Vote so they can vote to control us

Its now been almost ten hours without electricity. The power bid us goodbye at around ten in the morning and made its reappearance a few minutes ago. The time's now eight in the evening. I guess by now I've done more for the earth hour than all of the continents put together. After all they switched off for an hour. We've been out for ten hours. And this is just the beginning of a long summer without power in Bangalore.

I guess now, Planet Earth owes me, and not the other way round.

Anyway, this post ain't about the lack of electricity. Its about what the Karnataka government is mulling post BBMP elections. The poor voter turnout has prompted them to consider compulsory voting.

My reaction? How hilarious!

Imagine the irony. Politicians will now legislate so they can force us into voting booths. So we can vote them back to legislate on how they can control our lives even further. Of course, I am ready to go to the booths. But the party I want to vote for must be one that promises lesser control over my life. Which means the politician will have to legislate to reduce his control over us.

Now, what does your common sense tell you? Who's the politician who's ready to vote reduction of his control over us?

You got it. None.

Again, I am not an advocate of zero government. But I am one who wants lesser government, so I can left to my own devices. But then that's an oxymoron. I vote, so government can vote to leave me alone? Wishful thinking, I'd say.

Remember the best government to vote for is one that promises not to meddle in our lives. After all it isn't an easy life for me or for you. During the power cut I looked out of my window on to the road that passes by. What I witnessed struck me as fascinating. People on the roads were essentially hurrying on to two engagements. There were vehicles rushing people to work (note, Bangalore's ITES industry works at night), and others rushing them home. The ones going to work were rushing to be part of a production/service process, so they could earn a livelihood for themselves. The ones rushing home were doing so, so they could be with their families and also play their parts out as consumers. Because back home as consumers we enjoy what we buy using what we earned.

Which means the two roles that we play out judiciously almost everyday is that of producers, that help us earn money, so we can essay our roles as consumers. Like I said this isn't a life that's easy. And therefore we deserve every penny we earn. It also then justifies our life as deserved consumers.

The government's role in all of this is in effect to disrupt this normalcy of production and consumption so they can take our money and spend it on hair-brained schemes conjured up under the guise of social upliftment. And in between they also find time to force us into voting booths.

What supreme irony. Our money so we can be told how to live our lives.

Hey, you game?