To feel disappointed in my friends?

[TheOnlyVoter]

I’m 30yo Female.

Have a group of friends, mainly since school/college. 8 of us in a group chat. All range from 28 - 31 yo. See each other regularly. Meals out, baby showers, hen dos, bbq’s, etc. all close.

I am the only one who voted. The rest of them either couldn’t be bothered or “don’t understand politics”.

I feel really sad and disappointed. AIBU?

I voted but only because I have a 14-year old daughter to model for.

I don't believe in any of the parties or their ability to make positive change, and my constituency was always going to go to one party. So many votes are meaningless as a result. I voted for the party I see as least toxic, while knowing they had no chance of winning my constituency. So it's largely a performance which makes no real difference to anybody other than my self image to be able to say I voted and thus avoid people's judgement.

If there were proportionate representation, I'd take voting more seriously. Or if I was in an area where the result was less inevitable.

I'm sad to say this - I used to be passionate. But we've been let down too many times.

I would be disappointed in your shoes OP. Even if you all live in a place where it is a forgone conclusion, the smaller the majority, the more effort the MP will put in to local issues. Or perhaps a deposit will be saved, as happened with the person I voted for.

I mean, we live in a democracy. So it is everyone’s right to vote for who they wish (and not be judged for their choice), and it is also their right to decide to abscond because they cannot stand by an informed decision.

However, saying that, for some reason the election this year has almost become cult like. If you weren’t voting Labour, you were an idiot, a ‘stupid tory’, wasting your vote etc etc. It was actual insanity. So for many people, just saying they didn’t vote/ didn’t know/ didn’t care was probably easier.

The same was the case in 1997.

Then it all unravels and people realise how shit Labour are.

You make it sound like the comparisons are not like-for-like. They are. You are judging your friends, and that's natural.

But really it all comes down to what friends mean to you. My friends are my world. Yours may not be.

You might be able to bin a few off because of your judgements. I am not in that position, I need all mine. Everyone's situation is different.