☮ Social ☮ PD Social Talk Thread: Somatic Swirly Sepia Summer Sausage Stage Set Suppository

[psy997]

I'm not voting, no. And at this point I actually think Trump is the better candidate to win. Lame duck and all, as well as the huge call to arms politically / socially / etc. that it would cause. Whereas Clinton would secure the spiral into military-industrial-police state.

 

[swilow]

^May I ask why you won't be voting? In Australia, voting is compulsory which I disagree with but I will always vote as per the social contract. I think that if you wish to live in society and have any sort of opinion on how it should operate, you need to excerise the one piece of very limited power that you do have. Of course, not voting is a form of voting, but I don't really understand such apathy.

Just like Brexit, I think if Trump gets in, people will regret this pretty quickly. He is incompetent. I think he is a hateful buffoon as are many of his supporters. He will not make America great again. I think there is a huge chance he will get in because many people are stupid.

One of the problems with democracy is that a person should not attain power simply because a) they want it and/or, b) other people want them to. It should be based on merit and competency; I'm not sure how such a factor would be determined though, but a popular vote doesn't always make sense. Many people have no idea how to run their own lives, let alone other peoples. Still, it is a better system than most others.

Whereas Clinton would secure the spiral into military-industrial-police state.

Trump has been sabre-rattling for much of his campaign. There is evidence that he will also simply reinforce the military complex that governs the US. He has made many aggressive remarks to so-called allies. I don't actually like Hilary Clinton at all, but at least she isn't a hateful, captitalistic monster with no values. I think people are imagining so much about Trump, but you do not need to imagine but simply look to his business dealings to see that he is incapable of excerising power wisely.

I almost hope he gets in and we see a continuing and rapid decline of US power in the world. I think this will come back to bite some white ass.

 

[Crashing]

I've got better things to do than vote, like take psychedelics and argue over who's head is less bigger. And besides, you think I can swing Florida in any direction? 98% of the population here has already had sex with one of the candidates, dates all the way back to 1910.

It's tough you know. I value things like privacy, discussion, being left alone, being in groups, cult mentalities. I don't like violence but i like having fun. It's tough.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

I voted. It ended up only taking 45 minutes of my time. I agree with swillow on this. I'll say I didn't vote for Donald Drumpf.

 

[Crashing]

Once they install the "Next President App" on my phone via remote wire tap, i suppose I'll use it if it's free. But right now, 45 minutes are like solid gold to me. I've always been the do as I'm told type either way. Works great for climbing the ladder... Just wish i cared about that type of thing.

 

[coelophysis]

I dont vote because I dont want to. So far no one has held a gun to my head and made me do it and I enjoy that freedom.. I try to sit in the middle. I dont try to hate, and I dont try to sway others, I just try to stay true to self. There's a little bit fucky about both sides..and a little bit good about both sides.. I just like to make sure I'm alright and prepared to be reactionary. I can never predict the future but I can try to be prepared for it. That way I can help out the people I care about and the people around me.. I dont need to go to a voting booth to do that. If I were to vote, then I would be subscribed to something and I really dont like muddying my life up and having to potentially defend myself. When election day comes, as it so often does in the US, I just observe it, almost as a holiday, I dont complain and I try not to judge others for doing whatever they're going to do on that particular day because that ain't my job. I dont want to have to apologize to people on behalf of my country, I dont want to have to explain why I voted for one particular side to anyone in my community (domestic & foreign), who may have a difference of opinion.. I'm open to ideas and change but I just dont like voting when people are persuading me to do it. I dont like agendas i'm unsure of or am not a part of. There truly are better things to do than vote on election day for me.. I'm pretty sure Carlin covered all that at one point, God/Jihad blessed/rest his soul.. WWCD/S (What Would Carlin Do/Say)

 

[swilow]

Well, you get fined in Australia if you do not vote so that's an incentive. That fact alone has made me choose to not vote in the past (yay defiant idealism), but I have always done so for at least the last decade. I mean, it does seem futile, we are but cogs on a gearwheel but the cliche 'every vote counts' is pretty much true. You certainly don't need to defend or even reveal your choice. I see what you mean though, but I feel its a bit like sticking your head in the sand. Take a side, why not? For politics, you will probably never find someone who you agree with entirely, and I am not interested enough to really examine this, but you can usually find someone you don't want in power; your vote can help with that.

Shit, I feel like I am promoting the cause here. I just think its quite important.

Damn, my weed break is annoying me. I have the day off, I have the weed, I have my nice new bong that I repaired and now it probably works. But I really want to see this through. The plan is to commence smoking again tomorrow night as that's when my weekend starts this week. I think five days should help regrow my brain a bit...

 

[Crashing]

Oh my god laika, anytime you need a BJ you know where I live. I'm really good at BJ's.

 

[psy997]

Swilow, I'm not voting because I don't believe in government or statism. To vote is to agree to give away personal and individual sovereignty on a very base level. In addition, to vote for either Clinton or Trump is to again, on a base level express acceptance of both their actions.

Also, if you don't see Clinton as a hateful, capitalistic, imperialist monster with no values then you've not looked hard enough. Trump is a moronic and hateful baffoon, but an unintelligent and useless one. Clinton is a cunning, sly, and incredibly intelligent psychopath with magnitudes more potential to create chaos and discord than Trump. Again, with Trump there's no way even 2% of his hateful rhetoric will ever come to fruition policy wise, he will be a lame duck. As well as creating an absolutely massive socio-economic-political movement rooted in progressivism and the like. Clinton instead will appease the masses with "progressive" social policy while making use of the turned eyes to further American imperialism, war-mongering, terrorism, and the like.

This is not to say there is not danger with Trump. We will have to face racism, sexism, and discrimination head on. There will most likely be violence. But it is better than the fulfillment of an apathetic public led downfall into tyranny the likes of which both Huxley and Orwell predicted those some odd decades back.

 

[Delsyd]

I've haven't ever felt the need to take a break from weed. I find it really helps with my anxiety (probably the anxiety of not having weed, hehe), keeps me chill and calm, and is the least harmful of all the drugs I do regularly. Ideally I would cut out drinking and prolonged binges on dissociatives but continue to smoke weed every evening. I'm working on it though the progress seems to be pretty slow.

For the longest time I said I wouldn't vote for Hilary or Trump and I predicted that Hillary would be president over a year ago at the start of the primaries, at which time I voted for Bernie Sanders. I very much dislike Hilary Clinton, she is a disgusting, corporate bought, war mongering lizard politician, same as any Bush. But last week I bought in to the fear of having Trump as our president and went and voted for the lesser of two evils. Ultimately i don't think it makes much of a difference who becomes president.

 

[coelophysis]

Oh my god laika, anytime you need a BJ you know where I live. I'm really good at BJ's.

Aw shucks

*blushes Kevinly*

 

[TheAppleCore]

Of course, not voting is a form of voting, but I don't really understand such apathy.

I've never voted for anything (except the legalization of cannabis) in my life, and this is not out of apathy, but rather out of concern for the welfare of the people. I'm not particularly interested in politics, and don't put a lot of effort into staying informed about the issues, so it seems dangerous to cast an uninformed vote. I'd rather let those who have a passion for politics run the show, just like I'd rather let a dentist with lots of medical schooling perform my oral surgery, rather than tie my tooth to a doorknob.

There will be another proposition to legalize cannabis in my state on the ballot tomorrow, and I'm not even certain I'd like to vote for that. Anyone can get a prescription for medical marijuana, and pay relatively low prices for high quality cannabis products, and I'm perfectly happy with that system. What's the point of legalizing and regulating marijuana for "recreational" use, other than to allow the state to gouge consumers for steep taxes on cannabis?

I'm not sure how such a factor would be determined though, but a popular vote doesn't always make sense. Many people have no idea how to run their own lives, let alone other peoples. Still, it is a better system than most others.

How does the saying go? "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others."

 

[swilow]

I've never voted for anything (except the legalization of cannabis) in my life, and this is not out of apathy, but rather out of concern for the welfare of the people. I'm not particularly interested in politics, and don't put a lot of effort into staying informed about the issues, so it seems dangerous to cast an uninformed vote. I'd rather let those who have a passion for politics run the show, just like I'd rather let a dentist with lots of medical schooling perform my oral surgery, rather than tie my tooth to a doorknob.

I don't quite get the analogy. The patient elects which dentist they will get to perform their dental work, just as a voter helps to elect who will run the country. A voter is not the one administering the task, they are simply saying who they would like to do that. And it is apathy if you claim to be disinterested. I understand the disinterest, but its something worth addressing because political decisions effect everyones lives whether they vote or do not.

You may feel ill informed but I would wager you are much more informed than a lot of people who WILL vote. Deciding not to vote IS an expression of opinion. It has as much of a real world consequence as actually voting. It still effects the welfare of the people. Choosing not to choose is a valid and consequential choice.

I don't know, I just don't get it. Politics is pretty full of shit, but it is the tool we have. Their is so many problems in our world; for me, its the environment. It frustrates me that people are unwilling to put themselves out there for the future of the planet. I know people get frustrated by the shallowness of politicans or feel like they are powerless so it boggles the mind when people willingly render themselves helpless to create something more than a future of burning rubble.

 

[swilow]

White noise galore

 

[SKL]

I don't vote. In the American system, voting is essentially a meaningless act as all but a few states are going to reliably go for one or the other mainstream parties. Furthermore, I don't vote because I believe that in the act of voting I am compromising my principles by lending legitimacy to a system that I disagree with. Fundamentally, I don't agree with democracy, except in some limited forms, but I particularly don't agree with the way things are run in the U.S. and in the two-party system. On referendums and elections for town mayors, etc. sometimes casting a vote is worthwhile, but generally is not. I was a registered Republican and perhaps still am although I think it may lapse, I also participated in voter mobilization stuff as VP of our College Republicans chapter, yes, basically manipulation and encouraging people to vote who might not otherwise but who would reliably vote Republican, mainly rednecks out in the woods and stuff, but that was mainly about local politics; upstate N.Y. tends to run quite conservative but as a state due to population imbalances in the urban areas (not just, but most importantly, NYC) it is reliably Democratic in national elections, thus a vote for or against is worthless.

And again, I believe that my abstinence from voting is a small political (or anti-political) act in itself, and I share this with people when political discussions come up and sometimes it leads to opportunities to share my views and correct some people's perceptions of voting as a civic duty, etc. As someone said, "don't vote; it only encourages them." I'm a believer in that.

 

[Cream Gravy?]

[...]for me, its the environment. It frustrates me that people are unwilling to put themselves out there for the future of the planet. I know people get frustrated by the shallowness of politicans or feel like they are powerless so it boggles the mind when people willingly render themselves helpless to create something more than a future of burning rubble.

I voted Green Party for our Railroad Commissioner this year. I know the Republicans will win it, but I wanted to vote Green on that because they deal with oil and gas. Something tells me Greens won't ever win anything in this state though. Hell, my father's in the oil industry. Thousands of people rely on it here for a living. I can't blame them for wanting work, but I certainly won't support the systematic destruction of our natural resources.

 

[swilow]

I would like to see more renewables and I can imagine that people who have worked in the oil industry would be perfect for that sector.

I vote green too. We get multiple votes, ranked by preference, my 2nd choice was a socialist group and then the Sex Party. My last choice was Family First, a right wing conservative Christian party.

I have enjoyed gardening today, my brother in law is helping us create a vegie patch and helped me reclaim my psychedelic garden, though much was dead. Largely destroyed by morning glory (Ipomaea violacae) which is flowering with manic good cheer but its a fucking pest. To think that I cultivated it.. It grows every where where I live. I'm gonna plant a whole host of beans, cucumber, various lettuce, tomato, spinach. I'm almost tempted to get some chickens, a neighbour has heaps and I'm getting sick of pure veganism. I think I'd lose them though, my property is large and terrifyingly overgrown and I'd rather they could roam free.

Strolled around the nearby lake, had a good chat with a duck, she had a lot to say. Saw an invasive turtle species and as an upstanding citizen, I phoned it in. Arrest that beast. I think it was a turtle, the council worker I spoke to clearly thought I was imagining things. There is that possibility.

 

[Bella Figura]

You're either voting for a rapist or a rape apologist, I wouldn't vote...

 

[Img_9999]

Interesting to see that so many of you guys aren't voting. I don't vote either. Presidential elections are next year here.
Maybe if I was afraid of the outcome of the elections I would vote. But I'm more afraid of the fact that which party is in the power doesn't make a difference.

The political situation here is very similar to the US. Two major political coalitions rendering any other option completely helpless, both of which represent neo-liberal capitalism with the only nuance at play being it's degree of conservatism. For twenty years, EXTREME political stagnation.

On recent years, many political scandals including outright corruption, which instead of leading to organization and desire of change has only lead to impotent anger and subsequent political disenchantment and apathy. It's as if the price of stability was stagnation and boredom. The situation is downright depressing.

So voting is meaningless here. The most likely candidates for the next elections here have both been already president before. That should illustrate enough how "democracy" here is just a repetition ad nausea of the same thing over and over. Its all a show. It makes no difference.

"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

 

[Bella Figura]

^ reminds of the following:

"If voting made any difference, they wouldn't let us do it" - Mark Twain

&

"It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." - Stalin