+bonifartius 𒂼𒄄 @bonifartius@qoto.org

@robryk @freemo @louis
> Arrow's impossibility theorem.

that's interesting!

@louis @freemo
here in germany (and i believe other places) you have x parties and after the vote a subset of them decides to enter a coalition for the legislative period. which makes them the government and all other parties the opposition.

@louis @freemo sure, if things get seperated into opposition and government you'll always have two groups.

@robryk @freemo @louis
> compute the probability (as a function of what vote you cast) that your vote will be the deciding one, and pick the vote where you like that distribution the most.

i'm not really good at math, but my gut feel says that this would get really interesting if everyone did this :)

@louis @freemo
well, if everyone votes in a two party system because they think others do as well, it likely will stay a two party system :)

i believe voting like this does act against the idea of democracy. the idea was to vote for things people personally want - not making a game theory problem out of it.

@freemo @louis depending on who you ask, yes. it's essentially the same argument as in the US: if you vote for some small party which lands below 5% (which are excluded from the bundestag) you weaken the "good" big parties which aren't AfD so you strengthen AfD who are evil nazis who will end democracy.

always reminds me of the famous osho quote: "Government by the people, of the people, for the people... but the people are retarded."

@freemo @louis believe me, it's a common argument here in germany with more than 5 parties having a substantial vote. if you vote for something else you are "throwing your vote away".

regarding people throwing a fit:
i think what happens is that people identify very strongly with certain parties that criticizing these parties is an attack at their ego. i believe that this happens more for progressive parties, as those often use emotional arguments (like "end of democracy"). at least much more often than conservatives.

@scathach the sky is the limit!

@scathach BUY THE DIP!

(i have no idea what i'm talking about xD)