I don't think it is a sense of entitlement that compels people to participate for only 1 hour every 4 years. I think that one hour of participation is in spite the the over arching sense of disenfranchisement they feel with regards to the political system. I think for a lot of people voting is a ritual without content. Something they feel they should do but no longer really understand why or understand exactly what they are doing.
The political system , as controlled by "authority", has a interest in people being disengaged but not TOO disengaged. Saddam Hussein thought it at least somewhat beneficial to have elections even though they were a complete fraud.
To refocus i'm saying that low and purely ritualistic participation does not come from a sense entitlement but from a sense of disenfranchisement. Think of the lapse Catholic who just keeps on showing up to church on christmas and easter. The person is no longer participating in the Church (a perfect example of a highly authoritarian structure) so only participates in the bare minimum of rituals so feel like a member of some kind of community even if that community has last all meaning or relevance.
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branchandroot
entitlement?
Date: 2008-03-22 08:38 pm (UTC)The political system , as controlled by "authority", has a interest in people being disengaged but not TOO disengaged. Saddam Hussein thought it at least somewhat beneficial to have elections even though they were a complete fraud.
To refocus i'm saying that low and purely ritualistic participation does not come from a sense entitlement but from a sense of disenfranchisement. Think of the lapse Catholic who just keeps on showing up to church on christmas and easter. The person is no longer participating in the Church (a perfect example of a highly authoritarian structure) so only participates in the bare minimum of rituals so feel like a member of some kind of community even if that community has last all meaning or relevance.