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There
is a general rule. Never talk about politics when
you are at the first date unless the woman is a
journalist or running for public office or an
activist. Otherwise, the date will be doomed to
its boredom.
Many
people are uncomfortable talking about politics.
Either they hate it, dislike it or simply don’t
care about it. Of course we can’t blame anyone
for having such position or feelings. But why most
people dislike it?
Politics
is "The conduct of public affairs for private
advantage."
Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914), The Devil's
Dictionary
Perhaps
Ambrose is right. Most people see politics as
something bad, closely associates with falsehood,
lie and all other wicked acts purposely done for
private gains. Not only that, people usually also
view politics as something made up of
irrelevancies. When one hears someone else talk
about politics, in the back up of her mind is, “he
is talking something useless”. We commonly hear, “stop
talking politics!”
or “politics? No, it’s just nonsense!”
People
then try to derive the word politics into
something horrifying.
The
word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly',
meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning
'blood sucking parasites'. Larry Hardiman
And
read what Clinton said about politics
No
wonder Americans hate politics when, year in and
year out, they hear politicians make promises that
won't come true because they don't even mean them
- campaign fantasies that win elections but don't
get nations moving again.
Bill Clinton, 1992.
Before
going any further let us be clear about the
meaning of politics. According to Merriam-Webster’s
dictionary, politics is a :
the art or science of government b : the
art or science concerned with guiding or
influencing governmental policy c : the art
or science concerned with winning and holding
control over a government.
Politics
is (1) some sort of art, (2) something relates to
a government and (3) something with a goal of
winning or controlling.
The
third attribute is already put politics in the
last place of the most interesting subjects of
conversation. Almost no one wants to be controlled
and feel like a loser. That’s why Paul Valery
came up with
Politics
is the art of preventing people from taking part
in affairs which properly concern them. Paul
Valery (1871 - 1945)
Politics
is perhaps not an appealing topic but it’s
actually no less important than other matter. It
can make impossibility becomes possible, like the
seemingly impossible Megawati becomes president.
It can also make the possibility becomes
impossible, like the possible President Megawati
became only vice-president.
No
wonder, Butler said
Politics
is the art of the possible.
R. A. Butler (1902 - 1982), The Art
of the Possible (1971)
And
to make it even look precious
Politics
is war without bloodshed while war is politics
with bloodshed. Mao
Tse-Tung (1893 - 1976)
For
some, politics maybe an art of deceiving since
they see politicians mislead people. Or it might
be an art of lying as politicians never tell the
truth. Or it could be an art of forgetting, since
politicians always forget what they said. No
matter how bad it is in your view, politics is
still necessary for a society to be functional
well. The problem is not with politics, but the
politicians.
I
have come to the conclusion that politics are too
serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
Charles
De Gaulle (1890 - 1970).
Things are never
wrong, but men do wrong.
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