Participation

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I hate politics. Yet as a citizen of a state, and not by choice a member of the trans-national human race, there is no excuse for not taking an active interest (at the minimum, a raised brow), in public affairs at both the local and global levels. Was it not Pericles who said — I paraphrase, the more industrious among you can look it up in Book Two of Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War and be amply rewarded — that one of the points for which Athens is worthy of admiration, lies in the fact that even ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry (shoemakers, making shoes all day), are fair judges of public matters — informed, sensible, participative. Those who have no interest in public affairs are not called unambitious, but “useless”!

I have an interest in politics. I don’t love it. Interest and love are not the same, else “love interest” would make no sense, or no more sense than “banana banana” or “horse horse”. Why am I thinking of bananas? That may have somewhat to do with pyjamas…

Anyway, before I say anything more about politics, I should like to recommend that we temper our passions in this respect. The young (forgive me, I generalize; anyone with a heart is in danger here), fired by idealism, rage etc, are easy prey for vested interests that feed on such passions to achieve its own ends, sucking dry lives and souls in the process. The suicide bomber, the campaign activist, the volunteer… are they not giving their lives for something they believe to be right? Who’s telling them right from wrong? Left-wing, right-wing? What do these labels mean? Are they not parts of the same body? I suspect so. Take care before you lend your heart to a cause, and find you can't get it back.

Comments

Anonymous said…
As much as one man's freedom fighter may be another's terrorist, the question of political apathy is not solely in the realm of knowing or acting. Sometimes knowing where the path leads and acting upon one's ideals achieves nothing where nothing comes out of nothing. Likewise, though rationality and irrationality mark their individual boundaries as fervent as the neighbourhood strays, it is only through the synthesis of both where one finds its being.
September 1, 2007 at 12:40 PM
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