Think Outside the Ballot Box

Here is an adaption of a well known piece produced to provoke deeper thinking.
A voter gets an Ego
A Voter rested comfortably on a bench, sweetly enjoying the weather and the singing of the birds. His daydreams were interrupted when Negative walked by.
“Oh, man,” Negative complained. “An undecided voter. Why can’t we ever get people to commit to vote around here?”
Voter had never given any thought to himself before. Negative’s words made him suddenly self-aware of his own existence. He was. But WHAT was he? According to Negative, he was an Undecided Voter. Voter adopted the identity of Undecided Voter.
An identity crisis
Voter did not feel Undecided. Lost and confused, Voter asked for feedback. When Pessimist walked by, Voter asked, “Excuse me, sir, but am I Undecided?”
“You’re not Undecided,” Pessimist replied. Voter breathed a sigh of relief. Pessimist continued. “You’re abandoned. You should be with others, but you’re not. I want a Supporter, not an Abandoned Voter.”
As Pessimist’s rant continued, Voter despaired. Pessimist saw he wasn’t undecided. But Pessimist condemned who he was. Voter discovered his ego, and that ego hurt. Feeling inadequate, Voter considered ways to become a supporter, but felt too depressed to take action.
A false self
Voter wallowed in self-hatred until Positive walked by. “Oh, look,” Positive said. “A Supporter. How wonderful to see a Supporter. It makes me smile.”
Voter smiled too. Pessimist was wrong about him. He wasn’t Abandoned. He was a Supporter. Voter took great pleasure in thinking of himself as a Supporter. He beamed with an egoic sense of pride. At times Voter felt an underlying sense of discomfort, but his ego quickly silenced his doubts.
Then Optimist walked by. “Oh, look,” Optimist said. “A free thinking voter. I am happy to see a free thinking voter.”
Voter’s ego resisted Optimist’s words. How dare Optimist suggest he was not a Supporter? But Optimist’s words ate at Voter’s ego until he faced himself. He was not a Supporter. Voter reluctantly adopted A free thinking voter as his new definition of himself.
Voter remembers who he is
Next, Realist walked by. “Oh, look,” Realist said. “A Voter. A supporter and A free thinking voter depending on how we look at it.”
When Voter heard Realist’s words, he remembered who he was. He was a Voter. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing all depended on the person looking. It had no bearing on his true nature. Suddenly, Voter realized he had tried to shape, distort, and present himself according to perceptions of others – perceptions that had nothing to do with who he was. Relieved, Voter rested comfortably on the bench, sweetly enjoying the weather and the singing of the birds.
Voter is not fooled again
Then Proactive walked by. “Oh, look,” Proactive exclaimed. “A Voter. A supporter and A free thinking voter. I want your Vote, I could bribe Voter to get his Vote.”
There was a time when Voter would have been beside himself with horror from hearing Proactive’s words. There was a time when Voter’s ego would have puffed with visions of Supporter greatness. But now, Voter heard Proactive’s words with equilibrium. Voter wouldn’t mind a bit if Proactive bribed him.
Voter continued resting comfortably on the bench, sweetly enjoying the weather and the singing of the birds.
A new Life
Proactive filled Voter with promises. Voter became a Supporter. Proactive got the Vote. Voter was immediately abandoned after the Vote.
That’s when Voter had a new realization. He exclaimed, “I’m still me!” Not only was he not defined by other’s perceptions of him, he was not defined by his form in the moment. Voter had been bribed and used, but he was still himself.
Free of ego limitations, Voter continued sitting on the bench the weather had changed and the birds stopped singing. It would never be the same as before.
Notes:Perspectives:
Negative negates the good and only sees bad.
Pessimist sees things as they are, but interprets to emphasize bad.
Positive negates bad and only sees good.
Optimist sees things as they are, and interprets to emphasize good.
Realist sees things as they are and knows anything beyond that is a matter of perspective and opinion.
Proactive sees things as they want them to be and shapes them into what they need them to be…according to Proactive’s perceptions and opinions.
Voter is a Voter no matter who looks at him.