Voltaire and Camus, both great thinkers, would not vote for the standard democrat/republican. These men see beyond the stereotypical candidates and are drawn to ideas not many men wish to dwell upon.
Voltaire, a man of double entendres, risked his life to point out the flaws of society. He would not vote for a Mitt Romney, as his views on the government are extreme and he wants consistency and strength in a leader- not some indecisive wimp. He would not vote for a democrat either, as democracy seems as close to socialism more than any other party. Voltaire, would most likely sleep in on the election day, tend to his "garden", and read The Onion (a popular satirical newspaper.) He would get many a good chuckle out of their articles.
Camus was an absurdist, and believed that humans exist in a meaningless and irrational world. Whoever he voted for would not really matter, as life has no meaning. If given the choice not to vote, he would sleep in and enjoy a pack of cigarettes. If forced to vote on a candidate, he would close his eyes, hum Eenie-Meenie-Minie-Mo and vote for whoever his finger landed on on the ballot. He would find no pleasure in doing so, coolly step out of the voting booth, and take a long walk in nature with his environmentally unfriendly cigarettes. Ron Paul and his libertarian views would suit Camus the most, but Camus wouldn't care enough to look into political party views.
It's interesting that you say Voltaire would not vote Democratic because it was close to socialism. I almost feel like if he did vote, he would vote socialist. His ending to Candide has Candide and everyone else working in harmony in the garden, everyone has a job, and no one needs to look for any trouble anywhere else. Obviously he would not agree with Leninism or Stalinism, but I feel like he would subscribe at least mildly to a Marxist viewpoint
ReplyDeleteI pretty much agree with most of what you said except I don't think Camus would vote at all. After all, what's the point, right? I do agree that Voltaire wouldn't vote for a Republican or Democrat but perhaps for a third party candidate if anything.
ReplyDeleteImara, you have a good point saying that Voltaire would vote for a Socialist because of the ending he chose to write for Candide, yet I don't think he would be quick to believe in
ReplyDeleteMarxism, as by the time he was 40 he was a very wealthy man. The Marxist idea of a classless society would not provide him the luxury to print his ideas against the bourgeois oppression-nor would he have the fuel to create such works had it not been for this societal structure.