Do we have a duty to be "politically aware"?

No offence, but isn't this a false dichotomy? Maybe some aspects of war and policing are indeed political, but combat certainly isn't. MAist are sort of proof of that.

 

I don't see how war or policing would be considered not political. I think what Llama was hinting at was that politics doesn't stop once you leave parliament it goes everywhere. So it's a bit strange for people to "hate politics" and yet still have interest in areas like war or justice that are tied up with politics.

 

Well indeed war and policing tie in with politics. But I would say that an induvidual's interest in the subject may be less of the political elements and more on the engineering, military tactics, history, the act of law enforcement (how criminals are caught and the process involved), to feed a warrior complex, etc. So although there may be elements of politics tied into war and policing, that may not be the main focus or interest in the person's mind irregardless of their leanings towards politics.

Also there are groups of people that love politics, there are those that hate politics, but there are also those that are totally impartial to politics, like myself.

 

I'm relatively convinced that those who "hate" politics, simply find its current form of men in suits using big words inaccessible but would find the actual meat of the subject interesting if they could get past the tedium.

 

I don't think people have a duty to be politically aware. But their lives will probabl be better if they are. Democracy works best when people are properly informed and understand the choices they're making.

To put it another way. Politics is more than just the big global issues. If you want your bins emptied more often or a new school or a new play park then you need to be involved and need to understand what your representatives stand for. And if none actually represent your views, you need to be prepared to stand up for yourself.

There's no point in complaining about the bins or potholes if you don't actually vote and participate in the running of your local area. Voting is the minimum level of participation required before you get a say in matters.

 

Comment on a few earlier responses to this thread:

I get very, very tired of people who say that voting is worthless and doesn't accomplish anything. Anyone who thinks their vote doesn't make a difference need only turn on their television and see how badly candidates want it. Yes, the political system is full of stink weeds and dung beetles, and yes, I'm very cynical about 99.9% of politicians, but voting does mean something and does accomplish something.

 

If there is a duty, it is to ourselves.

Somebody once said that "all politics is local", and I tend to agree. I also hold that all politics is "something else". By this I mean that most often, working within politics is like trying to pin a jaw-breaker to a dinner-plate with a fork. There is a far greater chance of damage before anything productive is accomplished.

I like to think I am more politically astute than most; like the guy in the GOODYEAR blimp I can see the whole picture at a distance. However, I realize that the closer I get to Politics----just like the guy in the GOODYEAR blimp--- I lose perspective......which is the only thing that can save yer bacon.

Conclusion: I stay engaged in the process, but at a distance, and only as far as it serves an actual purpose for me. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

I think our duty is to be as objective as possible. All to often politics is reduced to a kind of tribalism, rather like supporting football teams. Instead of looking at the achievements and failures of a political party people try to find justifications for what "their" party or politician has done. It is also important to deal with real issues , and not the fluff that politicians use as a smoke screen, for example the issue of Gay marriages is an irrelevance when compared to the debt problem, and politicians would rather have us looking at a none issue than something that could dreadfully affect us for years to come.

 

Well said.... I recently heard a person speaking loudly in a bar about how he did not want to pay for "free-loaders" (my word) who were not working but getting benefits all the same. I raised the question of paying Congressmen while they avoided making the hard decisions in operating our government---and hiding behind ideologies to do it--- and was thoroughly ignored. Politicians certainly DO selectively manipulate issues. The constituencies also use very selective and highly filtered attention. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

Gay marriage is a none issue... Guessing you're not a homosexual then.

 

I don't really think equality and civil rights should ever be classed as a "non-issue". If that's your logic then virtually every freedom you take for granted is a non-issue. Rarely in the process of making law are there absolutely no unintended knock-on effects.

As for the debt crisis? While it is very serious, we shouldn't get obsessed about it. If people stop spending altogether in an effort to avoid running out of money then the economy collapses. If people spend too much and take on too many debts they can't afford. The economy collapses. What we need in the economy is stability. When we have that the banks will start lending again and money will begin to flow around the system normally again.

 

Agreed....but for a tad different reason. What effects one of our community impacts us all. I probably won't go out and join the NRA, but if the government started to move against all firearms I would side with the NRA just because.. Same goes for Immigration, Gay Marriage and the rest. I often think about what happened with the NAZI roundups prior to, and during, WWII. The Romantic in me would like to think I would have been like one of those Dutch families who hid Jews in their home. IDK. Maybe I would be too scared for my own freedom, and that of my family. I certainly would like to think I'd do the heroic thing, but look how many German and Polish citizens didn't. Some even helped the NAZI round-up. At any rate thats why I stated that politics is a duty we have to ourselves. By protecting my neighbor, I am also protecting myself. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

People who side with a motion "just because" are a bigger problem than non-voters. The "just becausers" are the reason bad laws get onto the statute books.

Both the UK and USA had "internment camps" during WWII.

 

We are talking about a right that they fundamentally have anyway, it's ridiculous. Turn your TV on every second personality is gay, in fact it is a great way to ensure a career, just say you are gay. Admittadly you cannot have a christian , Jewish or Islamic gay marriage, because it is forbiden by those religions, but that it truly is a non issue....on the other hand the debt crisis, oh man I wish it was as silly and innocent as you make out.
We are bailing the banks out, all the austerity measures are for one purpose.To ensure the banks ( God Forbid) lose any money, and they do exactly what they did before, gamble to make money .
Look at the riots in spain and Greece, they are all the result of the debt crisis

 

I can't speak for the WW II Internment Camps. What I can say is that if one group is singled-out and noone comes to their assistance, we all risk being singled-out....and abandoned. Thats also why I support the idea of even the Adolph Eichman's of the world getting their day in Court. If one can be denied; we all can be denied. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

To me, it does not matter if a Religion forbids it, or the Governments out-law it, or people condemn it. If a person is identified for prejudice today, there is no protection for any of us tomorrow. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

I never said it was silly or innocent and never even hinted at that. When a society constantly talks about their economy going into recession. That's exactly what happens. Because everybody has gotten so obsessed with it, they all begin to pull back and batten down the hatches at the same time. Money stops flowing around the banking system. Too many debts are called in at the one time. Suddenly we have global financial collapse.

It's good to be aware of the debt crisis and have a plan to deal with it. It's not good to be obsessed with it. Look at how fantastically George Osborne's deficit reduction plan is working out. The British economy is bouncing between flat-lining and recession. Even The World Bank and the IMF are now saying George should work in some "flexibility". Which is just a subtle face-saving way of saying "Even though we backed all your plans and encouraged your policies. They're not working. Get a plan B".

Now if gay people fundamentally have the right to marry, then what's the fuss? Call it what it is and be done with it. However there are elements in society that feel they should have the right to tell gay people they have lesser rights than themselves. It is in fact a form of apartheid. Now these very same elements of society also feel they have the right to set the rules on a fair number of other matters that affect us all.

So while these issues may seem trivial. They're not. Life goes on with or without money in your bank account.

 

Don't be ridiculous. You didn't have Jewish personalities on Nazi TV. Homosexuals are not denied anything in fact they are shamelessly promoted