Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Today is an election day and I am purposefully not going to vote. I have decided to take break from political participation and discussion simply because of how much it has impinged upon and molded my consciousness. In a lot of ways, I feel as though I’m detoxing from the news media and the drive to be politically active. I can actually feel the absence of the angst but there is still some uneasiness there.

My bhikkhu friend asked me to consider the insignificance of my vote and although it is true I can’t help but disagree that it is completely so. If drops fill a bucket, how then is a vote completely useless? Truth is, despite its infinitesimal significance, the constant anxiety produced by “keeping up” with current affairs to be able to cast the vote is just not worth it.

So, there it is: yes, voting matters and, if you can cast yours without setting fire to your heart and mind, do it. For me, I simply cannot and I hold peace and release as my highest aims.