Dirty Politics: Suck it up?

I can't believe this blog has been dormant for 4 years already. And it's time to start my blog again, because writing about something is better than, say, doing nothing at all.

Dirty Politics: Suck it Up?

The BC Provincial Election is coming up. Of course, only federal elections make the headlines, but then again, the more "local" elections are the ones that in fact makes real difference in our lives. So if you don't think it's worth the time to go to the polls, think again.

But all in all, it is hard to trust politicians. They say a lot of things to make you feel good about them, make some promises, then forget them altogether after they are elected. And a few years later they make some more promises and forget them altogether again after they got your vote. Deals are being cut, friends are being favoured, and none of the programs they promote can help you. History repeats itself, because no matter who we vote for, they seem to be all the same. So our expectations of people who run the governments are reduced; we weigh them by judging who cuts less deals, favour less friends, with platforms that can help you a teeny bit while on their way of garnering more power, influence, and wealth. Slowly we give less and less expectations about politics, ie. we suck it up. Politics are dirty, and self serving. It becomes some sort of prerequisite in our conversation on politics, and we accept it as it is.

Is it stupid to expect more? Traveling 2400 years back in time, in ancient Greece, people already have a similar notion, that justice is the interest of the stronger, and rulers make laws that are favourable to themselves. But Socrates begs to differ, and says that just as a good physician is someone who can heal the patient, and a good ship captain takes care of the ship and the crew, a good "ruler" is someone who can take care of his "subjects." Fast forward to the present, the idea is just the same.

We are not talking about the ideal world of course, but from time to time we have to remind ourselves of what is "supposed to be." Because in some parts of the world, people have already forgotten about "the ideals," and injustice is as natural as the wind blowing against you where you know there is no way for you to stop or avoid it. Imagine when a doctor takes for granted that he is only there to make money off of his patients. With the same token, should we really accept that politics contains only self serving motives, and laws are made for the strong lobbyists?