# Why Should I PERSONALLY Care About Politics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 7, 2022, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573 "2022-07-07T19:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![frognot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frognot/32/8752_2.png) [@frognot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frognot)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/61 "2022-07-09T01:26:29Z")
I’m a fan of The Starfish Story. One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said ” I made a difference for that one.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/62 "2022-07-09T01:40:55Z")
> [@SmartBulbInc](#): > > > [@velomont](#): > > > > Why do you think that? > > Because it doesn’t? Heck, if a million people changed their minds in my state changed their minds, it would not be enough to actually effect an election. My vote does nothing, changes nothing, and nothing would change if I voted. I’m guessing that you’re too young to remember the 2000 US presidential election? And just look at the [Republican primaries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_United_States_Senate_election_in_Pennsylvania#Results) here in Pennsylvania for senator! Dr Oz and and his opponent had a difference of 0.1% of the vote, and they had to have a recall twice, and it was still too close before Dave McCormick just decided to concede. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/63 "2022-07-09T01:53:45Z")
> [@SmartBulbInc](#): > > The phrase “ever little bit counts” is a lie in politics. No, my vote does not change the outcome of an election. You’re wrong. You, as a single individual casting your vote, will not determine the outcome of an election. But the outcome of an election is determined by tens of millions of people, all of whom were casting their vote as an individual just like you do. This is a situation where literally every little bit counts. Look at the 2020 presidential election; we know that 81,268,924 people voted for Joe Biden and 74,216,154 people voted for Donald Trump. Every one of their votes was counted. Every vote is a small piece that adds to the grand total. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/64 "2022-07-09T02:05:22Z")
I suspect that SmartBulbInc doesn’t actually care about any evidence that we provide and will continue to insist that any political participation is a useless waste of time and effort. ---
**Author:** ![SmartBulbInc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@SmartBulbInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartBulbInc)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/65 "2022-07-09T02:51:53Z")
I literally changed my position because of a good argument. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/66 "2022-07-13T21:39:51Z")
The average person also may not have the time or inclination to learn, either. Saying “You really should learn about tax policy,” for example, doesn’t usually inspire people to do so. We need an educatied electorate, obviously. But that topic may be a hijack and my post wasn’t directed at you. ---
**Author:** ![Workingdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@Workingdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Workingdude)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/67 "2022-07-14T23:57:49Z")
I sometimes have to take a break from politics and escape from it. I get so damn tired of all the BS involved in politics. I don’t care much for politicians as they all seem corrupt and this includes dirty Joe Biden and his 20 foot nose. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573/68 "2022-07-15T20:26:30Z")
Pastor Niemöller said it best- _First they came for the Communists_ _And I did not speak out_ _Because I was not a Communist_ _Then they came for the Socialists_ _And I did not speak out_ _Because I was not a Socialist_ _Then they came for the trade unionists_ _And I did not speak out_ _Because I was not a trade unionist_ _Then they came for the Jews_ _And I did not speak out_ _Because I was not a Jew_ _Then they came for me_ _And there was no one left_ _To speak out for me_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-personally-care-about-politics/967573.md?page=3)