.

"voting is a mass effect". But that's the challenge. Whether I vote or I don't, it won't change the mass effect. What I do does not change what others do.

This differs from conventional communitarian arguments in that in helping in a disaster, for example, each person's work changes things, where as in voting, it does not.

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Permalink Reply by The Flying Atheist on November 1, 2012 at 2:11pm

Just voted yesterday. Hopefully the outcome I prefer will occur this next Tuesday.

I'm a bit curious if the East Coast damage will have an effect on voting. Extended voting hours or perhaps even extending the last day to vote might have to be an extreme option in some areas.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on November 1, 2012 at 7:07pm

I am worried that some people on the East Coast may not get to vote. I know a LOT of them are in horrible situations, and that's the last thing on their mind. I do hope the people that want to are able to!