The Most Precious Right

[Maedhros]

3. One factor in the shift in attitude that you discuss

is the advent of broadcast media and its use as a tool of mass psychology to generate a desired response from the electorate. Votes are no longer earned by politicians proposing sound policy, they are harvested using push-polls, propaganda and disinformation on a scale not possible 100 years ago.

Elections are decided by which "voice" in the media can drown out their opponent's. More money buys more advertising and a louder "voice." At the same time, public education has been purposefully dumbed down so as to render citizens more susceptible to political marketing. There is a reason civics is no longer taught in high school.

It's easy to feel powerless in such a situation, especially if one is actually interested in policy. Doubly so if one is constantly being told that one should ignore bad policy and vote anyway.

Despite all of that, I always advocate in favor of voting at every single opportunity. Our votes are the only levers on power we are given. Our challenge is how to make them meaningful again. Voting from a "go along to get along" stance will not cut it.