participatory democracyI don't really feel that politics, as portrayed in the mass media, is at all constructive or even at all related to reality. The media wants to tell a story. That's fine. I like stories. But when it comes to actually getting things done—to decide the ultimate fate of this and future generations—I don't think the stories they tell help much. Maybe a little sometimes, but not often. I'm interested in politics. Actually, that's not true. I'm interested in governance. I don't really care about the petty back and forth of political discourse. Who's at fault for what... who lied... whether someone "flip-flopped." I care about making sure the right thing gets done. I care about making sure the future is better than the present. I believe it's possible. I'd like to think it's inevitable, but I know it's not. I don't think it takes much—just that everybody tries. Everybody has to believe that the future is more important than the present. Everybody has to want to make life better for their children. I think that's natural, but looking at politics the last five or ten years, I'm not so sure. There are plenty of people out there who will mortgage the future for short-term gains. So I'd like to do something. I don't think it has to be a big something. But if civilization does go to shit in my lifetime, I think I'd feel bad if I didn't at least try to do a little bit to help make the system work—to work towards the ends I'm interested in. In short, I want to get involved. At least a little bit. To be engaged. I don't think cynicism does much good. I also think the people who feel disenfranchised are living out a self-fulfilling prophecy. I believe the people "in charge" want The People involved. If nothing else, it gives them legitimacy. Or, at least, if the people in charge give The People opportunities to be involved, The People should avail themselves of those opportunities, thus granting legitimacy to those people, because they're probably the ones we want to be in charge. At least they're showing some willingness to listen. And not listening is a dangerous sign. What I'm getting at is... and I might be a little naive in this... I figure I'm going to make more of an effort to involve myself in exercises in participatory democracy. Like the Rae Review. Which, by the way, was actually kind of interesting and not at all angry and shouty like I had feared. I didn't get up and say anything, but I was there, and I listened, and I learned a couple things that I hadn't thought much about before. So, in that, I think it was a worthwhile way to spend a couple hours, even for selfish purposes. And, since I think this is a good thing for the people in charget to be doing, if I granted them some legitimacy by being there, all the better. Lord knows it's been a while since the people in charge around here have been interested in listening to anybody. Always be wary of the people who tell you they know all the answers. If you're interested in liars, that's your first clue. comments:This post is archived. Comments are disabled. Feel free to send me email if you have something to say. | |
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