So Vote?
I vehemently told everyone I wouldn't do it.
I will NOT vote, I proudly declared.
“Why?” They asked, with gaping faces.
Because I don't know who to vote for.
Because there is no option to vote for nobody or register a protest vote.
Because I really don't care about politics.
Because I already voted the last time as “my first time” and wasn’t as kicked about it as I hoped.
“But someone might go and vote on your name, doesn't that bother you?”
Umm, not really, given that I don't want to vote for anyone and this impersonator has at least decided who s/he wants to vote for...
But yesterday, I went and voted.
In fact it was the first thing I woke up and did. Before taking a dump even.
Don't get me wrong. It just so happened that just as soon as I woke up, mum and dad were going "to get it over with", so I decided I might as well do the same (since I was up anyway and probably wouldn't take the effort to go myself).
It took a long time to find our names on the list – they hadn’t sent out our voter slips this time (I remember that the last time they had). There’s also a new building that has come up in the neighbourhood and its name wasn’t even listed in the books. A few residents were quite pissed off.
Why can’t this process be more organized, digitized and fool proof? No wonder we have such a low voter turnout. I know plenty of colleagues who would have had to go back to their hometowns to vote and so they didn’t.
Anyway it was really funny sifting through the newspapers today and looking at everyone showing the world their middle fingers. In fact I wasn’t aware of the fact that the election commission had mandated it this year (a change from the usual forefinger). You can read more about that here: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/26/500-million-indians.html
The ink has really messed up my nail. It has seeped all around it, outlining my cuticle and a bit of the tip of my finger. I wonder how long it’ll stay like this. When first applied, it was indigo blue and then it turned brownish-black. In case you’re wondering what this ink is made of, there’s some interesting trivia about it. It is manufactured for the entire country at a 72-year old plant in Bangalore called Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd (MVPL). Wondering what’s in this indelible ink? It’s a heady mix of chemicals, dyes, aromatic materials and silver nitrate – or so they say. You can read more about that here:
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/voters-ink-made-in-mysore-marked-across-india/87219-37.html
And if this was of any interest to you, or if you didn't vote, please take a moment to read my colleague Sampath's honest and intelligent reason for not voting here: http://www.dnaindia.com/blogs/post.php?postid=166) It certainly takes me back to my stance at the beginning of this piece.
I will NOT vote, I proudly declared.
“Why?” They asked, with gaping faces.
Because I don't know who to vote for.
Because there is no option to vote for nobody or register a protest vote.
Because I really don't care about politics.
Because I already voted the last time as “my first time” and wasn’t as kicked about it as I hoped.
“But someone might go and vote on your name, doesn't that bother you?”
Umm, not really, given that I don't want to vote for anyone and this impersonator has at least decided who s/he wants to vote for...
But yesterday, I went and voted.
In fact it was the first thing I woke up and did. Before taking a dump even.
Don't get me wrong. It just so happened that just as soon as I woke up, mum and dad were going "to get it over with", so I decided I might as well do the same (since I was up anyway and probably wouldn't take the effort to go myself).
It took a long time to find our names on the list – they hadn’t sent out our voter slips this time (I remember that the last time they had). There’s also a new building that has come up in the neighbourhood and its name wasn’t even listed in the books. A few residents were quite pissed off.
Why can’t this process be more organized, digitized and fool proof? No wonder we have such a low voter turnout. I know plenty of colleagues who would have had to go back to their hometowns to vote and so they didn’t.
Anyway it was really funny sifting through the newspapers today and looking at everyone showing the world their middle fingers. In fact I wasn’t aware of the fact that the election commission had mandated it this year (a change from the usual forefinger). You can read more about that here: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/26/500-million-indians.html
The ink has really messed up my nail. It has seeped all around it, outlining my cuticle and a bit of the tip of my finger. I wonder how long it’ll stay like this. When first applied, it was indigo blue and then it turned brownish-black. In case you’re wondering what this ink is made of, there’s some interesting trivia about it. It is manufactured for the entire country at a 72-year old plant in Bangalore called Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd (MVPL). Wondering what’s in this indelible ink? It’s a heady mix of chemicals, dyes, aromatic materials and silver nitrate – or so they say. You can read more about that here:
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/voters-ink-made-in-mysore-marked-across-india/87219-37.html
And if this was of any interest to you, or if you didn't vote, please take a moment to read my colleague Sampath's honest and intelligent reason for not voting here: http://www.dnaindia.com/blogs/post.php?postid=166) It certainly takes me back to my stance at the beginning of this piece.
posted by TheFlatteredFlyingFish at 4:45 AM
1 comments
