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Not Apathetic

Tell the world why you're not voting - don't let your silence go unheard

They're not voting because...

REFUSAL: A VOTE FOR LIFE

Rousseau once said that the people of England think that because once every four years they're permitted to vote for politicians of their choice they're excercising their freedom when, in reality, they're just handing over that freedom to somebody else.

Are the recipients worthy of such largesse? The fact is that the only time polticians are telling the truth is when they're calling each other liars.

This means that, such now is the state of the world, and the world of the State's propensity to destroy all of us, the only remaining moral act - in response - is the act of refusal.

Technology and ethical degradation have in recent decades caused the political class more and more to resemble a particularly demonic species of social worker.

Today 'politics' truly is a matter of life and death. Wars will only cease, however, when individual men and women refuse to fight. And refuse to vote.

Utopian? May be: but since August 1945, what the powerful call utopia has become the precondition for human survival.

A vote in the warfare State is a vote for the warfare State. Refusal is a vote for life. You know it makes sense.

written 14th Apr 2005

Responses

Luther Blissett replies: Very well said.

I particularly appreciated "The fact is that the only time polticians are telling the truth is when they're calling each other liars." (worthy of Bill Hicks) and "since August 1945, what the powerful call utopia
has become the precondition for human survival" (beautifully put).

written 14th Apr 2005

Shaun replies: It is also said that for evil to triumph it only takes the good to do nothing. By abstaining to vote you are attempting to absolve yourself of responsibility in the world in which you live. You cannot complain that politicians are leading us to ruin and one must therfore dissasociate from the state or you lead us down the road to anarchy. By not voting you give carte blanche to exactly those people you dont want in power. If you feel they are all leading us to disaster you yourself must promote an alternative.

written 17th Apr 2005

luther blissett replies: I'm an anarcho-syndicalist(ish), so that's kind of what I'm after.

You have hidden yourself behind a nice little aphorism, and missed the point entirely: that voting is abdicating responsibility. You let someone kill innocents and corrode innocent lives in your name and then pretend you had nothing to do with it. I did not vote for New Labour nor the Tories, so I absolutely will not accept responsibility for all that murderous nonsense in Iraq. And frankly, fuck you for suggesting that I should.

Well like I said, I'm an anarcho-syndicalist(ish), a political methodology which I regularly talk about to any interested. Unfortunately, when many people hear the word 'anarchy' they become a bit confused - "but doesn't that mean violence on the streets, disorder, widespread chaos ..?" because they refuse to think for themselves. Go on educate yourself: do some research on the subject. For a change.

Anarchy as a political methodolgy is about self-rule, not rule from on high. We are all quite capable of it. Is the law the only thing stopping you from killing your neighbours? If it is, you should probably seek psychiatric help, as you are undoubtedly a sociopath. Anarchy is a politics I would like to live under whilst not forcing any non-subscribers to do so. Do you see how nice us anarchists are?

Anarchy has absolutley nothing to with the chaos you think everyone else wants to unleash on you. Again, get help.

written 17th Apr 2005

About Not Apathetic

NotApathetic was built so that people who are planning not to vote in the UK General Election on May 5th can tell the world why. We won't try to persuade you that voting is a good or a bad idea - we're just here to record and share your explanations. Whether ideological, practical or other, any reason will do.

A lot of users would like us to mention that if you spoil your ballot paper, it will be counted. So if you want to record a vote for "none of the above", you can.

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