In lands where grown-ups strive and fret, a strange shadow falls upon the “State.” It is called “Choiceless and Mindless Politics,” a confusing dance where big problems like roads, money, and folks from other lands remain untouched. Imagine trying to build a magnificent bridge, but the builders squabble over tiny details, forgetting the grand design! This happens because the “political parties” (like teams in a game) have become so focused on their own ideas, like “ideological extremism,” that they put their “partisan tribes” ahead of the whole country. This makes it seem as if “Politics has become the art of the impossible,” leaving many people feeling disgusted and without trust in those who lead.
“When grown-ups squabble and leaders lose their way, Good ideas vanish, turning brightest day to grey.”
When grown-ups go to vote, it’s not always a joyful task. Some feel they must pick the “lesser of two evils,” like choosing between two unappealing snacks because it’s their “civic duty.” Others simply vote for or against a team, or even for or against the person already in charge. But many, oh many, just “yawn and are turned off” because they don’t see anyone truly exciting or different to vote for. It’s as if the “cool-headed problem solvers” have vanished, and good, fair-minded people don’t even try to run for office because the current game is so difficult to win. The leaders of these teams seem “all-powerful,” demanding everyone follow their rules exactly.
“Our nation’s puzzles wait, unsolved and deep, While partisan shadows o’er the future creep.”
Once upon a time, these political teams had a mix of all sorts of thinkers, like a garden with many different flowers. But now, it’s as if they’ve been “purified” into just two kinds of blossoms: one for conservatives and one for liberals. This means that ideas aren’t really debated and mixed to find the best solutions; instead, “political ideologies have now become absolute truths.” It’s hard to discuss what’s right or wrong when everyone thinks their own way is the only way, and this can lead to “demonizing the other side.” This sad dance makes more people give up on voting, which ironically gives “extremists” an even bigger chance to get their candidates chosen, feeding a “vicious downward cycle” where division grows ever stronger.
Source: Choiceless and Mindless Politics by Sam Yau, Chairman of the Board of the Esalen Institute