Should Americans vote for their own best interests, or their neighbors?

Question

I am constantly faced with the realization that my life is good, but according to the news, everyone else's life is miserable. This leads to two possible democracy theories:

A. Vote for what is best for me. If everyone does this, and life is miserable for most people, than the miserable people will get what they want. If life is good for most people, then the good life will continue.

B. Vote for what is best for my neighbor. This theory would presuppose that either my neighbor does not know what is best for himself, or that their are not enough citizens in my neighbor's horrible predicament to change things.

Which theory do you like and why?

Answer 1

I agree with many of the answerers reasoning for voting A. I too would choose A. Voting is now a free right that everyone has. Though many people aren't as considerate as you sound to be, instead of voting for them, you should encourage them to vote. There are many organizations that encourage people, especially young people to vote, and that would be the perfect opportunity to help.

Answer 2

My husband and I have discussed this point, but not exactly in the terms you use.

When I was a child receiving religious education, I was taught that it was my responsibility to care for "the least of these among us" because as I treated them, so I treated my Lord and Savior.  

In my young adult years, the prevailing attitude seemed to be "greed is good" and it reminded me of the old "what's good for GM is good for the country" saying.

My personal experience is often that improving the situation of those around me who are having difficulties actually improves my own lot as well.

Recently, my financial situation is sufficiently changed that I benefited from some of the Bush tax cuts, and if they are removed, I'll pay more in taxes.  When everyone got those stimulus checks, mine went into financial investments, and "stimulated" absolutely nothing except a little bump in my own savings rate that month.

Barring the total collapse of our national economy, I'll be okay.  My own self interest is in seeing that the future for my children is secure.  They will not be secure if the deficit isn't brought under control, if the environment is so degraded that life as we know it is untenable, or if we continue down this path toward third-world divisions between those of means and those without.  

So this year, I will not be voting for my own short term best interest, nor for the short term interest of my neighbors.  My vote will go to the person I think has the clearest view of the long term good of the country and our place in the larger world.  I'm voting for the interests of my children and grandchildren.  Since they can not vote for themselves, it seems the best path.

Answer 3

Well you have touched on truth's that few are willing to admit.

1.  The news media will report gloom and doom to make us all fell that we are headed for certain disaster.  The vast portion of the news media abuses their position and fails to report the facts but rather, report the facts as they see them to propagate THEIR agenda.  The constitution promises separation of church and state but failed to separate state and media.

2.  Things are in deed not that bad.  Our economy is growing and everyone I know is doing well.  I lost my job last year (because I couldn't work with idiots so I quit and moved to another state the next week) and now I have two houses.  I am not selling my first house right now because everyone expects to get a house for nothing.  I am not giving mine away.  The market is rebounding as we speak.  Even my dad who is semi-retired from his self owned business is doing better than ever.

Most people get out of life what they put into it.  My guess that a majority of the people complaining about how things are not fair and we need a change - I got two things for you.  Life isn't fair and it never was promised to be - get off your butt, quit whining and DO something rather than wait on someone to do it for you.

In short - you get one vote - I would be very stingy with it and do what I am going to do - vote MY best interests.

Answer 4

Can you be a rich man in a poor country?

Answer 5

Your reasoning is very flawed, but I will play.

Of course vote A, you cannot help thy neighbor if you cannot help yourself.

Edit: now everyone is saying the last 8 years have been good.  Well they have not.  I am a medical student who was not raised wealthy.  I have taken Step 1 in the boards.  I am damned near stuck now, because the mortgage crisis looks like nothing compared to the student loan crisis.  At least the bank can take your home.  I even have wonderful credit and I am still screwed.

EDIT: I did not mean to rant.

Answer 6

A. Vote for what is best for me. If everyone does this, and life is miserable for most people, than the miserable people will get what they want. If life is good for most people, then the good life will continue.

It is not the job of the government to make you happy. This IS the land of opportunity. You have the OPPORTUNITY to do as you see fit.

It is NOT the RIGHT of others in this country to take what you have gained through hard work (or luck if your family rolls like that)....

Answer 7

I think A.

It's relative. What is your definition of what is best for you. It might be very different for someone else. There are a lot of factors to consider. It may seem simple but I find when I think about it more I realize that it's not so simple.

On the surface, all may look good but if you dig deeper then maybe not so much depending on your aspirations and goals.  

Answer 8

I am not into the selfish I am fine so who cares about the others way. That way exists in the extreme poor countries where the rich walk by the beggars without pity, till one day the beggars have an up rise killing the rich folks who didn't care. I believe that if we are not all doing well, we have a problem.

Answer 9

I dont want to call your question stupid because there technically isnt such a thing, but who wouldnt vote based on their own interests?

Answer 10

each person gets 1 vote, each person should vote based on what they feel... not what their neighbors feel.     their neighbors will vote based on how they feel.... it's not one's job to vote along those lines.  

Answer 11

I live and work in the hood. I work for myself, volunteer in the community and pay taxes so I get a first hand view of where my tax money goes. The sub prime meltdown has been great for our neighborhood. We had tons of builder fraud and inflated pricing. Now all of that is gone what we have now is families moving in and getting houses at incredible prices while affordable housing is being incorporated in.  

Answer 12

Some people are leaders and some are followers and there are some who don't have a clue!

People who have the right to vote should follow their thoughts and views and vote for who they think is qualified.

I know who I am voting for!

Answer 13

B. Because we ALL are someones neighbor and if more people looked out for each other instead of THEMSELVES it would be a much greater world.

Answer 14

Life is competition. Voting for your neighbor is voting against yourself. I agree, my life has been wonderful. I don't know anybody whose had a tough time these last 8 years. But apparently they're all over the place. I'm not going to vote to increase taxes, though, because it's bad for both me and my neighbor.

Answer 15

I would suggest that a vote for me...if you are middle class, working, with a fair amount of common sense, is a vote for my neighbor. Vote foe personal responsibility...is that Republican or Democrat...your choice.

Answer 16

A. Ayn Rand's Objectivism. enlightened selfishness. If your happy yourself, you wont be preying on your neighbor. Besides caring for others is a moral responsibility, not a political one. Let the gov't take care of the few things the Constitution says it should, others the states, & moral/philosophical questions by the church & your beliefs.

Of course, thats a problem if the state is your church.

Answer 17

Yes (No man is an Island)

This leans toward B, but if a man has multiple neighbors, the greater good is served by voting the better for more people.  

The B write-up supposes the neighbor can vote (is not in prison, is not affected cross-border by climate change, other pollution, war, etc.)

Answer 18

You know, when that question was presented once before, someone asked "Who is my neighbor..."