One’s own level of influence in voting is not a goal in itself (for most people) but a means to an end. What you should do is figure out which candidate you’d most want to be elected, find out who’s voting for the other candidates, and encourage only them to stay home.
(Half of me is kidding, and the other half is trying to think like an economist or game-theoretician or Karl Rove.)
I always make a point of encouraging people who disagree with me to vote anyway. A point I usually make with this is that there is a strong human bias towards angelizing the guy you are voting for and demonizing the guy you are against, and I make that point when encouraging them. I hope it help them to be epsilon more civil and rational in their future political discussions.
I also imagine that kind of respect for other people’s choices keeps my influence on them in the future higher. Who would listen to someone that thinks they are a moron or who has no respect for their values?
Hmmm.… the fewer people that vote, the more influential each voter is.
Everyone else, stay home! ;)
One’s own level of influence in voting is not a goal in itself (for most people) but a means to an end. What you should do is figure out which candidate you’d most want to be elected, find out who’s voting for the other candidates, and encourage only them to stay home.
(Half of me is kidding, and the other half is trying to think like an economist or game-theoretician or Karl Rove.)
Ha, I actually do that. I was just convincing my girlfriend that her vote didn’t matter (she’s on the opposite end of the political spectrum).
I always make a point of encouraging people who disagree with me to vote anyway. A point I usually make with this is that there is a strong human bias towards angelizing the guy you are voting for and demonizing the guy you are against, and I make that point when encouraging them. I hope it help them to be epsilon more civil and rational in their future political discussions.
I also imagine that kind of respect for other people’s choices keeps my influence on them in the future higher. Who would listen to someone that thinks they are a moron or who has no respect for their values?
I’m with you on this. I would have bought Google stock at its IPO if the OTHER morons hadn’t bid it up to $85 a share.