The Electoral Choice, explained in JavaScript

While I don't use Facebook nearly as much as I used to, I like to keep certain types of people on my Friends list.

There are the pro-Government types, in particular, the ever-enthusiastic fans of the incumbent, the People's Action Party (PAP). They post glowing gushing paragraphs about the PAP, extolling their virtues and taking their side in just about every matter, and they crap on the other political parties every opportunity they get.

And then there are the anti-establishment types. They'll oppose the People's Action Party on principle, and always have something negative to say in response. And they will support any political party that isn't the People's Action Party. Well, almost any; some political parties are such no-hopers that anyone in their right mind would be hard-pressed to support them.

And every five years, during the Singapore General Elections, something beautiful happens. Everyone goes full retard. At the same time.

Going full retard.

The pro-Government types will fiercely defend the PAP and vilify the other political parties. The anti-establishment types will vilify the PAP and take the side of the other political parties. In other words, everyone picks a side and praises their own side for doing something, while shitting on the other side just as passionately for doing pretty much the same thing.

The pro-Government types will predictably only vote PAP come what may. And the anti-establishment types will vote just about any political party that isn't the PAP. This is generally why I think political rallies are useless. Everyone has pretty much already made up their minds whom they will vote for. Few people are going to change their vote over some pretty and persuasive words during a passionate rally, and I wouldn't expect them to.

Whom do I support? Let's just say people like me are on the fence and probably equally despised by everybody. People think I'm "neutral" just so I can say I'm smarter than the extremists in both camps. But honestly, that would be more of a bragging right if you guys in your political camps weren't so goddamn foolish.

People despise fence-sitters because they want us to pick a side (preferably theirs), take a stand. But I am taking a stand. My stand is that of the voter.

Let's explain this in programming terms!

Let's say your vote is represented by a JavaScript variable.

var vote;

During an election, various parties would be working hard to change your vote to this...

var vote;

vote = "PAP";

...or this!

var vote;

vote = "WP";

That's good, and perfectly normal. But unfortunately, what I see is this...

const voteForPAP = true;

...or this!

const voteForPAP = false;

In programming, constants can't be changed. They can only be taken reference from. Variable values can be changed, and arguably, much of programming involves changing the values of variables.

What's the difference between people who will always vote for the PAP, or those who will never vote for the PAP? No difference. You no longer matter. If your vote is unchangeable, congratulations, you've pretty much made your vote (and by extension, yourself) irrelevant. No one is interested in working for your vote because your vote can't be earned, or changed.

Working to earn a vote that will never be given is nothing but a massive waste of time. Working to earn a vote that will always be given is also a colossal time-waster. That's right, Junior, you ain't worth the effort. And you have no one but your obstinate self to blame for that.

Final thoughts

People whose votes are already fixed, aren't the goal. They're the goalposts!

Be the goal, not the goalpost.

In football, players don't aim for the goalpost. They aim for the goal. Even if they do aim for the goalpost, ultimately, the intention is for the ball to rebound off the goalpost into goal.

Don't be binary. The only person it hurts is yourself.

vote = "whomever";
T___T