Tag: dailyprompt

Do you vote in political elections?

Do you cast your vote? “The power and impact of participating in political elections”

To understand why voting for X or against Y is bad, we need to have an informed opinion. But here’s the thing. It’s hard work.

Consider what you must do to have an informed opinion on politics. First, understand the historical, geopolitical, and economic underpinnings of the issues. This area is complex and obscure.

Explore all sides of the issue in great depth. Especially the side opposite to the one you favour. Understand why you maintain your position, and why people argue against the position you hold. Uncover how fear and ignorance are tainting people’s views. See how the media is framing the debate and how that framing is influencing your own and other’s perspectives. Trace out the higher order effects of both side’s arguments. Which means looking ten, twenty, fifty years into the future to see how each scenario could play out. I could go on. But you get the point. Having an informed opinion requires a significant investment of time and energy. Which is why no one does it.

So if we’re all uninformed and not willing to put in the effort to become informed, what can we do?

Here’s six strategies to help you vote without the aid of an informed opinion.

A) BY MAJORITY

If you think that people are sensible, intelligent and wise, find out what everyone else is doing and do the same.

If you think the masses are ignorant and foolish, you can do the opposite of what they propose. Do as Mark Twain said: “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause.” Reflect on this situation.

B) ASK A SMART FRIEND

This is self explanatory.

C) ASK A ROLE MODEL/SMART PERSON

If you don’t have a smart friend, you can ask someone you look up to. Perhaps a teacher or an authority figure in your life. And if you can’t ask because you don’t have an open line of communication? Try to imagine what they would do. Or look for evidence of their position in the media.

Can’t ask and not willing to use your imagination? Then you can just take the same position as someone who is way smarter than you.

But there’s a caveat:

It’s hard to figure out who is smart, and who just appears to be smart.

D) BY PEER GROUP

Do what your everyone else in your social circle is doing. Or what everyone at your work is doing. Or what everyone in your class is doing.

E) LEAST WORST > BEST

Most debates centre around the upside. The benefit to be had from this or that position. But most of the time, it’s just speculation. Nobody can predict the future.

In politics, you’re betting on the future. And to do that well, you have to focus on mitigating risk rather than maximising the reward.

The logic behind this is that it’s easier to sense risk than it is to determine gain. There are a million ways to benefit. But typically, there are many fewer ways to screw a country or an economy up.

So rather than picking the best option, pick what appears to be the least worst.

F) THE OPPOSITE OF IDIOT

Find an idiot. Ask them what they think and how they’re going to vote. Then do the opposite.

–

Ever heard of illusory superiority? It’s “a cognitive bias whereby individuals overestimate their own qualities and abilities, relative to others.”

Everyone thinks they are better drivers than they really are. More attractive than they really are. And in the political arena, we all think our opinion is more accurate than it really is.

But the reality is different.

We’re uninformed because we’re unwilling to do the work required to have an opinion. We’re misinformed by all the propaganda, spin and biased information that we consume. And any sound knowledge we do have is skewed by the biases and prejudices we carry round in our skull.

I read somewhere that scientific integrity is not the elimination of bias, but the frank admission of it. When it comes to politics, most of us don’t know what the hell is going on.

We should remember that as we play our part in the democratic process.

What gives you direction in life?

       Navigate life’s path with purpose……

This apparently is something we all are trying to figure out. Things that truly matter to you shape your subconscious. These ultimately lead to the actions you find yourself performing in day-to-day life. You may be doing things in a manner they are supposed to be keeping aside the ways you feel are right.

We all do, I suppose!!

Even though we do what we are told to ,yet we are not content eventually. We eventually land up thinking ‘’Where am I going?’’ , ‘’What am I doing?’’.It happens often, right?

What gives a train direction?

Its the railway tracks and the way in which they are laid.

Likewise, I feel its the path you follow gives a direction to life. The way you see things and take them up,the way you learn from them and move on in life , the way you ignore the unimportant troubling things and focus on the ones which are really essential in life gives you a direction to proceed in life.

      “Direction with purpose,  progress with passion.”

What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?

         ” A family Christmas like no other “

Christmas at Mama’s House

It was the week before Christmas, and l could already feel the excitement bubbling in the air. My family had a tradition. Every December, no matter where they were, everyone would return to Mama’s house for the Christmas holiday.

               Mama’s house

Mama’s house wasn’t big, but it was always full. Full of laughter, singing, the smell of fried chicken and pilau, and stories that made everyone laugh until they cried. This year, I arrived with a suitcase in one hand. On the other hand, I had a bag of carefully wrapped gifts. Each gift was picked with love for my siblings, cousins, and neighbours.

         Christmas Sunday

On Christmas morning, the family woke up early, dressed in their Sunday clothes, and walked together to church. The choir sang beautifully, and the pastor spoke about love and unity. I sat between my sisters and smiled as my youngest brother dozed off on my shoulder halfway through the sermon.

After church, the real celebration began. Mama had prepared a feast with everyone’s help. Auntie Sarah made me famous chapati. Uncle James roasted goat meat. The children helped set the table outside under the mango tree.

                    Gift sharing

Then came my favourite part—gift sharing. Everyone gathered in a circle. Mama sat in the middle. She wore a big red scarf on her head like a queen. One by one, family members gave out their small gifts—some bought, some handmade, some hilarious. When it was my turn, l handed Mama a soft shawl with her name embroidered on it.

“Oh my!” Mama exclaimed, wrapping it around her shoulders. “Now this will keep me warm while I sit outside with my Bible!”

The laughter, dancing, and storytelling went on until late into the night. The stars appeared in the sky. I looked around at my family. We were close together, our hearts were full, and our faces glowed in the soft light.

I thought, This is why I love Christmas. Not for the gifts, not even for the food—but for these moments. These people. This love.

And deep in my heart, l knew this would be one Christmas led never forget.

      Warm hearts, open hands, one family.