Election Day Eve Quotes of the Day

As we all gather our thoughts before entering the polling place (except you wise few who voted early), I thought that I would share with you a bit of appropriate wisdom from one of my favorite authors, Robert Heinlein.  

If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for ... but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires.

 

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There are hidden contradictions in the minds of people who "love Nature" while deploring the "artificialialities" with which "Man has spoiled 'Nature'." The obvious contradiction lies in their choice of words, which imply that Man and his artifacts are not part of "Nature" - but beavers and their dams are. But the contradictions go deeper than this prima-facie absurdity. In declaring his love for a beaver dam (erected by beavers for beavers' purposes) and his hatred for dams erected by men (for the purposes of men) the "Naturist" reveals his hatred for his own race - i.e., his own self-hatred. In the case of "Naturists" such self-hatred is understandable; they are a sorry lot. But hatred is too strong an emotion to feel toward them; pity and contempt are the most they rate.