Who to vote for?
We’ve got elections possibly coming up in our country and I didn’t vote last time but I want to vote this time because I understand that voting is a privilege and not voting is equal to being complicit to the current political scenario whether you like it or not. However there’s a small problem. There are two possible candidates in the constituency I will be voting in. One is a man who’s done nothing for the area and isn’t known very well around, but the party he belongs to is represented by a leader who could at best be characterised as the lesser of the evils. The other candidate is a good man who’s done a lot of public service and even personally helped my family in matters but he belongs to a corrupt party who’s leader has feasted on our economy for too long. I don’t expect you to straight up tell me who to vote for. But any stoic principles to help me make the decision and be at peace with it would be appreciated.
Posted Aug 9, 2022, 5:51 AM UTC
It is fair to see voting as a privilege. It can be taken away, enjoy what it offers you. I myself do not partake in it, maybe in the future I will see some value in the act. So long as you do not conflate it for more then putting a name on a piece of paper into needing one to win over another, since that is not under your control.
In a vote, note your values. Write all the issues you see and make your best guess to their position. Rank them and from there assign your choice based on the merit of your values. Is it the party you are voting for or the individual, then note that too but as you are making note, there are other factors.
I’d raise that a good man will do nothing unjust willingly, so it doesn’t matter what banner they are under. It might make you curious why they fight under such a flag.
Any place where there are choices, we are liable to make the wrong choice. Remember too, you will never have the full scope of information need to make the right choice. Whomever you vote for could be the greater of two evils, so be ready with your own consolation at hand.
Don’t be so quick to see another’s choices as foolish. If you were them, it is reasonable that you could be liable to the same temptations and liable to the same faults. In all people draw compassion, for if they do wrong it is because they do not know (and even if they logically know, they do not know why for that would be shown in proper action).
Of course take what is useful and discard the rest.
thanks so much, this feels helpful