Vote: the instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the ironic nature of voting, suggesting it can lead to poor choices that harm society.
Ambrose Bierce's quote underscores the paradox of democracy, where the freedom to vote is both a powerful tool for expressing one's opinions and a potential avenue for making poor decisions that can have detrimental effects on a country. It critiques the notion that voting is always an intelligent exercise of freedom, reminding us that the choice made at the polls can reflect foolishness and lead to significant consequences for the nation.
In practice
During a discussion on the importance of voter education, one could quote this to emphasize the need for informed voting.
PALM, n. A species of tree . . . of which the familiar "itching palm" ("Palma hominis") is most widely distributed . . . . This noble vegetable exudes a kind of invisible gum, which may be detected by applying to the bark a piece of gold or silver.
Human nature is pretty well balanced; for every lacking virtue there is a rough substitute that will serve at a pinch--as cunning is the wisdom of the unwise, and ferocity the courage of the coward.
Indigestion: A disease which the patient and his friends frequently mistake for deep religious conviction and concern for the salvation of mankind. As the simple Red Man of the Western Wild put it, with, it must be confessed, a certain force: 'Plenty well, no pray; big belly ache, heap God.'
Disobey n:To celebrate with an appropriate ceremony the maturity of a command
NOUMENON, n. That which exists, as distinguished from that which merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon. The noumenon is a bit difficult to locate; it can be apprehended only by a process of reasoning - which is a phenomenon.
PARDON, v. To remit a penalty and restore to the life of crime. To add to the lure of crime the temptation of ingratitude.
Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.
Dictators ride to and fro upon tigers which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry.
When Estonia reestablished its sovereignty after a half century of successive thuggish, totalitarian, foreign occupations by the Soviets, the Nazis, and then again the Soviets, we knew we wanted to create a democratic country characterized by rule of law and respect for human rights.
The Iraq war was always a long shot. But it was made immeasurably longer by its principal architects in Washington, including Douglas Feith, who ignored expert advice, reserved most of their effort for fighting each other in ideological battles, and regarded the Iraqi people as an afterthought.
Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.
While democracy must have its organization and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.
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