I know you (probably) don't understand Norwegian, and I would not be challenging you with this short-video series (produced and broadcast by Norwegian Public Television) unless it were a nearly-perfect document of a larger-than-life phenomenon I'd like us to focus on. So pls bear with me. 

"My name is Leo Ajkic, I am 29 yrs old. I've lived in Norway since I was 11 yrs old, but I've never voted before. It was not clear to me how important it is to use my right to vote. I have decided that this year, I am going to vote for the first time." Leo is speaking Norwegian with an obvious foreign accent. Because of his cool, direct and sincere style, he already has a large following among the Norwegian youth, and not the least in its growing immigrant part.  In the series Leo is exploring the basic issues and choices related to elections, in an original and down-to-earth way, sometimes by reflecting aloud, other times by interviewing the knowledgeable and the qualified.

Around  min. 8 of the Epizode 7 of the series, Leo takes up the key issue—how to choose the party he's going to vote for. His conversation partner is Frank Aarebrot, a political science professor from the University of Bergen.

Leo: I will vote for the first time. I am looking for my party, want to find out where I stand politically. (...)

10:50

Leo: So what difference does it make for me whether the Right wins, or the Left?

Frank: It all depens on what issue you are interested in (engaged in). Let's say you are interested in the handling of asylum-seeking children (...)

Leo: I want to legalize pot, that's what's most important in my life.

Frank: (...) But read the party programs, and perhaps you find some marijuana parties (...)

Here comes finally the core issue:

11:40

Leo: Now as I have gotten into differfent issues, different parties would win my vote, according to how they would resolve them—How should I find that single party I will vote for? Shall I find that one single issue that means most to me, and vote for the party that handles that issue the best?

Frank: You are the voter who has multiple issues of interest. Then you must write down a selection of the most important ones... then read through the party programs and find the one whose program best corresponds the program you yourself have already accepted in your mind...

Leo: That seems to me overly complicated, to look at all issues, and all the party programs... Can't I just find an ideology, and a party that represents an ideology that I can agree with?

Frank: It is reasonable to not think about an ideology, but to think about what it is that is your interest. What is dangerous about the ideology, is that it can for ex. be nationalism; and that rarely leads to something good. It is very difficult to vote, if you are passionately besieged by an ideology. (...)

13:10

Leo: I believe I understand now. Instead of thinking about the whole, or about what issues are important for all, I only need to find my issue... and if all find each their own issue, then the whole will come...

Frank: Yes...

Leo: Then will the peasants be heard; the city people will be heard, and the business people... and then we get a whole, if each of us really thinks of himself...

Frank: Yes, that is very right...

Leo: I tried to not think egoistically, but to think what is best for everyone, and tried to find my party from there (...) but if I focus only on myself, and if everyone does that, then we get that perfect balance?

Frank: Your conclusion is completely right. If the true feelings and the true interests of the people come forward, then you get a sincere and good system. Egoism is a dirty word. But to think of one's personal interests, that must be one's right. (...)

Leo: So I should simply just find the issue that is most right for me, depending on who I am, where I live... Lots of thanks, Frank.

(...)

Let's draw the line here:

_________________________________________________________

This appears to be the official or the legitimate point of view.

Can you see anything wrong with it?

Can systems science help us see whether there might be something that is not entirely in its right place here?

Any proposals?