You're probably right (Off-Topic)

by someotherguy, Hertfordshire, England, Thursday, November 03, 2016, 21:49 (2946 days ago) @ Earendil

I'm still going to call that person ignorant though, and now we've looped back to some people not voting being considered ignorant :)

Can't argue with that.

I hate to put on my adult pants for this comment (because honestly the pants don't fit me well) but that's life. Sticking ones fingers in their ear because their decisions don't result in sunshine and rainbows is just what we do on a daily basis.

I think generally you're right. Im mostly thinking of the times where your indecision stems from a lack of suitable options, in which case we seem to agree that the answer is to make your discontent known.

I'm sure there are legit reasons for not voting. I listed a few myself. The angle I'm coming from is that 47% of this country doesn't vote in the presidential election, even fewer vote in local elections (on average) and I don't see that many people having a valid excuse. Those with a valid excuse are in the minority.

Ideally I would have those with good reasons do something to make those reasons known while letting those without "good" reasons either continue to not vote or have a way to say "Im not voting but I dont have a good reason" (though I dont know that I trust people to own up to that). My fear with the stigma is encouraging the "wrong" (for want of a much, much better word) to vote despite being completely ignorant.

But at the end of the day there are two reasons not to vote. Either you have a good reason, or you have a bad reason and you know that that in itself is a good reason not to vote. Either way I'd rather that those people have the option not to vote than be forced into it.