Our Family's Party Discipline | Masaru Tomita (Dean, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies)
2007.08.17
"A little pointless, a couple casting separate votes."
When a couple goes to the polling station together, it feels somewhat pointless if they cast their votes for the ruling and opposition parties, as their votes simply cancel each other out, preventing them from exerting any real influence. That's why, ever since we got married, we've made it a rule to always cast our two votes for the same candidate. This custom has continued even after our two children became adults, and our family of four always casts our four votes for the same candidate.
So, as an election approaches, our family gatherings turn into policy debates. At first, our children take a wait-and-see approach, saying, "We'll think about it after hearing Mom and Dad's opinions," but they eventually join the discussion, which can sometimes become intensely heated. When we debate over a meal at a restaurant, the customers at the tables on either side of us fall silent, apparently eavesdropping. It's true that a family debating "constitutional reform" or the "pension problem" over dinner is quite a rare sight.
If the debate results in a conclusion that all four of us can agree on, we all happily go to the polling station and cast our four votes. But what happens when our opinions are divided and we simply cannot reach a conclusion?
The one who holds the casting vote in our family is none other than "Mom." When opinions clash and the policy debate reaches a stalemate, she gradually starts appealing to "sensibility," with comments like, "That political party has absolutely no taste," or "I don't like that candidate; he gives me the creeps." No matter how much the children protest, "Oh, that's not true," she becomes adamant, declaring, "Absolutely not. I'd rather die than vote for someone like that." Hearing this, the other three of us inwardly scream, "Oh no, here it comes!" and ultimately concede, prioritizing Mom's peace of mind. "Alright, alright, if you feel that strongly about it," we say.
(Posted on: 2007/08/17)