For years, we’ve seen electoral analysts paint projections & voter choices. And in the best of places that’s been driven with careful layers. Populations, demographics, and so on. Eventually tracking more local & specific subjects of voter interest.
An interesting factor seldom thought about is interest-proximity. The very strange associations human minds form, which are not always dictated by known variables, like those above. And which positively affect their voting decisions. I generally believe that people are broadly in four quadrants, of an x & y axis, where secularism, traditionalism, survivalism & self-expression, assume the four points. And as they grow in income, grows their security. And they move generally from being more survivalism & traditionalism, to more secularism & self-expression.
Simply spoken, everybody at first, unless born in an economically good position, is generally under the influence of fears & traditional beliefs. Where one finds oneself under the influence of groups of people with strong community rules. Be it family, community, caste or nation! As the person grows economically, they find getting more voice for own thoughts, ideas & views, and get more self-asserting & free of fixed ideas inherited from one group, religion etc. Well, very broadly & slowly. Also reversing at times.
What is also evolving is ideas & associations all at their own pace, not necessarily classified in known factors like demographics. This also forms a more distinct division. One of particularism & universalism. The more traditional & community reliant you are, the more particular you are, generally. And similarly the more self-driven you are, the more universal you are in the mind. With no clear demarcation.
So when voters vote, it’s interesting to understand how these associations exist in the minds. Do you live in one corner of the world, and worry about a monument, in another? If yes, is it by ownership or say some community association, religion etc? It’s interesting here to understand even at a district level. Does a person get driven by some religious belief against some particular food sold in the neighborhood or some local issue of universally common interest, like a broken street? It’s very complicated in the mesh of human emotions.
Good point to research 🕵🏽:) .. and follow on posts 😊
13 years of fundraising, organizing, and communications experience, dedicated to worker-led movement building
1moThanks for posting! I had no idea what these stats and demographics were for my own neighborhood