Everyone knows that economists wear their ignorance like a badge of honor. Many don't realize, however, that rock-musicians share this passion for political naiveté. Take Tea Leaf Green's song "Vote on Tuesday" for example. As clearly stated in the opening line, "I don't want to vote on Tuesday," the protagonist of the song holds no desire to exercise his franchise in the upcoming election for county judge. To justify his abstention, this citizen-voter cites the fact that he "never read the pamphlet[s]" that provide information on the respective candidates.
Naturally, this song reveals the protagonist's preferences; at the sufficient level of knowledge required to make an informed decision, the rising marginal costs of education, namely the associated time costs, exceed his expected marginal benefit from voting. Thus, given the basic, rational agent model, this voter will choose to not vote. This strategic abstention demonstrates his rational ignorance, as he adheres to basic economic logic, maximizing his utility through avoiding the high costs of candidate education. As described by Johnson, this voter's decision to be rationally ignorant and abstain will distort the greater voting economy by heightening the political influence of others. Like most rock ballads, the seemingly simple lyrics of "Vote on Tuesday" actually carry deep, relevant economic lessons hidden below the surface.
-Riley
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