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Never about lesser evils
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A man dips his finger in indelible ink in East Denpasar, Bali after voting in the Bali gubernatorial election. (JP/Anggara Mahendra)
W
henever I have been asked who I was voting for in this year’s election, I always answered “golput” (golongan putih, meaning to abstain). Interestingly, some ended the conversation after my reply, but most didn’t understand that I didn’t want to discuss politics.
There are at least three kinds of people who do respond to my “golput” response. The first is the democracy cynic. This type will nod, say that was the best option and then add, “Whoever leads this nation, the result will be the same”. Then they change the conversation, talking about how they will spend their day off.
The second type is the democracy zealot. This type will try to convince me how important my vote is. For them, the election is a contest about who is better for Indonesia and they usually argue about good vs. better. For me, this type is unrealistic and believes that politicians are angels in disguise.
The last type is the wannabe democrat and my least favorite. Not only will they lecture me about how my vote matters to democracy, but some will also develop an argument to try and convince me that their candidate is the best. Their approach is bad vs. worst.
Wannabe democrats are not as naive as democracy zealots. They will admit that their candidate is not ideal and is wanting, but at the same time, point out that the other is a source of greater evil. Their conclusion is always the same: “If the rival candidate wins the election, Indonesia will suffer.”
These wannabe democrats lack two things. First, they fail to point out a motivation for voting. If it is bad vs. worst, then those who vote will take part in the destruction of this nation. So, those who go to the polls will come out of their day off with dirtied hands, metaphorically and literally.
The fact is that scandals are rife among not only the presidential candidates, but also their supporters. Issues from corruption to adultery trouble both camps. It is not just that the candidates per se are not ideal; their supporters, too, are far from ideal.
