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11/07/02
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, dislike or simply don’t
care about it. Certainly,
one can’t be blamed for having such position or
feelings. But why do most people dislike politics?
Once Ambrose Bierce said, “Politics is the
conduct of public affairs for private advantage."
Perhaps Ambrose is right. People often think of
politics as thwarting the proper function of
government. And
most people see politics as something bad, closely
associates with falsehood, lie and all other wicked
acts purposely done for private gains. They 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',”
said 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.”
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 already put politics at the last place
of the most interesting subjects of conversation.
Almost no one wants to be controlled and become 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.”
Politics
may be not an interesting topic but it’s actually
no less important than any other matter. It can make
impossibility becomes possible, like the seemingly
impossible Megawati became president. It can also
make the possibility becomes impossible, like the
possible President Megawati became vice-president.
No
wonder, Butler said, “Politics is the art of the
possible.” -
R. A. Butler (1902 - 1982), The Art of the Possible
(1971).
For
some, politics is an art of deceiving since they
see politicians often 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. However,
politics need not be viewed so negatively.
Politics is the glue that can holds together
the most diverse nation on the globe, counteracting
the centrifugal forces that can potentially tear the
nation apart. No matter how bad one views it, politics is still necessary for a society,
especially a diverse one, to function.
The problem is not with politics, but the
politicians as Charles
De Gaulle once said, "I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a
matter to be left to the politicians."
In the context of
Indonesia, unfortunately De
Gaulle’s conclusion seems right. Corrupt and incapable politicians have long
dominated the nation’s politics. Money politics now
dictates most political decision at every level. As a
result, people become so apathetic with politics and
politicians. Something must be done to prevent
further disinterest of people in politics.
The Indonesian
Institute views Indonesian politics as a system well
designed by the Founding Fathers to enlarge the virtues
and contain the vices in promoting a better nation of
Indonesia. In addition, the Institute views that while
majority of the country’s politicians are not up to
the people’s expectation – either morally or
intellectually -, there is still a small portion of
politicians who are consistently working to promote a
better Indonesia.
As the nation is
preparing itself for the 2004 general election and as
politicians are preparing themselves for long campaign
and debate contests, it is, therefore, the
responsibility of Indonesian people to reward its good
politicians and disapprove its bad ones.
A good politician can be evaluated from her
message and acts. If her message is a message of
unity, democracy and prosperity for all Indonesian
people, she is strongly a candidate of a good
politician. And if she is a hard working individual,
intellectual and free from corruption and nepotism
that have devastated the nation, she is the right one.
The nation desperately is in need of such politician.
Things are never
wrong, but men are often wrong. So, let’s relegate the
wrongdoers and promote the right guys.
Searching for Good Politicians (Part 2)
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