Welcome to Ask Poppy! I’m Poppy, your go-to girl for all of life’s woes. And when I say ALL, I MEAN IT. I’m not an expert on anything except maybe for being me, which makes me totally qualified to do this.
Hi, Poppy!
As you may have noticed, our social media feed has been filled with talks about politics and the upcoming elections. There has been so much drama, so much bashing, and so much um, lies. The upside, though, is that at least now, we know that people participate and voice out their opinions. They are now, in their own little way, taking action for our country’s future.
But all of the information I see around leaves me confused and, quite frankly, faced with a lot of questions—who do I vote for? What should I consider? Will people think of me differently when they find out who I have chosen? Is voting also a way for others to see my true character?
To cut it short, Poppy, I need help it getting my head straight for elections. It sounds shallow, but what must I prioritize? My own choices and opinion or what others think?
I hope you can help me out!
—Leah
Hello, Leah!
You wanna hear something truly revolting? I don’t vote. I haven’t exercised this right since forever and I don’t think my vote is enough to #CHANGE the way this country is going. To cut it short, we’re all super effed up.
I am registered to vote for this coming elections, but upon seeing the list of candidates running, I just gave up. Seeing those guys ruining each other makes no total sense to me. I would rather watch that nightly teleserye about a cop with a lisp who keeps on righting the wrongs of our country. You know what I’m talking about. It makes me believe that some good things are real.
Leah, I am but one person who does not care about the decisions of these people in the government. There are many of you who truly care about the future, and I salute you for that.
Who you vote for should adhere to your beliefs and aspirations. I can’t tell you the exact name of the candidate because we are two very different people, Leah. The way I was brought up, the whole nurture vs. nature that Terrence Malick was trying to dissect and figure out in The Tree of Life is what makes us human.
What do you believe in, Leah? What are your aspirations? These are the things that you should try to figure out first. Building up an ideal candidate in your head will give you a better chance of figuring out your vote.
Anyone who’s trying to make a proper decision should be familiar with the candidates. Get oriented about their platforms and tune out on the noise that gets in the way. What they’re saying in their interviews doesn’t necessarily add up to the truth. Which is why even ten days before the election, you’ve still got candidates drawing out their big guns, in a last ditch effort to slay the competition. Getting to know the candidates involves a lot of time, but you should’ve been doing that from the very start of the campaign trail, Leah.
In the process of getting to know the candidates, you will encounter differences. Getting in conflict with them allows you to eliminate the ones you don’t agree with. Why should you vote for someone who doesn’t believe in the same things as you, Leah? Of course your vote should go to someone who can skillfully navigate our country to success.
I don’t think anyone would give a damn about who you vote for because people are so steadfast with their own choices that we all just mostly create a lot of noise. I mean, check out the comments section of election-related news on the websites of local major publications. People have their own opinion and they just love shouting it out or shoving it down someone’s throat.
The person you’re voting for is pretty much a reflection of who you are, Leah. Like I said, you’re giving your vote to someone who believes in the same things as you are. Voting for someone truly terrible means that you’re probably a terrible person. I f*cking mean it.
Honestly speaking, I’m not proud of the fact that I don’t vote. It’s just that I feel so detached from local politics. Like, I really don’t want to hear anything about it. I don’t want to talk about politics. I don’t even wanna be here. But I don’t care because that’s how I view things. Leah, in the end, it’s all about you. I’m not saying that the whole election is all about you—LOL. I’m just saying that this decision is yours to make. Don’t get swayed by what people want you to believe. Just shade those damn circles on May 9 and cross your fingers. Hope for the best.
Because that’s what we can all do right now: hope. Hope that the person you guys will elect won’t screw up. One thing’s certain though: soon enough, they will screw up. We are human beings, we’re not perfect. Don’t stress about making the perfect choice.
Always,
Poppy
Got a question for Poppy? From love and relationships to weird questions you dare not ask even your psychologist, Poppy is ready to answer them all. Send in your questions to ask.poppy@yahoo.com or post your question over Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #AskPoppy, and you just might get the answer you are looking for.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author in her private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Preen.ph, or any other entity of the Inquirer Group of Companies.
Art by Dorothy Guya