Honestly the Trolley Problem is a perfect representation of this issue. All leftists in America are being asked to either personally hold a part in a genocide, or to personally abstain and allow greater horrors to be unleashed (including the genocide).

[–] Stoneykins@mander.xyz 17 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I feel like if it really mapped so cleanly onto the trolley problem, there wouldn't need to be 4 paragraphs of text included throughout the meme in an attempt to head off any arguments...

[–] Wirlocke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

The general election vote itself is the trolley problem, the paragraphs are detailing other solutions beyond simple voting to try and get out of the trolley problem.

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This just goes to show how convoluted Democrat "logic" becomes. They have to do all of these mental gymnastics instead of simply just voting for the Green Party. I'm so glad I'm not a Democrat.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I don't. I only think about it because you keep insisting that there is another valid option, yet I can never find an argument from you that holds water.

I was convinced by some of you that the primary protest vote is good, but I have never heard a coherent plan for the general besides playing chicken with liberals. I see alternative actions that don't assume liberals are smart, yet have more predictable gains. Vote blue AND do other stuff.

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's a really single argument. In a democracy, you should vote for the best person on the ballot. If you don't do that, then democracy doesn't work.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Yeah, no shit it doesn't work. That isn't relevant to voting beyond favoring candidates that value serious reforms. The conversation isn't about whether the system sucks; the conversation is about what we can do to improve things or minimize harm.

Feelings of being ignored and disenfranchised matter, but you need to use your head to figure out what options are the best. Don't feel like the candidates represent you? Promote those that do. Don't like how corrupt the system is? Figure out a feasible plan to improve it.

I get why you feel like letting city hall burn down is an option. I think we need a stronger international social contract, one enforced by neighboring countries rather than imperial powers. I feel like the rich and powerful won't realize this until a devastating World War fucks over everyone. You can't really insulate yourself when a World War comes to town. It's better to be relatively less wealthy in a stable world than the king of a dangerous one.

When even the elites suffer, they might consider making the world better. It isn't guaranteed, but capitalists are nothing if not full of themselves. Even leftists refuse to recognize how miserable collapse would be. It's something we must avoid, even if that means we must ally with shitty liberals.

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Or vote for a better alternative. I urge everybody to check out Jill Stein or Cornel West. Either one would be a much better president than Trump or Biden.

[–] zbyte64@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 8 months ago

Unfortunately the lever only goes in two directions.