POLITICS & YOU?
Politics and the whole nonsense we allow ourselves to become distracted by. Are you actively involved in a political body? Do you give a rat’s dam about politics? Do you find yourself content with all your political choices and representation and representatives?
These are some of the question that come to my mind when I consider what is going on around me in my world and am I taking part in it, supporting the political status of my society or am I absent all the way and then I like to moan and complain of why my government fails me?
It is always to become distracted by some side show or report on a corruption that has taken place and for me to invest my time, thought and emotions in to the fiasco of corruption that is being presented to me. Do I even care or perhaps do I care enough to do anything about it. I feel smaller than an entire government and therefore I resort to telling myself that there is nothing I can do about it. This can be something quite real that can eat away at any person and bring about some helplessness to life. There is of course always the option to get involved and make a career change and set out on the path to make a difference. That right there is a choice and a life choice we all have and can make. Once the passion inside of us is stirred up, we can get involved. Then what will happen? The cool members of society will turn their complaints against you. Kind of like how most who get involved in politics do so to make a real and true difference and then somewhere along the road they fall in to the “can’t beat em, join em” role.
If you find yourself with a deep desire to make a difference, perhaps a good place to start is in your local community. Begin where it matters most and begin where you can see the difference you are making play out in your own community. Remembering of course that there are teachings that will suggest how our first community is our family. Therefore change begins within the walls of our own homes. Then out in our immediate neighbouring community and then into our local towns and villages. And if you still have enough energy by all means get in to the discussion and negotiating tables of government on every level. I feel that with taking that later role, who am I to complain? What difference does it do to complain and what way am I living if my mind is occupied with complaint?
I see the necessary, I see the failures, do I need to hear myself uttering the words all of the time and become hateful and nasty, bitter in my own life? I have enough to be bitter about on a daily basis without taking on extra burdens. Of course not, I am not talking about carrying the burden of the political body and all the changes for the better I wish to see in society around me, I am however talking about not carrying any emotional burden of wishing that everything would change, a headache so to speak that I do not need, where I am caught up by the distractions of government and their failings. How about if I begin to look at all the good that is being done and then I can begin to minimize the negative element of my headache and my complaining. I can free my mind and emotional self up to allow me focus on the more positive side of life and lifestyle. I do believe that I can make the initial change within myself first and foremost and then my own outlook can change, I can bring about a difference to my entire life by changing my perspective.
My naivety is that I have a belief system and some expectations of how all “should” be and these expectations are rarely met. I believe in the system of government and I believe in society and the rules of such, am I being too foolish? Am I so naive that I think every politician has a duty to be held accountable? Ooooops I just mentioned ACCOUNTABLE. I have written before how I do believe accountability is the kryptonite of politicians and not a good word in discussing anything political. Where did I ever get this idea of accountability anyway? Is it naivety or am I to continue to remain delusional about a pretty happy world with no corruption? In these areas I become confused. I do not see any politic member of government being held accountable for their actions and their implementing of guidelines, laws or rules. Where did I come up with the idea that it “should” be so? Is this my own innocence on display here or a direct duty that goes with the territory of being an elected member of government?
If I wish to hold people accountable then I suppose I must become politically involved on every level and enter in to a political life where I have no time or mostly energy to put my head down and take a strong position against the failings where I see them. I must light the fire and passion to do better than those I see to be failing. It is on me if I wish to see such change, right? Are you going to continue to complain or are you going to get engaged? I guess this is where I see the only real way to improve our society. Not complaining will do about as little as complaining will and then what can we do? Sign up, join up and get involved. Food for thought at this time of year as all kinds of political discussion arises. Will I march the march and become a politician and bring about changes? Will I STFU and forget about everything and anything that does not directly affect my little cocooned life? We can all be keyboard gangsters and send emails of complaint and make phone calls and sometimes this is what is required to have our voice heard. Not only to have satisfaction of being heard, to have satisfaction in knowing we took decisive action and made progressive steps to enhance our very own society.
Imagine Aidan Mc Nally in government….. I think I personally would find it very hard to practice restraint when I am faced with absolute nonsense. Perhaps my only role to practice and achieve is self restraint and then I would be a huge benefit to our society in such a role. Until such time as I learn to succeed in self restraint it might be a position left unfilled by me for the time being. Of course if three thousand people wish to nudge me that way with “talk of promised votes” perhaps it is the way forward, who really knows? For now, I think I will stick to focusing on what differences and changes I can make to myself first and then see how my perspective changes. Perhaps I can focus on the good that is occurring and live in that space for a while, maybe there is something we will learn when we focus on the good of things first.
What do you reckon?
A.McNallyauthor.com 