How invested in politics are you and how does it affect you?

[meltonblue]

Am far too heavily invested in politics and it almost feels like an act of self-harm to spend so much of my retirement reading books on economics, Islam and the ‘culture wars’ in order to counter far-right narratives on X. Probably futile too, as Reform will probably still win in 2029 if WW3 doesn’t start before then.

And so instead of working my way through the unread collection of books I’ve acquired on Eastern and Western philosophy, I’m ordering titles like this:

View attachment 170009

It’s a very good book, I’ve referenced it a few times.

I hope you intersperse with some fiction at times too :)

 

[moomba]

Was always interested, but figured it never really mattered which major party (from several different countries) was elected, they were all as bad as each other.

Last two years has changed things, and I'm now looking to get much more actively involved.

 

[madloaf]

Am far too heavily invested in politics and it almost feels like an act of self-harm to spend so much of my retirement reading books on economics, Islam and the ‘culture wars’ in order to counter far-right narratives on X. Probably futile too, as Reform will probably still win in 2029 if WW3 doesn’t start before then.

And so instead of working my way through the unread collection of books I’ve acquired on Eastern and Western philosophy, I’m ordering titles like this:

View attachment 170009

The wise words of Father John Misty spring to mind.

So says the dying man once I'm in the box
Just think of all the overrated hacks running amok
And all of the pretentious, ignorant voices that will go unchecked
The homophobes, hipsters, and 1%
The false feminists he'd managed to detect
Oh, who will critique them once he's left?
Oh, in no time at all
This'll be the distant past
What he'd give for one more day to rate and analyze
The world made in his image as of yet
To realize what a mess to leave behind
Eventually the dying man takes his final breath
But first checks his news feed to see what he's 'bout to miss
And it occurs to him a little late in the game
We leave as clueless as we came
For the rented heavens to the shadows in the cave
We'll all be wrong someday

 

[BobKowalski]

Has the twat gone?

Think so. The air feels noticeably cleaner.

 

[BobKowalski]

Am far too heavily invested in politics and it almost feels like an act of self-harm to spend so much of my retirement reading books on economics, Islam and the ‘culture wars’ in order to counter far-right narratives on X. Probably futile too, as Reform will probably still win in 2029 if WW3 doesn’t start before then.

And so instead of working my way through the unread collection of books I’ve acquired on Eastern and Western philosophy, I’m ordering titles like this:

View attachment 170009

You’re not cheering anybody up with those two options, although the way things are going I reckon we will be a lot more involved in the Ukraine/Russia conflict before 2029.

I’m not sure how Farage will react given he’s a big fan of Putin. Probably declare war on Ukraine as his first option.

 

[ZenHalfTimeCrock]

The wise words of Father John Misty spring to mind.

So says the dying man once I'm in the box
Just think of all the overrated hacks running amok
And all of the pretentious, ignorant voices that will go unchecked
The homophobes, hipsters, and 1%
The false feminists he'd managed to detect
Oh, who will critique them once he's left?
Oh, in no time at all
This'll be the distant past
What he'd give for one more day to rate and analyze
The world made in his image as of yet
To realize what a mess to leave behind
Eventually the dying man takes his final breath
But first checks his news feed to see what he's 'bout to miss
And it occurs to him a little late in the game
We leave as clueless as we came
For the rented heavens to the shadows in the cave
We'll all be wrong someday

Wow! Those lyrics are extraordinary. I’d heard of Father John Misty before but never listened to anything by him until now.

Love the allusion to Plato in the penultimate line.

Also made me think of this passage from the Chuang Tzu:

‘In sleep, men's spirits go visiting; in waking hours, their bodies hustle. With everything they meet they become entangled. Day after day they use their minds in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They bound off like an arrow or a crossbow pellet, certain that they are the arbiters of right and wrong. They cling to their position as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory. They fade like fall and winter - such is the way they dwindle day by day. They drown in what they do - you cannot make them turn back. They grow dark, as though sealed with seals - such are the excesses of their old age. And when their minds draw near to death, nothing can restore them to the light.’

 

[meltonblue]

The wise words of Father John Misty spring to mind.

So says the dying man once I'm in the box
Just think of all the overrated hacks running amok
And all of the pretentious, ignorant voices that will go unchecked
The homophobes, hipsters, and 1%
The false feminists he'd managed to detect
Oh, who will critique them once he's left?
Oh, in no time at all
This'll be the distant past
What he'd give for one more day to rate and analyze
The world made in his image as of yet
To realize what a mess to leave behind
Eventually the dying man takes his final breath
But first checks his news feed to see what he's 'bout to miss
And it occurs to him a little late in the game
We leave as clueless as we came
For the rented heavens to the shadows in the cave
We'll all be wrong someday

Saw him live at End of the Road a few weeks ago, he was superb :)

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

Finding myself more and more glued to politics and know it's unhealthy, spend far to much time in here, checking BBC/Sky regularly, listen to LBC all the time, social media feed is all divisive politics ... been trying to take a break from it all but it is addictive and constantly there.

Also another aspect is that one of my brothers has fallen down the MAGA rabbit hole, his algorithms are clearly pro Trump stuff and he is posting Kirk videos etc to his feed - tried to argue back on a couple his posts but it's pointless and there's no getting through to him, we now reached a point where we can't discuss politics but was close to falling out.

anyhow. that's off my chest. how about you ?

Maybe it’s because most people think their politics are correct……and everyone else’s are not.

In my experience people’s views are formed by a combination of what’s best for them personally and what corresponds with their world view whether that be left, right, centre, or variation's there of.

Personally, I don’t care too much for any stripe.

 

[Lowtower]

A bit meh now for me

1997 ,2017 & 2019 I was heavily invested, and excited about the chance of real change for the better.

Then Blair fucked it, and those that grew up in the Blair time then fucked it for everyone in 2017 & 2019.

We are where we are because we are really fucking stupid.

 

[grunge]

Middling interest in general politics at this point, interested in international affairs that might knock on to us etc like the Ukraine war and the like.

My old man was obsessed with it and you could tell it was just an anger generator.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Finding myself more and more glued to politics and know it's unhealthy, spend far to much time in here, checking BBC/Sky regularly, listen to LBC all the time, social media feed is all divisive politics ... been trying to take a break from it all but it is addictive and constantly there.

Also another aspect is that one of my brothers has fallen down the MAGA rabbit hole, his algorithms are clearly pro Trump stuff and he is posting Kirk videos etc to his feed - tried to argue back on a couple his posts but it's pointless and there's no getting through to him, we now reached a point where we can't discuss politics but was close to falling out.

anyhow. that's off my chest. how about you ?

I have become so depressed by it that I go out of my way to avoid it. I look at the global news once every two weeks. Ukraine, Gaza, Trump, Putin, Global climate change, Uk politics are laughably bad. Bloody hell I’m feeling down just writing this.

But I suppose it’s slightly more upbeat than watching the Hammers ;-)

 

[PragueBlue]

I have become so depressed by it that I go out of my way to avoid it. I look at the global news once every two weeks. Ukraine, Gaza, Trump, Putin, Global climate change, Uk politics are laughably bad.

Same here.

 

[Alvin-blue-qhd]

‘In sleep, men's spirits go visiting; in waking hours, their bodies hustle. With everything they meet they become entangled. Day after day they use their minds in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They bound off like an arrow or a crossbow pellet, certain that they are the arbiters of right and wrong. They cling to their position as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory. They fade like fall and winter - such is the way they dwindle day by day. They drown in what they do - you cannot make them turn back. They grow dark, as though sealed with seals - such are the excesses of their old age. And when their minds draw near to death, nothing can restore them to the light.’

Lao Tzu:
“太上，下知有之；其次，亲而誉之；其次，畏之；其次，侮之。……功成事遂，百姓皆谓：‘我自然。’”

The supreme masters of the art of governance,
Their subjects barely know they exist.
The next best are the rulers whom people love and praise.
Then come those they fear.
And then come those they despise and defy.
...
When the master's work is done,
The people say, "Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!"

 

[Eccles Blue]

After 84 years on this planet I am now tuned out of politics in most senses. I've been there done that and nothing changes apart from some people seeming to be more intolerant and nasty.

I never actually joined a political party but was heavily involved in my union especially on the Benevolence side of it and helping members in difficulties.
I guess that would make me slightly (or more than slightly) in some BlueMooners eyes left wing but I like to consider myself more middle of the road.
Nowadays however I turn off the news more often than not. We used to have some good news but these days it seems to rarely happen. We let (insert the worst swear word you can think of here) American dictator in to our country to patronise and tell us what we are doing wrong. Then my tuning out tunes back in and I rant and rave inside............
So that's my take on politics!! Stupid and maybe bury my head in the sand type but I'm weary of it all and just crave peace and quiet. :-)

 

[AliBobbyJ]

Lao Tzu:
“太上，下知有之；其次，亲而誉之；其次，畏之；其次，侮之。……功成事遂，百姓皆谓：‘我自然。’”

The supreme masters of the art of governance,
Their subjects barely know they exist.
The next best are the rulers whom people love and praise.
Then come those they fear.
And then come those they despise and defy.
...
When the master's work is done,
The people say, "Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!"

Or how about W.B. Yeats:
"Things fall apart: the centre cannot hold,
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Obama filled me with hope in 2008, and even again in 2012.
But now? At 77 it's my missus, our cats, and maybe City.

 

[AliBobbyJ]

After 84 years on this planet I am now tuned out of politics in most senses. I've been there done that and nothing changes apart from some people seeming to be more intolerant and nasty.
.....
So that's my take on politics!! Stupid and maybe bury my head in the sand type but I'm weary of it all and just crave peace and quiet. :-)

Not having a go at you at all, Ms. S, I can feel the same way as my own ramblings above show. But a couple of thinks later and I'd say you know what happens "when good people do nothing." It has before and might again.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Not having a go at you at all, Ms. S, I can feel the same way as my own ramblings above show. But a couple of thinks later and I'd say you know what happens "when good people do nothing." It has before and might again.

Oh I know and I’m usually that way. Maybe after the 7th October when we’ve finally said goodbye to my brother I’ll get back to defending folks again.
I have always tried to have the Pastor Neimoller poem in my mind:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

However at the moment it is hard. :-) :-(
I’ll be back to normal soon. :-) Sorry.

 

[Don Karleone]

You kinda have to be interested when most of the politicians and press are dehumanising you and trying to cut your ability to survive.

 

[LesBleuMiserable]

Or how about W.B. Yeats:
"Things fall apart: the centre cannot hold,
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."

Obama filled me with hope in 2008, and even again in 2012.
But now? At 77 it's my missus, our cats, and maybe City.

Almost the teachings of Dicky Fox!

 

[KS55]

I’ve lost all interest in UK politics as they are all useless. But, I logged on to various US sites for last years election and now I’m hooked!
The UK has three Tory parties and a liberal joke.