“Hey Vish! Can you talk about politics?”
If you had asked me this question in 2012, I would have said what 4.2 billion people have said.
A straight, irritated, and unconsidered response, “No.”
No, I cannot talk politics; now go and mind your own business. That would be a little narrative followed by the word, No.
Okay, what else can you expect from a 14-year-old, day-dreaming boy?
But 4.2 billion people showing no interest in discussing politics doesn’t make sense.
A 2019 report by the Pew Research Center found that 45% of Americans (147M) have stopped mulling over politics.
The idea of being politically aware doesn’t ring a bell in their ears.
Discussing politics with friends is like discussing sex with their parents. It makes them puke and choke on it.
And when 45% of people aren’t interested in something, it causes doubt in the minds of the rest. Some other research, such as the Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey (2018) and Global Web Index (GWI) (2020), reports that about 60-75% of people did not discuss politics at all.
This is not refreshing.
Furthermore, data is one thing. There are people who are in between believing and not believing.
So, where do they lie? No data.
They just keep asking different questions and Google to find out something that makes sense to them.
Among many, the 5 most anticipated questions people need answers to when it comes to politics are:
- Can you talk about politics at work?
- Why shouldn’t you talk politics?
- Why are people scared to talk about politics?
- Is it good to be politically aware?
- How do I avoid politics?
For the record, these aren’t just questions but quintessential doubts that need resolution to live with clarity in a world full of problems and different people.
If you are not asking questions, you are not analysing your existence.
You are not analysing yourself, and questions are a great way to do that.
Nevertheless, if I had sat down and tried to answer all of these questions, then this article would have taken forever to complete.
Therefore, rather than answering these, let’s start with why you should talk about politics.
If you find the reasons for discussing politics not aligning with your values, it’s a sure sign you should avoid it altogether.
No Bluff Reason Why You Should Be Talking About Politics
Most countries that are thriving are governed through some kind of democratic rule, except one or two.
These countries let their people choose their government and who would lead it.
President, Prime Minister, Taoiseach, etc., are one of the titles the leader of a democratic country can have.
And together, they make politics.
However, politics isn’t just about who’s going to make the government, whether the leader is well-minded or not, or how many people adore them.
When we talk about politics, it’s about:
- Accountability
- Responsibility
- Rights
As citizens of a democratic nation, people are not bound to all three.
The first two are for the leader.
If the president of the United States of America makes a mistake, it’s their responsibility to hold themselves accountable for it.
They should accept it and lead by example.
For a citizen, the duty is to be aware of their rights and raise a voice if not fulfilled.
For example, expecting security in the neighbourhood is our right to claim it, and it’s the leader’s responsibility to ensure that.
In ancient times, rulers like Khosrow I, Charlemagne and Ashoka the Great ensured free education and healthcare systems. But if you attend today’s schools and hospitals, you cannot expect that.
Well, that’s our right to have, and it’s the leader’s job/responsibility to ensure.
Yet, if you start to hate discussions about politics, you’re starting to hate the voice that brings forth our rights in reality.
By choosing to avoid politics, you’re suppressing your right to deserve a life full of care, security, and freedom. This allows leaders to create imbalance in society, giving the rich more and taking back from the poor without counting.
However, a true politician never discriminates and always talks about equal human rights, which include:
- Food to eat for all
- Clothes to wear for all
- Home to live for all
If your leader isn’t focusing on these, it’s your right to question them.
If your leader’s new schemes they approve aren’t affecting you directly, it’s your right to raise your voice. If your leader disapproves of some good welfare schemes, it’s your right to raise your voice.
When they are focusing on the welfare of their party above yours, it’s your right to hold them accountable.
If you choose to stop talking about politics, you’re choosing to stop talking about yourself. Your family, your friends, your neighbourhood, and your nation itself.
Talking about politics is your way of talking about your welfare in the present and the future.
And not just you but everyone else as well.
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Why You Shouldn’t
If you don’t want to talk about your rights, you should definitely stop talking about politics. Because that’s what politics is all about.
Nevertheless, it’s your choice; hence, no one will force you to do that.
However, in that case, the condition that will be applied to you is that you cannot complain about anything.
If there’s no raise at work, you cannot complain. If the local authorities aren’t taking pure measures to clean your neighbourhood, you cannot complain about that. If you get sick and the insurance companies aren’t approving your health card, you cannot complain about that.
Because as soon as you do that, you’re talking about your rights.
And when you want to talk about your rights, you need to be aware and talk about politics.
Now, the choice is yours–whether you want to talk about your rights or not.
Thank you for taking time to read this article.
I hope it will help you understand why you shouldn’t stop talking about politics, discussing different parts of it and how it can make an impact on your life if you don’t.
Not only you, but you should make other people aware of their rights because that’s what being a human being means. And if you’re wondering whether you should read the newspaper or stop it, well, a newspaper is never politics; it’s just updates you’ll catch up on even if you don’t read it.
That’s it for today.
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Thanks again
Nathawat Brothers
Putting thoughts for everyone