My blog needs more traffic. And that means more cats. So let's mix some metaphors.
Common sense strongly suggests that guilt-tripping non-voters does not work. Yet faux woke centrists still default to it to explain their failures - frequently in the same breath as calling themselves "realists." They setup the board, positioning the pieces pretty stupidly, and then blame the pieces for the dismal results.
Let's see how many metaphors I can pile on. Surely one of them will get the point across. Blaming the straw that broke the camel's back ignores all the anvils that some idiot piled on beforehand. Blaming the last actor in any sequence of events is like building a house of cards and faulting the wind for its collapse.
Common sense strongly suggests that guilt-tripping non-voters does not work. Yet faux woke centrists still default to it to explain their failures - frequently in the same breath as calling themselves "realists." They setup the board, positioning the pieces pretty stupidly, and then blame the pieces for the dismal results.
Let's see how many metaphors I can pile on. Surely one of them will get the point across. Blaming the straw that broke the camel's back ignores all the anvils that some idiot piled on beforehand. Blaming the last actor in any sequence of events is like building a house of cards and faulting the wind for its collapse.
In short, the setup matters. You want to call recipients/end users stupid? Okay, let's run with that shoddy, self-serving assumption. Here's another analogy using cats, as I promised:
After my previous geriatric cats passed away, I went on cat hiatus for a few years. But this past winter I took in a stray when the temperature dropped to negative one degree Fahrenheit. Since then, I've discovered that I'd forgotten a lot about having a cat. I had to relearn some things.
One thing was not to refill the food bowl while it is still on the floor. The damn cat will only stick his head in the way, giving himself a kibble shower sending the pieces flying all over the kitchen floor.
After my previous geriatric cats passed away, I went on cat hiatus for a few years. But this past winter I took in a stray when the temperature dropped to negative one degree Fahrenheit. Since then, I've discovered that I'd forgotten a lot about having a cat. I had to relearn some things.
One thing was not to refill the food bowl while it is still on the floor. The damn cat will only stick his head in the way, giving himself a kibble shower sending the pieces flying all over the kitchen floor.
Yes, I futilely yelled at my cat for interfering with my efforts to feed him. (Spoiler Alert: It didn't work, and he kept doing it.) In retrospect, my previous cats did the same. Eventually, a few seconds' reflection told me that I had to change my ways - not least of all because I had the most control over the situation.
In my frustration, I was being just as dumb as my cat. Now, I pick up the bowl, fill it, and set it back down on the floor. This new/old system works great! Again, the setup matters. What happens first always matters more than what happens last.
And, yes, I just compared non-voters to domestic cats. It's my analogy - but it's the establishment's attitude. I'm just illustrating its inherent stupidity.
Next Day Edit:
To be clear, I have voted in every Federal election since my first in 1988 and urge everyone to vote. I am making a point about motivating people who can be just as contrary as cats. Guilt trips are typically counter productive - particularly when done in advance. Guilt trips are the habit of chronic incompetents trying to shift blame or moral scolds who just love to lecture. Neither type of person is particularly popular, so they probably should not be put in charge of messaging.
Second Edit 06/01/19:
More and more people are pointing out that guilt-tripping voters to the polls is an idiotic tactic.
This tweet by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nails it. "This is why I say that expanding the electorate is a more effective strategy than burning [money] to win over a tiny slice of people. It’s entitled to demand 'vote blue no matter who' - no matter how 'right' that is. You HAVE to deliver a real platform that improves people’s lives." She's right. Wooing ungettable Republicans is wasted effort.
To that Malaika Jabali added, "a key note: Black voter turnout was down in EVERY ONE OF THESE KEY STATES. In WI it was the lowest ever. If Hillary got just 3 of them (WI, FL, MI), she would have won the election. Guilt tripping doesn’t pull ppl to the polls after a long day of work. You have to win them over." About half of eligible voters don't vote because both parties ignore their material needs. Another centrist nominee won't give them any reason to show up.
Next Day Edit:
To be clear, I have voted in every Federal election since my first in 1988 and urge everyone to vote. I am making a point about motivating people who can be just as contrary as cats. Guilt trips are typically counter productive - particularly when done in advance. Guilt trips are the habit of chronic incompetents trying to shift blame or moral scolds who just love to lecture. Neither type of person is particularly popular, so they probably should not be put in charge of messaging.
Second Edit 06/01/19:
More and more people are pointing out that guilt-tripping voters to the polls is an idiotic tactic.
This tweet by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nails it. "This is why I say that expanding the electorate is a more effective strategy than burning [money] to win over a tiny slice of people. It’s entitled to demand 'vote blue no matter who' - no matter how 'right' that is. You HAVE to deliver a real platform that improves people’s lives." She's right. Wooing ungettable Republicans is wasted effort.
To that Malaika Jabali added, "a key note: Black voter turnout was down in EVERY ONE OF THESE KEY STATES. In WI it was the lowest ever. If Hillary got just 3 of them (WI, FL, MI), she would have won the election. Guilt tripping doesn’t pull ppl to the polls after a long day of work. You have to win them over." About half of eligible voters don't vote because both parties ignore their material needs. Another centrist nominee won't give them any reason to show up.
