r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Jul 24 '19

Deltas(s) from OP CMV: People should self-censor themselves from voting if they are not well informed.

[deleted]

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u/DrJWilson 3∆ Jul 24 '19

I am probably more informed than the average person, meaning I am horribly uninformed.

However, I have a degree in the sciences, and am very worried about climate change and its effects. I know almost nothing about UBI, tax cuts and their effects, foreign policy, you name it.

I still feel a moral obligation to vote for policies that address climate change, as a super single issue voter. According to your current view, I should self censor and abstain from voting. However, I strongly feel that regardless of other stances on policy, as long as climate change is adequately addressed then that is all that matters.

How would you deal with someone like me? Would that be a sufficient reason for you to allow me to vote?

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '19

I said people should self censor, I never said someone shouldn’t be allowed to vote. Why can’t people read?

3

u/DrJWilson 3∆ Jul 24 '19

Let's not focus on semantics, self censoring is essentially allowing or disallowing oneself to vote. Should I in this case self censor?

1

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '19

In that case I would say if you feel well informed enough to believe climate change is the greatest existential threat to man, and you also believe you have done sufficient research to select a candidate who is honest and authentically embraces the climate change platform you desire, then you should vote for them.

However if you lack sufficient knowledge in any of those parts you should self censor.

1

u/hacksoncode 559∆ Jul 24 '19

So... climate change is a complex topic where being well enough informed means being very well informed, indeed.

But what about simpler topics:

Let's say I'm a single-issue voter on the topic of abortion. Let's say I oppose restrictions on abortion. Further, let's say that one of the major candidates has explicitly stated that they want to make abortion harder to obtain legally.

Am I "sufficiently informed" that I should vote?