The Day After - Politics In America
UPDATE: I looked at what tags I chose for this post. Could it be I have a negative view of politics?
What’s a post like this doing on a site dedicated to empowering individual achievement?
I’m not entirely certain, but I know that the political climate, if focused on too intently, affects a great many people both emotionally and physically, myself included.
I have to admit: I’ve basically checked out of politics. I used to get up in arms over politics. I’m grateful to say that I’m over that now. It just doesn’t matter like it used to. The political arena is so negative, and many views are so far out there that it boggles the mind. How can people actually think some of the things they think? As far as that goes, do they really think the things they say they do?
All the pandering of politicians disgusts me. That people actually believe the campaign promises amazes me. Is there a dictionary term for ‘intentional gullibility’?
I find that placing my focus on politics affects me negatively. I tend to get emotionally involved, and that affects me physically. I don’t believe I have a snowball’s chance in hell of changing the political landscape, so I’m not giving any attention to it. I’ve resolved to just roll with the punches, so to speak, and develop and grow my life in spite of politicians and the people they pander to.
They will try and stifle me; stifle my creativity, my thirst for freedom, for achievement, for expression. Other people try to impose their views upon me through the mechanism of laws–force me to their view of what is right and what is wrong, good and bad, proper and improper, fair and not fair.
I will live my life in accordance with my beliefs and values: that our universe is abundant and unlimited, that the basic nature of mankind is loving and good, and that an individual can be, do, or have anything they want to be, do, or have. If that means that at times in my life I ‘defy authority’, then that’s the way it is. A group of people, through politics and the imposed force of government, may attempt to take away what I have. They may even succeed at it.
But they can never take away what makes me me.
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Steve Olson on November 12th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
I was just like you! An I’m checking out of politics too. It’s like a crack addiction.
Steve
Steve Johnson on November 12th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
I think I would be much more interested if a group or party would come forward with a vision I could ponder upon. Republicans had that in the mid 90s, but no more.
I don’t recall Democrats having a coherent message in the last few years, other than, “Vote for us–we’re not them!” That’s not a message.
So–check-out time was noon.
Rick Cockrum on November 12th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
We need a government. We don’t have to like it. I had a semi-political blog for a while. I took it down for the reasons you give. It wasn’t worth the turmoil I led myself into. People can be harmed by politics. They’re rarely helped.
I used to be registered as an Independent. Several years ago I switched to Republican just so I could vote in the primaries. I figure the ballot box is the one place we can be sure of influencing our government at all, and I want to have that opportunity without messing up my head to the greatest extent possible.
Steve Johnson on November 12th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
There’s a possibility that my cynicism toward government in general has swayed past the reasonable mark. I agree that there needs to be government. Anarchy is not a good thing. Maybe I just need a little chill time.
And you’re right, Rick. The one place that a regular person has influence is at the ballot box. Kudos for you for staying involved.
Rick Cockrum on November 12th, 2006 at 7:34 pm
You can’t be too cynical about the government. A necessary evil is not a good.
Rick Cockrum on November 12th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
That was too cynical and says more about me than it does the government. I don’t know if the old saying about a people getting the government they deserve is correct, but we do get a government that reflects who we are.
Steve Johnson on November 12th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
LOL, Rick, sounds like I punched a button! Do I sense a dissatisfaction with the political process?
That’s why I just let it go, now. At some point, when I feel I can make a difference, I may return to the arena. Then again, I may not. My life is so much more peaceful without it.
Hey–we know that what we focus on, we will get. You think if enough people removed their focus from government it would just go away? It’s a nice fantasy…
Edward Mills on November 13th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Hi Steve
I sure do wish I had recorded our last drop in law of attraction group. It was the Saturday before the elections and we talked about how to stay, or get, re-engaged in the political process. We talked about the power of long-term visions, visions that are so much bigger than ourselves and our lifetimes that they pull us through times of stagnation and even apparent backwards movement. It was a truly inspiring group!
I did record the visualization, which captures some of the energy and enthusiasm for what is possible. Check it out if you have a chance. It’s about 20-minutes. http://evolvingtimes.com/2006/11/change-the-world-guided-visualization.htm
Take care
ed