Cart
Free Shipping in the UK
Proud to be B-Corp

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics Christopher Freiman

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics By Christopher Freiman

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics by Christopher Freiman


£19.89
Condition - New
Only 3 left

Summary

Freiman argues that youre under no obligation to be politically active. He addresses objections to political abstention and synthesizes recent empirical work showing how our political motivations distort our choices and reasoning.

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics Summary

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics by Christopher Freiman

Do you feel like youre the only person at your office without an "I Voted!" sticker on Election Day? It turns out that you're far from alone 100 million eligible U.S. voters never went to the polls in 2016. Thats about 35 million more than voted for the winning presidential candidate.

In this book, Christopher Freiman explains why these 100 million need not feel guilty. Why Its OK to Ignore Politics argues that youre under no obligation to be politically active. Freiman addresses new objections to political abstention as well as some old chestnuts ("But what if everyone stopped voting?"). He also synthesizes recent empirical work showing how our political motivations distort our choices and reasoning. Because participating in politics is not an effective way to do good, Freiman argues that we actually have a moral duty to disengage from politics and instead take direct action to make the world a better place.

Key Features:

  • Makes the case against a duty of political participation for a non-expert audience
  • Presupposes no knowledge of philosophy or political science and is written in a style free of technical jargon
  • Addresses the standard, much-repeated arguments for why one should vote (e.g., one shouldnt free ride on the efforts of others)
  • Presents the growing literature on politically motivated reasoning in an accessible and entertaining way
  • Covers a significant amount of new ground in the debate over a duty of political participation (e.g., whether participating absolves us of our complicity in state injustice)
  • Challenges the increasingly popular argument from philosophers and economists that swing state voting is effective altruism
  • Discusses the therapeutic benefits of ignoring politicsits good for you, your relationships, and society as a whole.

Why It's OK to Ignore Politics Reviews

"Why Its OK to Ignore Politics isnt just a wise, witty work of philosophy. It is a fantastic self-help book. And the more the title shocks you, the more you need to read it."
Bryan Caplan, George Mason University

"This is a terrific book addressing something of interest to a lot of people. It's clear, fast-paced, compellingly-argued, and delightfully contrarian. By the end, Freiman actually makes a strong case that being politically active is not just unnecessary, but morally wrong."
Michael Huemer, University of Colorado, Boulder


"Why Its OK to Ignore Politics isnt just a wise, witty work of philosophy. It is a fantastic self-help book. And the more the title shocks you, the more you need to read it."
Bryan Caplan, George Mason University

"This is a terrific book addressing something of interest to a lot of people. It's clear, fast-paced, compellingly-argued, and delightfully contrarian. By the end, Freiman actually makes a strong case that being politically active is not just unnecessary, but morally wrong."
Michael Huemer, University of Colorado Boulder

About Christopher Freiman

Christopher Freiman is Associate Professor of Philosophy at William & Mary. He is the author of Unequivocal Justice (2017).

Table of Contents

Introduction 1. In Pursuit of Political Wisdom 2. Were All Partisan Hacks 3. The Costs and Benefits of Political Participation 4. Fairness and Free Riding 5. Political Abstention and Complicity in Injustice 6. The Morality of the Message 7. Political Ignorance is Bliss Conclusion: Why It's Obligatory to Ignore Politics

Additional information

NGR9781138389007
9781138389007
1138389005
Why It's OK to Ignore Politics by Christopher Freiman
New
Paperback
Taylor & Francis Ltd
2020-08-14
176
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a new book - be the first to read this copy. With untouched pages and a perfect binding, your brand new copy is ready to be opened for the first time

Customer Reviews - Why It's OK to Ignore Politics