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About this quote

What does it mean?
Voting is described as a tool that leads to personal folly and national ruin.
In plain terms
Voting makes you look stupid and hurts your country.
What can you take from it?
Civic duty can lead to negative outcomes.

Where it applies

  • political science
  • civic discussion
  • history

Putting it to work

  • analyze voting systems
  • discuss civic duty

Questions to consider

  • Does voting help or hurt?
  • What is true freedom?

Another view

Many argue voting protects rights rather than destroying them.

More from Ambrose Bierce

  1. Virtues, n. pl. Certain abstentions.

    Permalink to quote #83
  2. White, adj. and n. Black.

    Permalink to quote #85
  3. Un-American, adj. Wicked, intolerable, heathenish.

    Permalink to quote #82

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