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Feeling responsible for things you can’t control

Emmalephant

Hello!

So, as some of you know, I’m from Germany and tomorrow is election day. The feeling I have today is comparable to the dread I feel when I have to plan an event, where everything has to go to plan. It starts with ridiculous what-if-spiralling about different scenarios that would lead to preventing me from voting and goes up to feeling as if the weight of a nation was on my shoulders. This election is generally seen as a defining point of modern German politics and the global step to the right we’re currently witnessing is threatening to shove us into a very wrong direction. The party that worries me is already being observed by the agency for protection of the constitution, so I didn’t just come up with those fears. It has gained many voters over the years and I now feel as if it is up to me alone to change the course of politics, even though the best thing I can do right now is to just go on and vote for a democratic party. 

Does anyone else sometimes feel responsible for things that are rationally far too big for one person to carry? I know it’s ridiculous, but it is weighing me down so much right now with everything happening in the world and my own personal stuff going on.

Parents

  • I feel I have a duty to be informed and to keep up with developments at home and abroad. It is a huge responsibility not to be ignorant of the things that are behind certain political shifts and swings so that I can make informed and conscientious voting decisions. This weighs heavily on me especially approaching election time, and is complicated by decisions regarding whether or not to vote tactically.

    Emmalephant said:
    Does anyone else sometimes feel responsible for things that are rationally far too big for one person to carry?


    Often I am grateful that someone else is making the huge decisions that will affect every person in the country and have repercussions for the rest of the world. You too know that it is not your responsibility alone to change the course of politics, yet you feel the burden of making the right and moral decision when voting. I keep reminding myself that it is not my responsibility - it’s easy to know - but not easy to really know. 

    Nobody can ask any more of you than for you to make an informed decision, and from what you have said, you are conscientious and doing your best. These are worrying times, and there is much debate about us entering a new world order. I struggle with disinformation/lies/untruths that seems to permeate some political decisions, but I have no option but to try to remain detached. Not easy and not always successful.

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  • I feel I have a duty to be informed and to keep up with developments at home and abroad. It is a huge responsibility not to be ignorant of the things that are behind certain political shifts and swings so that I can make informed and conscientious voting decisions. This weighs heavily on me especially approaching election time, and is complicated by decisions regarding whether or not to vote tactically.

    Emmalephant said:
    Does anyone else sometimes feel responsible for things that are rationally far too big for one person to carry?


    Often I am grateful that someone else is making the huge decisions that will affect every person in the country and have repercussions for the rest of the world. You too know that it is not your responsibility alone to change the course of politics, yet you feel the burden of making the right and moral decision when voting. I keep reminding myself that it is not my responsibility - it’s easy to know - but not easy to really know. 

    Nobody can ask any more of you than for you to make an informed decision, and from what you have said, you are conscientious and doing your best. These are worrying times, and there is much debate about us entering a new world order. I struggle with disinformation/lies/untruths that seems to permeate some political decisions, but I have no option but to try to remain detached. Not easy and not always successful.

Children
  • in reply to ArchaeC
    ArchaeC said:
    it’s easy to know - but not easy to really know

    That sums it up quite perfectly. Thanks for putting this paradox into words! 

    We’re all just doing our best and I can already tell that you’re a very intelligent and reflecting person. I’ll try my best to just follow your example.

  • in reply to ArchaeC
    ArchaeC said:
    so that I can make informed and conscientious voting decisions

    When and how often will you vote?

    I'm genuinely curious as to to cost/reward basis this effort/stress produces.

    I applaud you for taking such diligence in your responsibilities as a voter.

    ArchaeC said:
    I struggle with disinformation/lies/untruths that seems to permeate some political decisions,

    Have you considered the legitimacy of the party actually in power?

    A few facts from Wikipedia or the governments election stats on their own websites:

    population of the UK 66 million approx (from 2022 - the most accurate currently)

    registered voters = 48.2 million

    people who actually voted (at 60% turnout) = 28.92 million

    percentage who voted labour in total = 34%

    so 20% of the electorate voted labour or only 15% of the population.

    Hardly a strong mandate and certainly a damning statistic about how effective the electoral is at present.