"let me be the first one to tell you: it’s okay not to vote."

That's true. However, a person who does not vote has no moral justification for complaining about anything about our government.

"If acting responsibly within this democratic system means contributing to the devolution of the consciousness of our people, is it really the responsible thing to do?"

Your first clause is false. Acting responsibly does not contribute to the devolution of the consciousness of the people.

As to your suggestion that voting accomplishes nothing: I suggest that you tell that to the 220,000 Americans who have died because we have an incompetent President.