Swingers

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the concept of the "swing vote" in various contexts, including politics, the stock market, and the author's personal life. It explores how a small group of influential individuals or groups can have an outsized impact on important decisions and outcomes, despite representing a minority of the overall population.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Importance of the Swing Vote

1. What are the key points the author makes about the importance of the swing vote in politics?

• The author notes that in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, the outcome will likely be determined by a small number of "swing voters" in a few key swing states, rather than the overall popular vote.
• The author suggests that these swing voters, such as suburban moms and young voters in swing states, could have more influence than billionaires or other powerful political groups if they were to organize and coordinate their voting as a bloc.
• The author argues that the ability to sway the swing vote is more important than having strong convictions or principles, as evidenced by figures like Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

2. How does the author view the role of "principled" politicians and their ability to enact change?

• The author suggests that "bullish consistency" is sometimes less effective than "agility" in making or preventing change, and that many of the world's problems can be traced back to people with "alarmingly steadfast convictions and principles."
• The author argues that elected officials often use the term "principled" to mask their "fecklessness" and inability to discern between being "right" and being "effective."

[02] The Swing Vote in Other Contexts

1. How does the author describe the role of the swing vote in the stock market?

• The author discusses the rise of retail investors, inspired by Reddit, who have been able to coordinate and drive up the prices of certain "meme stocks" like GameStop, effectively acting as a new "swing vote" in the markets.
• The author suggests that this new class of coordinated retail investors has replaced the traditional "swing vote" of institutional investors and activists in the financial markets.

2. What is the author's perspective on Saudi Arabia's role as a "swing vote" in global geopolitics?

• The author argues that Saudi Arabia, with its vast oil wealth and strategic position, is arguably the "greatest swing vote in the world," able to pivot between the East and West.
• The author views Saudi Arabia's measured liberalization under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a "deft foreign policy maneuver" that could benefit the West, despite the risks to his power within the ruling family.

3. How does the author describe their own role as the "swing vote" in their household?

• The author sees themselves as the "swing vote" in their own home, acting as a bridge between their mother (the "east") and their sons (the "west"), and offering solutions that neither party is fully happy with but both accept.
• The author suggests that their influence comes not from power, but from the love and trust of their family members, and that they matter most when things "get really bad."