Does anyone think politics is really the answer?

[dyanaprajna2011]

In the United States, politics is one of those things that people are very passionate about, and they go to great lengths for their voices to be heard. We put alot of effort and time into our political views, parties, and such.

However, one thing that's becoming clear to me is that politics, especially in the US, isn't the answer for anything. All politics does is give power and money to people who need neither. One thing I've noticed over the last four or so elections, is that there wasn't any candidate for presidency worth voting for.

Have we become so complacent that we'll simply settle with the status quo, and not want to put forth the effort for real change? Politicians are never going to do anything for the good of the American people, that much has become clear. So why do we still tolerate it, as if it's somehow going to magically change when nothing else has?

My fiance tells me that the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It seems that this is the way we've become with our politics. Is anything ever going to change? It's not going to be the politicians who change anything, if it does. It's going to have to be us, when we've finally decided we've had enough.

 

[sandandfoam]

However, one thing that's becoming clear to me is that politics, especially in the US, isn't the answer for anything. All politics does is give power and money to people who need neither

It's the same in Europe

 

[Revoltingest]

Politics is all about people striving for power over each other.
It's like complaining about weather.
What's the alternative?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Politicians are never going to do anything for the good of the American people, that much has become clear.

That is pathetically shallow.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

What's the alternative?

That's a good question. I think, and this is purely theoretical, that the people can govern themselves, on a local level. Almost like an anarcho-primitivism style society, but not quite. But there are flaws even in this. It would have to be changed somewhat, but not totally out of the question, although it's highly unlikely to be even remotely feasible.

 

[Falvlun]

Perhaps its the way we do politics that is the problem, and not politics itself.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

People who are generally content have no strong drive for change.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Perhaps its the way we do politics that is the problem, and not politics itself.

That's a good point. Things are always fine, until humans get involved. One issue I see, though, is that, even the most well-intentioned person, once given some power, tends to abuse that power. I think this is just human nature. If we can get to the bottom of why this is, then we can take steps to correct it.

But back to my statement, "until humans get involved". It's in our natures to want power, money, etc, and becoming a politician is one of the best, and easiest, ways to accomplish that. Politics tends to bring out the worst in human nature, unfortunately. Fix the person, then fix the people, or something like that.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

People who are generally content have no strong drive for change.

Then the question becomes, why, or even how, are people content with the way things are?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Then the question becomes, why, or even how, are people content with the way things are?

Give the average person a lumpy couch, a fast-food cheeseburger, and American Idol on the TV, and they're quite content.

To flip it around, what specifically do you see as so horrible in this country that people should not be content about? What is the average person being robbed of that is so important?

 

[illykitty]

Then the question becomes, why, or even how, are people content with the way things are?

I'd love to see an answer to that, because I've been wondering that for the last 3 years.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Give the average person a lumpy couch, a fast-food cheeseburger, and American Idol on the TV, and they're quite content.

To flip it around, what specifically do you see as so horrible in this country that people should not be content about? What is the average person being robbed of that is so important?

The government gets next to nothing done, the economy is in the toilet, education is on a downward spiral, foreign relations are horrible, we're killing the planet, we're fooling ourselves into thinking that the most important things in life are a couch, a cheeseburger, and American Idol, and none of the other things I've mentioned. This is just a start.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

And on top of everything else, the sky is falling and stuff is much much worse than it was in the good old days! Damn this is depressing.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The government gets next to nothing done, the economy is in the toilet, education is on a downward spiral, foreign relations are horrible, we're killing the planet, we're fooling ourselves into thinking that the most important things in life are a couch, a cheeseburger, and American Idol, and none of the other things I've mentioned. This is just a start.

So how is the average American's day-to-day life worse than it was 5 years ago? 10? 25? And what should be more important to people than a couch, a cheeseburger, and American Idol? Is there some kind of grand goal that people are supposed to be striving for? What is it?

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

So how is the average American's day-to-day life worse than it was 5 years ago? 10? 25? And what should be more important to people than a couch, a cheeseburger, and American Idol? Is there some kind of grand goal that people are supposed to be striving for? What is it?

On the basic level, our health is deteriorating, we're getting dumber, and we're making less money. Of course, the reason I see humans potentially moving toward some grander goal might be because I tend to be an idealist, maybe due to me being a Zen Buddhist. But I like to try to think that people want to move toward something greater than what currently is.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

On the basic level, our health is deteriorating, we're getting dumber, and we're making less money. Of course, the reason I see humans potentially moving toward some grander goal might be because I tend to be an idealist, maybe due to me being a Zen Buddhist. But I like to try to think that people want to move toward something greater than what currently is.

Perhaps others who are simply content, have a better understanding of zen than you do.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Perhaps others who are simply content, have a better understanding of zen than you do.

I won't doubt that.

 

[sandandfoam]

That is pathetically shallow.

I cannot speak for America. But shallow or not it is true in the EU.

 

[Secret Chief]

If one understands what 'politics' is, then one understands that it is not possible to remove it from human affairs. It is a constituent of human affairs. The US may be in some sort of gridlock currently, and this may persist for some time; but to look to a solution without politics only suggests a lack of understanding. Blowing up the modern world and having a worldwide anarchist collective is not an alternative to politics; it is just one form of political activity.

 

[sandandfoam]

If one understands what 'politics' is, then one understands that it is not possible to remove it from human affairs. It is a constituent of human affairs. The US may be in some sort of gridlock currently, and this may persist for some time; but to look to a solution without politics only suggests a lack of understanding. Blowing up the modern world and having a worldwide anarchist collective is not an alternative to politics; it is just one form of political activity.

Sure, but I think 'politics' as used here refers to 'politics' as practiced by 'politicians' in 'democracies'.