‘Tis the Season
August 28th, 2008 Posted in writingIt’s the political season, when America finds itself awash in high blown rhetoric and low down trickery. Some people are so put off by the political process that they ignore the whole thing, but that’s hard to do since the media seems to talk about little else.
Still, we can’t escape politics entirely — and shouldn’t — because, if we believe Aristotle, human beings are “political animals.” And he meant something deeper than what people normally think of as politics. His word “political” comes from the Greek word “polis,” which means “city.” In building our human cities (which can be as small as a village or as big as the world itself), we determine the kind of communities we want to live in and contribute to. Choosing our leaders and representatives is part of that.
This political season, I plan to avoid political ads and TV talking heads. I generally find that they tell me very little. Instead, I want to spend time thinking about the kind of city, nation, and world I want to live in and help build. Then I’ll decide which candidates or which party comes closer to thinking the way I do and vote accordingly in November.
How do you plan to spend the political season and what you are looking for in a party and/or political leader? Send in a comment to this posting.
No Responses to “‘Tis the Season”
By Katie Pacyna on Aug 28, 2008
I’m planning to totally disregard the commercials and spin-doctoring and pray that the American people (especially in some special regard the “young folks”) take off their iPods and engage in the kind of thought you’re talking about. What I’m really hoping is that a leader who understands the United States in realistic relation to the rest of the world will emerge and help solve some of the really heinous problems that have taken root during this current administration.
I’m tired of big business and “agendas.” Ideally, I just want to start seeing some justice for those, both in this country and out, who don’t have much and need support that government could give.
That’s all. 🙂