In a different world, I would be giving my chunk of coal to the person who has a plan to keep all of us warm through the winter, with our collective coal.
In a different world, I would not be giving my chunk of coal to a dude who would use all our coal to keep his mansion toasty.
In this world, I won't toss my chunk of coal into either dumpster fire.
I'll just keep my piece of coal. At least get an hour of warmth before I face the actual winter.
That's a beautiful metaphor but you're still not acknowledging the reality of the situation where by not voting you are making the things you don't like worse for yourself.
It still doesn't quite work though because a vote has no inherent use outside an election. You aren't going to be able to turn it in for free food or rent.
Of course a vote has no use outside an election. What are you on about? Why do you think people have fought so hard for their right to vote in the past if it is so useless?
Except a chunk of coal has uses. An uncast vote has absolutely zero. Your vote is either +1, 0, or - 1 to a candidate (zero being not voting or third party). Not voting makes you complicit regardless. It could prevent one person from being elected. You're always complicit. If you're paying taxes you're complicit.
As it turns out, we live in a society, and your at least partially responsible for what happens in that society no matter what you do.
Vote in your primaries and get involved with other things too, but not voting is an action that makes you complicit with either side being elected. At least voting for someone has the chance of losing and you not having been a part of it.
Then don't complain when the trolley goes one way or another.
You can't have it both ways -- if you choose not to vote, you choose to not influence the outcome. And if you aren't trying to change the outcome, you shouldn't bitch about what the outcome is. It's like saying you're fine with going anywhere for dinner, but then you spend the whole night complaining about the restaurant I picked.
What impact did you have by not voting then? What did you accomplish, and how did it further your goals? All you did was pat yourself on the back.
To your credit though, I should rephrase -- you have no right to complain about something that could've changed if you voted. If A would get you +$500 and B gets you -$500, and you don't vote for either, then don't complain about losing $500.
Also I have no idea what the hell you're trying to say there at the end.
I am not super familiar with roulettes beyond betting on a color, so I'm completely lost here. You had me until after the $25 remaining bit. I think you're describing the gambler's fallacy though? And that's not a good analogy for a two party system either.
I see it like we get $500 in chips at the casino for free, but they have no monetary value outside of the casino. So if you leave without cashing out (which requires a > $500 total value), there's no real benefit.