On Knowing What Matters: POLITICS

Bernard Crick defines politics as the consiliation of powers between organizations/groups with differing interests faced with a predicament, and are thus given the right to formulate and execute mutually exclusive policies, or go for a common policy for all parties.

Before you wipe the blood off your nose, here's a simpler definition.
Simply put, it is fighting for the welfare of society as a whole--what benefits the majority, if not all. Politics, in practical terms, is simply the oil or grease that keeps the system, which is the government, running. Politics is much more than the issue of government officials being paid more than what they ought. It is much, much more than the scandals, the drama, and the dilemma. This is merely one side to it. Politics is a way of life, and we cannot avoid it.

So many people are indignant about politics because we have been given the impression that it is bad. Actually, it's not. There is the existence of bad politics, and that is what we have been accustomed to. We believe the government is corrupt, we cannot deny that, but how and when and WHY did it start? Perhaps it has been that way for as long as politics ever was. And the exercise of good politics should have taken us--the Philippines--into a somewhat better state, for we should have been pursuing common good and national interest, instead of selfish ambition and greed.

I'm saying that this is worth knowing because I know that today's youth will not involve themselves in anything they do not know a thing about. I know because i am one. And i had been ignoring politics for the past, what, 3 years? Taking up PolGov this sem has opened my eyes to a lot of things, especially to what's up in the Phil these days and how i can influence it for the better. Read the newspaper. Watch the news. If you can, watch until the late-night docus and specials come on. Comment. Process. Discuss. React. Think. Evaluate. Investigate.

We may not be able to run for government positions, but we can VOTE! Thus, we should do so wisely. And we can do that by becoming well-informed. Let's not be ignorant about whatever concerns our present and will eventually affect our future. Take advantage of technology, of youth, of life.

Know what matters.