on the touchy topic of voting

I would like to clarify that this is not aimed at anyone in particular, but more at society at large. It's okay to have differing opinions about voting (or anything). This is mine.

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I hate the push to vote no matter what. No matter if you know nothing about who or what you're voting for, no matter if you're picking the person with the most lawn signs in your city (yes, I've heard someone say this is how they vote). No matter if you're picking the one you think has no hope because you don't like any of the options.

Oh, unless you're younger than eighteen.

Um, what? The voting age should be lower, sixteen at least. If an eighteen-year-old is mature enough to vote, so is a sixteen-year-old. And if a sixteen-year-old who's read all about the election and formed an educated opinion isn't allowed to vote, why is the old man who made his decision based on randomization?

Anyway, tangent over. I hate the push to vote no matter what.

"But women had to fight for your right to vote!"

Yes, and I thank them. I'm glad I have the right to vote if I so choose. And that's what they were fighting for, the right. The right to choose. Not the obligation. Right?

But yes, when I turned eighteen I registered to vote, and I went in and I put the X on the ballot and I voted for the party who said they'd do good things, who promised the most for the environment (because without that we're all pretty screwed), and I'm going to keep voting.

But can we stop with the guilt-tripping? If someone prefers to stay out of politics I respect that. Because politics is a mess and we basically have no hope of fixing it with one little vote anyway, so do what you like. Do what you feel is best.

I vote because, why not? It can't hurt.

But I don't love the idea of people voting simply out of obligation. And for some reason there's a pretty big push for that.

So I'll ask you right now. If you can't be bothered to put in the effort to learn something about your options, why are you voting?

Why?

I think there should be a reason, don't you? Other than I feel obligated because everyone's really aggressive about this for some reason.

So yes, voting is good. If you do it right. So please, do it right. And stop guilt-tripping people who choose not to vote.

That's what I think.