SICK OF POLITICS
The Opposing Viewpoint
You Can Make a Difference

© 1988 by Stuart Norman

This article was not published. It was meant as part two of “Politics Isn’t What You Think It Is” A political primer.


        If you love politics and are convinced you can make a difference, then become involved. If you do nothing how can you expect change? Perhaps someone else will do it or will do what you oppose. Waiting for someone else to do it is denying your responsibility. And you can ask yourself if you are willing to go along with the beliefs of the masses and the rulers. Either care for yourself or give up.
        Because the majority of people won’t do anything, you can do something, but only up to the point that you encounter their resistance to change. Powerful, vested interests may have much to lose with social change and will manipulate the public’s resistance. How far can change be taken? There are socio-cultural limits.
        Significant social change cannot occur quickly unless dire or catastrophic circumstances occur. War has been one way of major sociopolitical change, but the consequences are usually too negative and destructive. So, too, are revolutions, usually amounting to civil wars, hardly civil. Often the gross injustices of the previous regime are perpetuated. Only the ruling elite changes.
        With the foregoing in mind you must understand that you can only make small changes. Only you can decide whether those will be worthwhile. So if you have conviction there are practical things you must know about politics in order to be effective. First, you must understand that politics is a very frustrating and dirty game. It plays on the hopes and fears of the people. It isn’t fair. Second, you must do your homework. Study political science and philosophy, even psychology, to know how and why the system works; understand its structure and social processes, belief and disbelief systems. Learn marketing, advertising and public relations - how candidates and issues are sold to the people. Logical and rational arguments won’t always work. Also learn to understand what is possible among all the conflicting individual beliefs and desires. All issues will be compromised; ideals will not be followed. How do you persuade against deeply-seated beliefs, prejudices and fears? You need to educate with a knowledge of how not to trigger these emotions, but to give the people something of hope, something to gain, a positive strategy. Lastly, learn that politics is very personal. Influences and decisions are made by a few people who have political knowledge and power in personal deals and agreements.
        Motives are important. Politicians want to feel needed, want to feel important, have prestige or desire to influence and control others, or may genuinely want to serve the people. Nevertheless, they love to play with power.
        In any social system power is delegated by agreement. The capability of martial force to preserve the power balance comes after the agreements. Power resides in all individuals, but is placed in the care of the rulers by the belief that this should be so. Rulers understand this; the people don’t .Thus leaders can manipulate and rule. This psychological understanding is a power in itself. But too much power residing in one person or in a few people is unstable. Even in our somewhat open political system there will be threats and defenses.
        All the foregoing should be understood by every individual in the nation, but alas, it may not be possible. Yet we know that there must be an informed populace to operate a democracy. This is the modern dilemma.
        If you wish to actively be involved in politics there are other things you can do. The first is register to vote, then vote even if your vote is only a vote against. Realize that your vote among many hardly makes a difference. Voting is a mass phenomenon.
        Next, read and study the issues, research candidates voting records, political and social associations, memberships, business connections. Be able to assess what the candidate can do and has done in the past. On any political issue research who will benefit and who will lose. There are always hidden agendas to be discovered. Who is the hidden power behind the visible power representative? What are the motives for supporting an issue, a candidate? Go out and meet the candidates and supporters; ask questions. Remember that electing a candidate is mostly a popularity contest.

        You can make a difference by influencing others. It may be that you do best by influencing only a few, close friends or associates. Be informed and ready to argue persuasively. Or write your representatives in office. Your letter counts for thousands of people because most people don’t write.
        If you want to work more, then join a political committee or group or party and find a use for your talents within that organization. Perhaps you might write polemic or commentary or analysis if you have that skill and can find a publisher, whether or not you are in a political organization. But if you want to make a personal, political influence you will have to pay your dues and earn a reputation by working for the party and candidates. Or become the voice of social critic. It involves long volunteer hours which can be fun or drudgery. Especially if you want a political position (office) you will have to compromise some of your personal integrity and have to please too many people. Can you do that for the greater good you might be able to eventually do? What are you willing to give up for the long term goals; and can you keep the vision in the meanwhile?
        When people are mobilized behind an issue or candidate things can change. People who believe in change working together in focus toward a goal with purpose and objectives and strategies in mind can make changes happen. Only a small number of people are needed to provide the spark for social change. Usually a charismatic leader is needed to support the issue, one who can address grievances and articulate emotions of the people. He or she must appear to be of the people. One who can provide that kind of leadership will make the ideal candidate. And once elected, perhaps some changes can be slowly made.

        As faeries, we have envisioned a new politics and new political principles, although we differ widely in our beliefs. We have in common a dissatisfaction with politics as it exists now. Many of the beliefs and behaviors of our culture are anathema to us. We want to change it. Or else politics doesn’t interest many of us and we want to live free of its craziness. But it can still reach out to hurt us. The most we can expect from the political process in our culture at this time is to use the established philosophy of individual civil rights to gain nondiscriminatory laws for gays which has been the thrust of the gay.rights movement. However, that will not change the culture.
        Perhaps we faeries are the seeds of a new culture living amidst the final days, waiting to be fertilized by the decay of the ancient, dying culture. We live everywhere from rural, isolated homesteads to the large cities, interacting in many social positions; we travel freely around the country and world making contacts and spreading our philosophy. We are also aware of our potential as shamans/healers and visionaries of another, more humane way of life.
        We may not be able to change our culture, at least not in the short term measured by an average human life span, but we must try. The best way is the politics of the personal by living our lives as we wish, not as society would have us live, but as examples. Campaigns and movements are part of the system and can be co-opted and resisted. Individuals can spread the truth with an ease and power no movement can contain. The individual way is always more valid, and will outlast the momentum of any movement or campaign. From within the individual comes all changes.

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