Politics and Waking Up

2003-03-28 - 5:42 a.m.

I just read an article that I recommend others, especially if they are concerned about current global events, should read. Just ignore the Canadian-centric and the NDP-centric bits (because they're a little...biased, I'll say.) I have no idea if that link will last very long, but the gist of it was that it's important for people to start taking back politics.

The article points out that while protest works for illuminating injustice or giving a voice to those who don't have one. The downside is that protests do not form social policy...it's peoples' direct participation in a democracy (through voting, running for office, etc) that affects policy. The article mentions that voter turn-out has been low, especially with youth, and that it's mostly the youth who have the strongest ideas, thoughts, and opinions on where our policy should go.

Pretty much, I agree. I don't think the protests (either anti-war or "So last year's" anti-corporate) are passe, or are out of place...I think they are still a huge, huge piece of the puzzle. But activism, and social policy, aren't simple things, they aren't like church where you can go once a week and be saved (just kidding, Pookie)...

Actually activism -is- like spirituality in a lot of ways. It isn't enough to mark your calender and attend (or think about) protests anymore than going to church every holiday makes you a good Christian. Activism, and by activism I mean taking action to cause (positive) change in the social policy around you, requires a lifestyle, and part of that lifestyle (along with protests, and selective shopping, and reading the news, and talking with your friends) is politics - the least of which is voting in the elections.

Great big giant rant, here, I guess...but this article has sort of tied into stuff I was thinking about over the summer and fall, about how activism needs to be more than just protests...it needs something dynamic and complex, it needs a new way of thinking that is accessable and useable, effective. It's all some nebulous idea that (obviously) other people are light-years ahead of me on...

On a more personal note, it's spring time again. I've noticed a -huge- swing in my mood, and I'm remembering how this time last year I was feeling this same sort of enthusiasm, and how I wasn't sure if I'd do anything with that enthusiasm.

It turned out I did do something with it...I did a lot with it. I spent much of the fall and winter (when I wasn't feeling down) thinking about how much progress I made, and that was good, and I'll do it again next year, but now I'm feeling that switch again...the shift from "What have I done?" to "What am I hoping/going to do?"

All of this against a backdrop of horror half a world away, but also against a city that is waking up after a hard winter.

I wonder what I'm going to do this year...

Cheers,

The Magus

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