It is all very well to talk about the freedom to vote and participate in making the laws but the truth is that it is painful. Unless you simply refrain from participating or accept everything that comes along, you are going to experience rejection. I suspect it is actually less painful if there is a mechanism that lets you know you are totally alone and off base. In a committee or department meeting that uses parliamentary procedure, you know what is up when you make a proposal and it dies for lack of a second. No one at all will even move the proposal to the discussion stage. OK, you are really out of it as far as those people are concerned.
But when you do get a second and when you can see from faces, body language and whatnot that there is support, it can be very hard if your idea goes down in defeat. You explain your idea, you counter statements of objection and doubt, you make it clear that your idea is a very good one that will lead to progress and improve things. Then, there is finally a vote and you lose 25% to 75% of the group. What is the matter with those people? You did your best. Your supporters did their best. The statements were brilliant and delivered clearly and in a stirring manner. Yet, your beautiful idea is gone! The pain! The disbelief!
The wikipedia is famous for being open to edits, changes and additions from anyone at all. You can go into it and create a new article or change an old one. However, within 24 hours on the discussion page for your article, you may find that others are in strong disagreement with your actions and have undone the neat work you did. You can change it back but they can, too. Again, rejection by others, outnumbered and nulled. Painful!
As a longtime oddball, I am quite surprised when I find myself in harmony with a majority. It feels good, even though it makes me suspicious. Have I made a mistake somewhere in my thinking?
