Controversial Is it okay to not care about politics?

[Monkey D Theories]

I care

but only enough to post my opinions on the internet and vote every few years.

I don’t care enough to protest. Or to get arrested and get my ass beat by the police.

I have a really good job as an engineer. However my company supports the US government and the war in Israel. I’m probably, in some ways, contributing to the suffering of the Palestinians.

But I feel like I can live with that. It’s not my responsibility to deal with that issue. I’m not the one in control of the US government or Israel. I’m not deciding to bomb or kill. I’m just a replaceable engineer who works to build software tools.

I suppose that’s how the Germans rationalized their actions during the nazi regime. But was that even wrong of them?

Of course it’s wrong to actually be a nazi. But what if you are just a German who works for the Nazis? Not in a concentration camp or anything. Just a factory worker.

Could you really blame those people for not standing up to the nazis? I read about the Germans who did stand up to the nazis. They were all murdered and died meaningless deaths. Years later they are now honored as heroes who stood up against evil. But that’s all they get.

They didn’t get to live the rest of their lives. They didn’t get to marry, have children, grow old.

That’s what I want. I want to live a good life. And I feel like politics, while having its place, isn’t really conducive to having a good life if it becomes your identity. Perhaps that is selfish. But what is wrong with being selfish? Everyone is selfish. Being selfish is how you survive in this world.

Are there things I wouldn’t do? Of course. I try my best to live a moral life. But why should I be expected to sacrifice my livelihood, especially when doing so wouldn’t change a thing?

If I wasn’t doing my job, someone else would be. If I were to quit to protest my company’s actions, I wouldn’t be helping the world, I’d just be hurting myself.

Just like how those Germans who protested hitler didn’t actually stop the Holocaust, but rather needlessly got themselves executed.

Sigh. This is truly one of the conundrums of my life.

 

[Bisoromi Bear]

Of course it’s wrong to actually be a nazi. But what if you are just a German who works for the Nazis?

then you may be even worse

I read about the Germans who did stand up to the nazis. They were all murdered and died meaningless deaths.

How do you define meaningless?

They didn’t get to live the rest of their lives. They didn’t get to marry, have children, grow old.

Imagine lowkey hating oneself for what you support and getting to live a whole life. Sounds like pure mental torture, no?

But what is wrong with being selfish? Everyone is selfish.

That's how selfish people justify their selfishness before themselves. In fact many people are not.

Being selfish is how you survive in this world.

Nobody survives.

But why should I be expected to sacrifice my livelihood,

Who expects you to? And why does it matter? What about one's own expectations for oneself?

doing so wouldn’t change a thing?

Can you prove that it would not?

Sigh. This is truly one of the conundrums of my life.

If I were to quit to protest my company’s actions, I wouldn’t be helping the world, I’d just be hurting myself.

Idk this post of yours sounds like an expression of emotional pain. I could be wrong of course.

 

[Monkey D Theories]

How do you define meaningless?

Was talking about these people: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whi...om the University of,member of the White Rose.

They didn’t stop the holocaust

They didn’t stop WWII

They didn’t bring down the nazis

They just died miserable deaths.

 

[Bisoromi Bear]

Was talking about these people: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rose#:~:text=Students from the University of,member of the White Rose.

They didn’t stop the holocaust

They didn’t stop WWII

They didn’t bring down the nazis

That's certainly a way to interpret it.

They just died miserable deaths.

I'd argue that being alive and beating oneself up over one's own cowardice is a miserable life. I don't understand how people can live this way and not end themselves. But that's just how I think about it.

 

[Monkey D Theories]

then you may be even worse

How? I’m just trying to live my best life.

I don’t want my country or my company to hurt others. But that’s just the system that people with power created. If I was one of those people with power, then perhaps I would do something.

But I’m not. I merely live within the systems that those people have created.

Post automatically merged: May 21, 2024

I'd argue that being alive and beating oneself up over one's own cowardice is a miserable life. I don't understand how people can live this way and not end themselves. But that's just how I think about it.

that’s only the case if you feel guilt

but I don’t know if I should feel guilt

I’m just an engineer who makes software tools. That’s not a sin. That is not a crime. Do the people who I work for use my work to further their nefarious agenda? Yes. But that is their sin, not mine.

 

[Bisoromi Bear]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Scholl

I got myself a book about her when I was around 10 y/o suitable for my age and my mom thought i'm way too young for this kinda stuff. People approach these topics in a variety of ways.

How? I’m just trying to live my best life.

I don’t want my country or my company to hurt others. But that’s just the system that people with power created. If I was one of those people with power, then perhaps I would do something.

But I’m not. I merely live within the systems that those people have created.

I was not accusing or attacking you personally. Your post looks like you feel the need to defend yourself.
I said: "MAY be even worse". Depends on your own ideals and opinions.

Do what you will and try to live with yourself. If you have a well paying job you can use the money in all sorts of ways that help people.

 

[Mathias]

Most people don’t care. They’ll just elect their king once every 5years or so. People who protest are usually less than 1%, once it reaches 1% you get the French yellow jacket « movement ».

 

[Logiko]

I don’t care enough to protest.

Imagine that a radical extremist is about to win the presidential of your country (for X reasons). His first measure will be to scratch ALL the rights of the worker, make work a civil obligation and allow business not to pay their workers depending on their performences (yes, basically the restablishment of slavery).

What would you do ?

--

If you don't know the answer, remember this:

Doing nothing or staying neutral when oppression happens ALWAYS helps the oppressors.

That's why choosing to stay silent is indirectly taking the side of the oppressors.

Could you really blame those people for not standing up to the nazis?

Yes.

And I feel like politics, while having its place, isn’t really conducive to having a good life if it becomes your identity.

Politic is not meant to be easy. Politic is conflict. Its the fact of standing up against problematic values.

There is no easy paths in politic.

But what is wrong with being selfish?

If you can live with yourself, go for it mate. As long as you don't go against those who actually try to fight, no one will force you to take a stand. Only your own values can do that.

But you need to understand that choosing not to take a side (if you have actually the ressources and strenght to do it) IS a choice and it comes with consequences.

If I were to quit to protest my company’s actions, I wouldn’t be helping the world

Are you sure about that ?

Just like how those Germans who protested hitler didn’t actually stop the Holocaust, but rather needlessly got themselves executed.

Is anyone threatening your life right now when you protest ?

It feels like you are trying to convince yourself of something here. We can't make this choice for you.

Most people don’t care. They’ll just elect their king once every 5years or so. People who protest are usually less than 1%, once it reaches 1% you get the French yellow jacket « movement ».

Indeed. Most people have been conditionned to hate politic. This is one of the """greatest""" accomplishment of Liberalism. There was a time - during the revolution if I remember those days correctly - where politics was in everyones mouths.

That's why we need to reestablish the legitimacy of the political in the public debate in every side of society.

 

[Herrera95]

Yes it is okay. Many don't. But you are just not being aware of the several things that influence your life and you are not putting the minimal effort to defend your believes and that's why the world is what it is today with UN making a minute in memory of Iran former supreme leader death while iranians celebrate it.

 

[Monkey D Theories]

I would not make the comparison to the Nazis like you did, but however to the german citizen living before Hitler was made chancellor.
Would you have voted for the right wing parties? (that agreed to sit with Hitler and thought he'd simply mellow down on his rhetoric once he saw things from the top?), actual fall for propaganda because inflation sucks so you'd vote for the NSDAP? protest and vote for center, center left, left parties? move out of germany before it starts?

I think I would have left. Germany was pretty ass even before the nazis came to power.

They were fucked with inflation due to the recession and the war.

Post automatically merged: May 27, 2024

I think there has been no real reasons to protest in most western countries. Most protests you do see are idiot and hurt the common people, being annoying and blocking public space.

I think protesting the US government is one thing. The American government actually cares what Americans think and protests can effect government actions.

But protesting Israel as an American is pointless. Even if you are protesting to have the American government/institutions engage in BDS against Israel. It’s still pointless.

The relations between the US and Israel aren’t governed by democracy. Israel furthers American imperialism and the war in Gaza furthers the war machine.

America gives aid to Israel, Israel uses the aid to buy American weapons. And the American defense industry lobbies politicians to continue supporting Israel.

Post automatically merged: May 27, 2024

The fact is, Americans can barely govern our own country. We can’t get free healthcare. We can’t stop mass shootings.

if we can’t even make real change in America I doubt we will do so in another country. At least not in a way that would make it better.

 

[Bisoromi Bear]

I think I would have left. Germany was pretty ass even before the nazis came to power.

They were fucked with inflation due to the recession and the war.

Post automatically merged: May 27, 2024

I think protesting the US government is one thing. The American government actually cares what Americans think and protests can effect government actions.

But protesting Israel as an American is pointless. Even if you are protesting to have the American government/institutions engage in BDS against Israel. It’s still pointless.

The relations between the US and Israel aren’t governed by democracy. Israel furthers American imperialism and the war in Gaza furthers the war machine.

America gives aid to Israel, Israel uses the aid to buy American weapons. And the American defense industry lobbies politicians to continue supporting Israel.

Post automatically merged: May 27, 2024

The fact is, Americans can barely govern our own country. We can’t get free healthcare. We can’t stop mass shootings.

if we can’t even make real change in America I doubt we will do so in another country. At least not in a way that would make it better.

You seem to care enough to make this thread

 

[Monkey D Theories]

You seem to care enough to make this thread

That’s about it

I care enough to post on the internets

not enough to do anything else

 

[Yoho]

Yes you can happily live your life without a care in the world about politics I do it everyday

 

[Angel90]

I like to see politics but not in my country because they are all thiefs

 

[Kakooli]

I like to see politics but not in my country because they are all thiefs

serpian pipole are great...

maybe ur teh problen?!?!?!?!

 

[Angel90]

serpian pipole are great...

maybe ur teh problen?!?!?!?!

If i wasnt in other countries then i wouldnt know the difference - yeah im the problem now stop quoting me stupid things

 

[Etzel Andergast]

Indeed. Most people have been conditionned to hate politic. This is one of the """greatest""" accomplishment of Liberalism. There was a time - during the revolution if I remember those days correctly - where politics was in everyones mouths.

That's why we need to reestablish the legitimacy of the political in the public debate in every side of society.

But almost everyone talks about politics

 

[NAMELESS]

To be honest,in my country,i feel like voting doesn't really matter or changes anything. Motherfuckers on top of the game always have things their way.

Post automatically merged: May 28, 2024

I care

but only enough to post my opinions on the internet and vote every few years.

I don’t care enough to protest. Or to get arrested and get my ass beat by the police.

I have a really good job as an engineer. However my company supports the US government and the war in Israel. I’m probably, in some ways, contributing to the suffering of the Palestinians.

But I feel like I can live with that. It’s not my responsibility to deal with that issue. I’m not the one in control of the US government or Israel. I’m not deciding to bomb or kill. I’m just a replaceable engineer who works to build software tools.

I suppose that’s how the Germans rationalized their actions during the nazi regime. But was that even wrong of them?

Of course it’s wrong to actually be a nazi. But what if you are just a German who works for the Nazis? Not in a concentration camp or anything. Just a factory worker.

Could you really blame those people for not standing up to the nazis? I read about the Germans who did stand up to the nazis. They were all murdered and died meaningless deaths. Years later they are now honored as heroes who stood up against evil. But that’s all they get.

They didn’t get to live the rest of their lives. They didn’t get to marry, have children, grow old.

That’s what I want. I want to live a good life. And I feel like politics, while having its place, isn’t really conducive to having a good life if it becomes your identity. Perhaps that is selfish. But what is wrong with being selfish? Everyone is selfish. Being selfish is how you survive in this world.

Are there things I wouldn’t do? Of course. I try my best to live a moral life. But why should I be expected to sacrifice my livelihood, especially when doing so wouldn’t change a thing?

If I wasn’t doing my job, someone else would be. If I were to quit to protest my company’s actions, I wouldn’t be helping the world, I’d just be hurting myself.

Just like how those Germans who protested hitler didn’t actually stop the Holocaust, but rather needlessly got themselves executed.

Sigh. This is truly one of the conundrums of my life.

if you don't want to finance the gov,don't pay taxes lol taxes are mostly theft anyway

 

[Logiko]

But almost everyone talks about politics

In reality, most people don't like to talk about politic, simply because they have been conditionned to believe that its a bad subject. Politic in society is a taboo that is said to bring chaos. And its for this reason that most discussion spaces on internet ban political talks.

In reality, Politic is just a subject like any other, but its an important one, that's why we need to bring back the political into all spaces.

 

[NAMELESS]

The only protests that works in starving the government to death. Don't pay taxes. Don't give them any money.

Post automatically merged: May 28, 2024

In reality, most people don't like to talk about politic, simply because they have been conditionned to believe that its a bad subject. Politic in society is a taboo that is said to bring chaos. And its for this reason that most discussion spaces on internet ban political talks.

In reality, Politic is just a subject like any other, but its an important one, that's why we need to bring back the political into all spaces.

talking about politics with random people can end in dumb fights.