《월든》으로 잘 알려진 헨리 데이비드 소로가 자기 빨래를 어머니에게 맡기고 사색하는 흉내만 낸 한량이자 철학자로만 오해하고 있다면 이 글을 권합니다. 노예 폐지론자이기도 했던 소로가 시민 불복종에 관해 쓴 길지 않은 글로 마하트마 간디나 마틴 루터 킹도 소로의 사상에 영향을 받았다고 알려져 있지요.
“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with moral questions; and betting naturally accompanies it. The character of the voters is not staked. I cast my vote, perchance, as I think right; but I am not vitally concerned that that right should prevail. I am willing to leave it to the majority. Its obligation, therefore, never exceeds that of expediency. Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority.”
Athena's Owl 