Why are some people really into politics?

[Saul Silver]

I'm a political science major, and so far in my experience, what I read/discuss in class/write papers about is completely different than what is discussed on teh interw3bz, cable news networks, etc.. Personally, I find politics an incredibly interesting subject that has an enormous impact on practically every aspect of our society. However, those that dominate political "discourse" currently are mainly just dumbasses that like calling other people names, arguing, and making hyperbolic statements.

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by Saul Silver

However, those that dominate political "discourse" currently are mainly just dumbasses that like calling other people names, arguing, and making hyperbolic statements.

+1,000,000

 

[Dedalus]

As much as politics plays a huge role in everyone's lives, I find it hard to care when I (ie, a person making less than millions of dollars) matter so little. And it's probably for the best; I'm not even responsible/wise enough to keep a hamster.

 

[Tigris]

Such a timely question as I just switched my major from poli sci to geography. Let's see, most poli sci majors I knew were the kind who liked to argue for superfluous reasons while pushing their beliefs onto others.

 

[Pantisocrat]

To show the world that what they teach in law school is actually relevant.

 

[SpallaCamiccia]

I´ve been writing and giving speeches since I was a teenager.

My dream is to be a pro- politician.

The best public services are does that don´t exist or are private ( me 1999 )

 

[videocrew]

Because my boss would fire me if I stopped doing my job.

 

[willpower]

Never interested until the GW Bush years. What a weird time. Fascinating, insane, frightening, polarizing, and non-deliberately hilarious. Definitely will be studied in history classes of the future. An amazing period in American history - not really a good one, yet filled with the oddest and most interesting characters.

Not interested again.

 

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by SpallaCamiccia

I´ve been writing and giving speeches since I was a teenager.

My dream is to be a pro- politician.

The best public services are does that don´t exist or are private ( me 1999 )

**** you are a great troll.

Reported for insult , thanks for education!

 

[tagutcow]

People use politics as a surrogate for the cultural and religious values absent from their lives. It provides them with a sense of identity rooted in an "us vs. them" mentality, a sense of personal purpose, the "intellectual" appearance of discussing things that are abstract and consequential, and the narcissistic promise that- if they succeed- society will be fashioned in their own likeness.

I'm not even going to pretend that conservatives and liberals are equally at fault, since liberalism is inherently more "political" than conservatism. Liberalism is predicated on the idea that politics is the required instrument for correcting economic and social issues, as well as correcting human nature itself. The belief that society requies a consortium of eggheads constantly tending to its operation naturally draws the most intellectually preening elements out of the woodwork.

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by Saul Silver

I'm a political science major, and so far in my experience, what I read/discuss in class/write papers about is completely different than what is discussed on teh interw3bz, cable news networks, etc.. Personally, I find politics an incredibly interesting subject that has an enormous impact on practically every aspect of our society. However, those that dominate political "discourse" currently are mainly just dumbasses that like calling other people names, arguing, and making hyperbolic statements.

Excellent!

 

[darkknight]

truth.

 

[Pantisocrat]

Originally Posted by darkknight

truth.

Economics for a long time was a bullshit science until they decided to change the subject areas covered and add "ics" to mirror mathema"tics". Polit"ics" is another discipline that pretends to be a rigorous science. Politicians are therefore pretender intellectuals, pseudoscientists, and quackery practitioners.

 

[Mr. Clean]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

I wonder why some people are really into politics while others don't really get too riled up about it. Assuming equal intelligence, what kind of personalities do you think obsess over politics and what kind do you think ignore it for the most part? Feel free to use StyleForum as a microcosm for the discussion's purposes.

Good question. However, it is not completely clear to me. Are you asking why some people are interested in the subject matter or not, or why some people hold strong opinions, and usually like to argue them, or not?

As for the first type of people, I considere myself quite interested in the subject matter. I cannot say why that is, other than that I am interested in many different subjects and this happens to be one of them. Clearly politics are of the highest importance, one of the few subjects that actually do have a real impact on most people's life. Also, it is quite entertaining.

Who knows why people hold strong opinions? Could have a lot to do with their social environment. Also, keep in mind that the situation in the US is not very representative for democracies. The high proportion of people with little or no opinions in politics is quite unusal.

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by Mr. Clean

Good question. However, it is not completely clear to me. Are you asking why some people are interested in the subject matter or not, or why some people hold strong opinions, and usually like to argue them, or not?

As for the first type of people, I considere myself quite interested in the subject matter. I cannot say why that is, other than that I am interested in many different subjects and this happens to be one of them. Clearly politics are of the highest importance, one of the few subjects that actually do have a real impact on most people's life. Also, it is quite entertaining.

Who knows why people hold strong opinions? Could have a lot to do with their social environment. Also, keep in mind that the situation in the US is not very representative for democracies. The high proportion of people with little or no opinions in politics is quite unusal.

Good distinction. I suppose I was implicitly asking about both. But on your first point (bolded), I'm not sure I uniformly agree. In third world countries politics certainly have a lot of effect on life. In the US, I cannot say my life has been any different over the last decade because Bush was elected over Democratic contenders. My enjoyment of life is not determined solely by taxes and gay marriage rights.