Don't Vote

[bobevenson]

John, slap yourself a few times and wake up. I hope to God you're not saying that people have to justify every position they hold. If I say I like Coke vs. Pepsi, you want me to defend my position? Are you totally nuts, or just half off your rocker?

[John]

John, slap yourself a few times and wake up. I hope to God you're not saying that people have to justify every position they hold. If I say I like Coke vs. Pepsi, you want me to defend my position? Are you totally nuts, or just half off your rocker?

No you don't have to defend your preferred choice of fizzy drinks but if you want to discuss something philosophically then yes you do need to defend your position. Your position is a minority one (and by that I mean you're probably in minority of one) so you have to accept that no one will accept it unless you present a convincing argument. If you can't see that then I suggest that you may be the one that's off your rocker.

[bobevenson]

If I say human life begins at conception, are you asking me to prove it? It's a philosophical position, my good man. If I say that a democracy should be accountable to all human life within its domain, it is likewise a philosophical position.

[John]

If I say human life begins at conception, are you asking me to prove it? It's a philosophical position, my good man. If I say that a democracy should be accountable to all human life within its domain, it is likewise a philosophical position.

That's not exactly what you're arguing though is it. The idea that life begins at conception is supported by many people and few people would disagree that a democracy should be accountable to all eligible humans within it's domain but the idea of citizenship is a strong one so you won't find that many people arguing that it should be accountable to all humans within its domain.

You however are claiming that accountability can only be realised by giving people the vote either in person or by proxy and that's not a generally supported view. Obviously you're entitled to hold that view and just say "it's what I believe and I don't need to justify it" but you should understand that no one will agree with you. If making people agree with you is unimportant then knock yourself out.

[bobevenson]

Jesus Christ, are you saying a person cannot express a philosophical position without having other people support it??? Please, go sober up!!!

[John]

Jesus Christ, are you saying a person cannot express a philosophical position without having other people support it??? Please, go sober up!!!

I've tried this a few time now but it seems you have a comprehension problem.

As you're now looking more than a bit silly I think I'll leave you to your ideas. One tip though: try reading or studying some philosophy and you'll hopefully realise why you look ridiculous.

[bobevenson]

Jesus Christ, are you saying a person cannot express a philosophical position without having other people support it??? Please, go sober up!!!

I've tried this a few time now but it seems you have a comprehension problem.

As you're now looking more than a bit silly I think I'll leave you to your ideas. One tip though: try reading or studying some philosophy and you'll hopefully realise why you look ridiculous.

The trouble is, John, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about, and like Bill, you are incapable of expressing any kind of rational statement that another person can even properly address.

[John]

Jesus Christ, are you saying a person cannot express a philosophical position without having other people support it??? Please, go sober up!!!

I've tried this a few time now but it seems you have a comprehension problem.

As you're now looking more than a bit silly I think I'll leave you to your ideas. One tip though: try reading or studying some philosophy and you'll hopefully realise why you look ridiculous.

The trouble is, John, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about, and like Bill, you are incapable of expressing any kind of rational statement that another person can even properly address.

Find a single person on here who thinks your approach is right and I'll reconsider my position.

I previously thought you were being deliberately argumentative but I'm really disappointed to find that you're not actually capable of arguing. If I'd made a statement that upon being challenged my only defence was "[do] people have to justify every position they hold?" I'd be more than a bit embarrassed at being forced to reveal my stupidity.

[Arising_uk]

... Don't you have the slightest idea what I'm talking about?

I think I do, you appear to wish to abandon the 'One man, One vote' idea that justifies its use with the idea that one be compos mentis enough to walk to a polling station and write an X in a box. You wish to replace this by giving a proxy vote to those in charge of those who are not capable of such an action, those who can't tie their shoelaces and those not yet born. Lots of luck with that.

Not that I don't think the proxy vote has a place in a democracy but over here we still tend to apply it to those who can still make a decision about who they wish their vote to be cast for but are incapacitated for some reason. As we're a cynical old bunch who doubt that everyone has the best intentions of others at heart when it comes to politics.

[bus2bondi]

Find a single person on here who thinks your approach is right and I'll reconsider my position.

i apologize, but why do you need someone else who supports him in order for you to reconsider your position?

[bus2bondi]

yesterday i was thinking a little bit about bumper stickers and slogans. it reminded me of this thread because i was wondering how useful they were just as the thread discusses how useful voting actually might be.

[bus2bondi]

i don't have anything against bumper stickers or slogans and alot of people are into them.. what i'm referring to are the political ones. and again, i don't have anything against them but i see alot of them nowadays and occasionally i've wondered about their effectiveness. maybe they do make a difference, but i'm not sure. i usually don't even notice them or pay attention, and when i do occasionally, i'm uneffected.

[bus2bondi]

kind of like listening to major politicians i guess.

[bus2bondi]

as As has mentioned before, and i agree, that most or at least many politicians aren't in it because they are bad or corrupt. i also think its, for the most part, far more different at the local and state levels, than at the national level.

[John]

Find a single person on here who thinks your approach is right and I'll reconsider my position.

i apologize, but why do you need someone else who supports him in order for you to reconsider your position?

Bob claims his position needs no supporting argument but I claim that as it's not accepted anywhere (i.e the unborn don't get to vote anywhere on Earth) it can't be considered mainstream so he does need to support it with an argument. I simply meant that if other people thought he had a point then I would reconsider whether it is a proposition that should just be accepted without argument. I can't imagine anyone else defending his position on votes for the unborn and reconsidering something doesn't mean I'll automatically accept it either.