I read and watch the news every day and wonder why more people aren’t politically active. It seems like only those folks on the extreme ends of the political spectrum find a place in our political system, and everyone else seems to feel like politics don’t personally affect them.
I think I know why.
Politics are sad and the subject depresses people.
I can hear your disbelief through the ether, but really, could it be anything else? There’s something for every one to get upset about nowadays, but most people don’t bother to find out what’s oppressing them or what’s an affront to their way of life. They simply go about their daily routines of buying things and watching reality shows.
I also think people tend to get caught up in the punditry arguments and ignore actual politics. Punditry is kinda like the Chewbacca defense; it diverts your attention from the important facts at hand in favor of things that don’t make any sense. Like Chewbacca. He’s a wookie from Kashyyyk but later he fights with the Ewoks on the moon of Endor. That doesn’t make any sense. Now what were we talking about?
Maybe if political activism didn’t force people to actually see the world for what it is then there would be more political activism. But then there wouldn’t be a need for political activism because more people would be involved.
Now I have a headache. I’ll go to bed because I’ve got a big day of reading depressing articles ahead of me.
Or maybe I’ll just watch Star Wars instead.