You emotionally dislike the fact that voting is irrational, so you’ve downvoted this post, but you haven’t even attempted to reason with me.
If this post is getting downvoted, it’s probably because it shows a lack of awareness of a zillion previous discussions on voting, e.g. this one. Many LWers like the decision theory called Timeless Decision Theory, in which—if I understand it correctly, a dubious assumption—you consider yourself to be making a decision not just for yourself, but for all similar minds. One advantage of this is that TDT agents cooperate on Prisoner’s Dilemmas. Some people consider voting to be an instance where TDT agents decide to vote.
Your comment complaining about being downvoted was downvoted for complaining about being downvoted, and for making a probably-inaccurate accusation about why.
The reason may be less that the LW community believes voting is rational...but that the LW community already understands that voting IS irrational, and the LW community is just reacting negatively to having the same idea be brought up again.
I understand you provided some solutions to try and make voting ‘rational’, though, however, I do disagree with the idea that #3 and #4 would actually work. Voting only becomes rational when your vote does sways an issue, and not only is this chance incredibly small, but it would likely provoke an automatic recount, meaning your vote is again proven useless.
Providing one extra vote to your side when your side is already is winning/losing is inherently irrational (at least in terms of swaying policy, not signaling views).
Wow, guys. I would have expected more of the less wrong crowd.
You emotionally dislike the fact that voting is irrational, so you’ve downvoted this post, but you haven’t even attempted to reason with me.
If I’m wrong, tell me why. Don’t just have an emotional reaction.
If this post is getting downvoted, it’s probably because it shows a lack of awareness of a zillion previous discussions on voting, e.g. this one. Many LWers like the decision theory called Timeless Decision Theory, in which—if I understand it correctly, a dubious assumption—you consider yourself to be making a decision not just for yourself, but for all similar minds. One advantage of this is that TDT agents cooperate on Prisoner’s Dilemmas. Some people consider voting to be an instance where TDT agents decide to vote.
Your comment complaining about being downvoted was downvoted for complaining about being downvoted, and for making a probably-inaccurate accusation about why.
The reason may be less that the LW community believes voting is rational...but that the LW community already understands that voting IS irrational, and the LW community is just reacting negatively to having the same idea be brought up again.
I understand you provided some solutions to try and make voting ‘rational’, though, however, I do disagree with the idea that #3 and #4 would actually work. Voting only becomes rational when your vote does sways an issue, and not only is this chance incredibly small, but it would likely provoke an automatic recount, meaning your vote is again proven useless.
Providing one extra vote to your side when your side is already is winning/losing is inherently irrational (at least in terms of swaying policy, not signaling views).
4 does work. In Australia they have a near-perfect voter turn out. It makes voting rational, in order to avoid the fine.