- May 9th, 2025, 5:24 pm
#474268
The labels don't matter - "rights and privileges" are the language of the out-of-touch. Is it your right or a privilege to vote when neither major party represents the voters but global interests instead? The current (Albanese) government has increased Australia's population by 1.7 million in the last three years - turning what was already a historic housing squeeze into a full blown housing crisis. The "opposition" was offering to reduce immigration by 10,000 per year.
Not much of a choice when both parties are committed to keeping housing prices artificially high and driving ever more (formerly) middle class people into despair and homelessness. It renders the OP's question somewhat moot.
The wisdom of crowds in such a connected world is now just the wisdom of media owners/oligarchs. The rules are changing faster than academia moves, which is why academics today tend to be so grievously out of touch with reality.
Some intrepid/masochistic types still hold individual opinions, but most people today adopt the ideas of "their side" rather than informing themselves on different policy areas and making their own analyses. Many are too busy to devote time to understanding political issues, so they let the mainstream media tell them what to do.
Tell me, is there a single issue where you disagree with The Guardian?
Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑May 9th, 2025, 6:23 amIn Australia voting is compulsory. Last I remember, the punishment is $20 for missing a federal election, $25 for missing a state election and $55 for missing a local government election. Simply, the more important the election, the less you are punished for not voting.Sy Borg wrote: ↑May 8th, 2025, 5:51 pm Seriously, if a person thinks they might miss out on voting, what is to stop them from spending the fifteen minutes needed to learn different levels of government and their main functions? If you are going to be a contributing citizen to democracy, you can at least be aware of the very most basic aspects of what federal, state and local governments do. Otherwise, you cannot make an informed vote, and thus undermine democracy.Is voting a right or a privilege, or both?
Is voting mandatory? If so, what is the penalty for not voting?
What knowledge (if any) must the voter have, and be able to display?
Is the 'wisdom of crowds' applicable to voting?
If we constrain voters, and their reasons for voting, do we lose that 'wisdom'?
In other words, all I'm saying is that these arguments are long known and well-rehearsed by others, I think. Yes?
The labels don't matter - "rights and privileges" are the language of the out-of-touch. Is it your right or a privilege to vote when neither major party represents the voters but global interests instead? The current (Albanese) government has increased Australia's population by 1.7 million in the last three years - turning what was already a historic housing squeeze into a full blown housing crisis. The "opposition" was offering to reduce immigration by 10,000 per year.
Not much of a choice when both parties are committed to keeping housing prices artificially high and driving ever more (formerly) middle class people into despair and homelessness. It renders the OP's question somewhat moot.
The wisdom of crowds in such a connected world is now just the wisdom of media owners/oligarchs. The rules are changing faster than academia moves, which is why academics today tend to be so grievously out of touch with reality.
Some intrepid/masochistic types still hold individual opinions, but most people today adopt the ideas of "their side" rather than informing themselves on different policy areas and making their own analyses. Many are too busy to devote time to understanding political issues, so they let the mainstream media tell them what to do.
Tell me, is there a single issue where you disagree with The Guardian?
- By Eckhart Aurelius Hughes