Get Political!

Having an opinion is not enough. Voice it. Get political.

Sitting on an easy chair, looking at the television and commenting about the lack of honestly in today's statesmen is certainly not enough. It takes a certain initiative to convert that armchair idealism into true political capital. Most people lack that initiative, and yet comment about the moral aspects of today's politicians.

Public cynicism has reached such a level that getting political is considered to be equal to getting corrupt. A leader is perceived as a corrupt person, a mass deciever out to fleece the gullible of their votes. Perhaps this is indeed true to a certain extent. Disillusionment has set in, scam after scam. Disillusionment has set in on seeing the parliament live on TV. Disillusionment has set in on seeing kilometers of pointless red tape.

However my primary contention is that this disillusionment is just a facade. An excuse for the educated class not to get political. People feel that it is not worth their while - getting political. Being human beings (like most of us are). they refuse to blame themselves - they blame it on the politicians. Why should I become a public figure? I'll have to deal with ruffians such as Laloo Yadhav!

Getting political means taking up issues. It means taking sides in a debate. It means having an ideology - and the requisite passion to defend it. It is not demeaning. It is honourable. Raking up issues in something as benign as a campus magazine gets me angry looks from the other editors. A person who rakes up issues is a nuiscance, they feel. An apolitical person is more honorable, more desirable.

We have only one life. Let's not get bogged down by the inertia of the masses. If you believe that something ought to be done about some issue you feel passionate about fret not. Take it out to the open. Discuss it. Get political.

Me? I've got no time for all that. I've got more important things to do. Like work. And blogging.