I'm with you, that's the reality of it. The idea of change from within is delusional, vote and you just play their game. I live in Australia, 3rd generation but the concept of 'the nation' means nothing to me. It's just where I live and the people ruling/controlling it are sociopaths and perverts for the most part. The social contract holds together but I just take what I can from the governments and corporations and give as little as I can, through fair means or foul.
I have found this freedom and it's greatly aided by not voting, 35 years now, and not watching/owning a TV, 40+ years now believe it or not. It's why I think so differently from everyone else I believe. They have been programmed all their lives to believe homosexuality is acceptable, supermarkets are the best place to buy food and that doctors should be visited every month or two, blood tests taken, pills swallowed. On and on and on. Whatever is pumped into their brain they believe.
Go back to the days before the American Revolution. Did people happily pay taxes to the British Crown? It was their duty Not to. It was still a colony then too, still a part of England, owned and controlled. They were rebels, right up until the day they won, then they were proud and honest citizens of a new nation.
Well that's similar to me in many ways, I hardly watch TV anymore, and when I do I have to ask myself who watches such ****** programs at all. BUT, there are too many who still do.
I was once fully behind this country, did my military service with pride even though I almost froze to death in the mountains back then, but that was once upon a time.
During Corona, I saw the ugly face of this country, I saw which side the police and other institutions were on, I saw how the media voluntarily joined in.
In some cases, the cops had no other choice, they had to do what the cop boss ordered, BUT in many details you saw how the guys terrorized and beat up people out of pure joy and lust for power and were fine. How politicians and the media called unvaccinated people parasites and pests of the people and outbid each other out of joy.
THAT WAS IT, since then it's all over for me and I haven't forgotten it, it left scars and scars, and I have a few unpaid bills for that.
Anyway, I'm glad I'm not in the army anymore, I'm not going, no matter what the consequences are, this isn't my thing anymore and I don't feel obliged to do anything, I'm free and I'm serving whoever I feel like.
I hope one day we can build something new on this blighted land, and if not, we can be proud that we at least tried, even if we lost the fight.