You may wonder; why is it that as time passes more people are unhappy with politics and politicians? Too much fighting among the politicians to tear each other apart, and not enough fighting for the common good
The viciousness of political fighting has spread to society.
Even in schools it has become almost impossible to have political debates; people with opposing views seem to despise each other so much they are totally paralysed and incapable of rational debate.
How come so many people who live in the same country, in the same neighbourhood, who work together, go to the same schools, often live in the same house, dress similarly, enjoy the same food, visit the same beaches, parks and museums, often like similar pop or classical music, identify with their national music, etc., are often unable to have a political discussion?; makes no sense.
It seems we are back to the era of “absolute truths”. If the Ancient Greek democrats visited us they would not believe what we have done to democracy.
Too many people are now convinced they are “right”, whoever disagrees with them is “wrong”, “stupid” or even “evil”.
Perhaps the country where this is more obvious, or at least the country we have more information about, is the United States.
By most objective measures, the United States is one of the best countries in the World; this is why millions migrate to the States, legally and illegally, and from developed and underdeveloped countries.
Amazingly, the impression I get from many Americans is that they believe their country “is bad”.
It is much easier to find an American who feels ashamed or embarrassed about his or her country, than people from any other country feel about theirs. It is an absurd position to believe the US is a bad country but, somehow, it makes sense to millions of Americans; no family, club, business, religious association, church, etc., will last if many members feel that way.
I believe the root problem is that politics has infiltrated everything in the United States; the Supreme Court has become political, so have many judges. But business, sports, etc., have also become political now.
US business now take political positions; it does not seem important to them that their customers and employees have many different political positions. Somehow, their executives seem to believe that now, there is only one “right” political ideology, and they choose one.
We know, because each of us has done it, that depending on the issue, we hold positions that sometimes are “progressive”, sometimes “conservative”. It is absurd to simplify people to the point of labelling us “progressive” or “conservative”.
For example, a worker may want to limit immigration because he or she feels that too much immigration will depress his or her wages. But on another issue, like gay marriage, the same worker may support it. Too often, many people would jump and label the worker “right wing” for opposing massive immigration, or “left wing” for supporting gay marriage, but that shows lack of respect for the intelligence of people.
Each person should be educated to be able to decide after considering issues based on the facts that concern him or her, not on some political “theology”.
He and she should also be educated to accept that other ideas are valid too. If we do not do that, people will not be able to think.
To advance, morally, spiritually, materially, humanity needs ideas many disagree with. Was Galileo not necessary? Was not the Church intolerant and dogmatic negating Galileo and his ideas? He also was against “The Truth” of the time. Let us not turn each of us into small Great Inquisitors now!
But such education is difficult now because the political parties and politicians, much of the media, many big business, many writers, public personalities, etc., seem to see issues already in “right-left”, “progressive or conservative”, “right-wrong” terms, and want everyone else to see it that way too. Sadly, the politicians have succeeded at politicizing everything and polarising everybody.
The problem can be fixed, not through education but through politics; it will be automatically eradicated if voters directly vote on issues. This means stopping the politicians from being the final decision makers.
Politicians politicize everything because that is how they see society; to them everything is political. Politicians can not help but look at every issue from their ideology, in terms of their own interests, or the interests of those who help them get elected. They find it more difficult to see the issues with the eyes of the majority of the people.
So, if you want less polarisation in the US, or anywhere else, push for direct democracy. Direct democracy means the people decide the issues.
Even the Supreme Court of the US, the lower courts, and the courts in your country, should not decide political issues either. The final referee in the Constitution of your country should be you, the people.
It is time to take politics out of the hands of politicians.
Direct democracy is feasible in all representative democracies, but you have to fight for it.
