On being militantly apathetic

As a recovering political addict, I'm doing my best to not become one of those intolerant scolds, like an ex-smoker harassing the junkies huddling around building entrances. But some people really need to get over it. I don't mean to pick on Sebastian again, but he just keeps Energizer bunnying all over teh Intarw3bs with his hyperpoliticized world view. This post is a good example:

Either politics is still a worthwhile endeavor, or we’re hopelessly off the rails and it’s time to start a revolution.

Why is this an either/or? Aren't there other things to do with our time and energy, like work, raise kids, read and think, and generally live our lives without turning the whole thing into a public activity? In my view, 'politics' as Sebastian defines it is a big waste of time. Elections and party politics are one way to enter a social network and engage in status signaling, much like joining a fraternity. If that's your thing, then by all means have at it! Just don't pretend that it's accomplishing anything bigger than your enjoyment.

Other bloggers demand we gunnies suck it up and vote for McCain, simply because the alternative is so much worse. Well I call bullshit on that. In the first place, an individual vote is less valuable than a MegaMillions ticket. So the only reason to vote is to engage in various forms of signaling, and participate in a misguided Kantian magic ritual. In the second place, you can carry water for Political Unit A all you want on your blogs, man the phone banks, or whatever, and your value to the campaign is nothing compared to the big donor guys. The bottom line is that all of your grass-roots efforts matter far less in an election than a last-minute MSM report of an ancient drunk-driving arrest. And even if Political Unit A gets elected, and even if he's Mr. Principle, the system is far too big for any one person or group of persons to change it from the inside.