When duty doesn't mean shit

Remember when the word duty didn't bring up chuckles related to bodily functions? It's hard to I know. There was a time when citizens had duties to their society and one another. Now, thanks to ruthless competition, self-centred individualism rules so mush that we don't bother to vote. Voting isn't just a right, it's a duty to one's self. one's fellow citizen's and one's society. You don't just render yourself silent when you don't vote, you break democracy. It doesn't function, like the fact that our present majority government has a majority with 40% of the 50% or so votes cast. That means they rule with around 20% approval from the populace. A great argument for proportional representation but even that won't help if half the population continues to be absent, taking no responsibility while accepting the benefits. They don't even have a right to complain. Silence is consent so if you didn't vote, you helped put the one's n power there. Voting is more essential to the system than jury duty. In Canada trials can be by judge only or by jury. There are two options for justice but only one for democracy... voting. It should be at least as mandatory as jury duty, with similar punishments and exceptions. If you don't get you name checked off on voting day you should be in contempt of the country. If you were fined or put in jail for a short term, you might get off your ass and vote. Of course it would help if, like it was for much of the 20th century, you got time off work to go vote, like jury duty. It only requires an hour or two in most cases and with electronic voting may even get quicker. It's a small thing to do for freedom and democracy. Soldiers give their lives for their duty. The least the average slob can do is check a box on a little card, maybe even do a little research first. It is our duty to defend and serve the country that does the same for us. It is our duty to pay attention to the issues that involve everyone. There is no separation between man and nature. There should be no separation between the people and the state. One necessarily includes the other. Laws and regulations are there to help encourage and ensure that duties are lived up to. It is one of the cornerstones of civilization. Without a connection of responsibility between the part and the whole the system breaks down.