Sunday, January 05, 2014
Sunday Reflection: Politics and People
There are people I know for whom there is great importance in who is elected president in 2016. Some feel that if another Democrat is elected, it will be an utter disaster; others think that if a Republican wins, the nation will lose its values.
It's odd, though-- this obsession is really a way to put our own fates in the hands of others. We imagine that who is president will profoundly affect our lives, but that is rarely true. After all, before this Democrat, we had a Republican, before that a Democrat, and before that a Republican... and life went on.
Really, we control our own lives to a much greater degree than the president does; what job we seek and how well we do it is much more important than marginal tax rates. Often, I notice it is those (on both sides) most disappointed with their lives who attach the most importance to politics.
If we want an outcome, that is mostly up to us, but we all make odd choices. For example, if you want to keep your house safe, you might think you need a gun. But the chance of a home invasion is remote; the chance of a fire is much more likely. Getting a smoke detector more directly serves the purpose of home protection than a gun. But the gun represents power, and that is something other than what we imagine we are really pursuing.
Accountability for our own lives is a difficult path. Faith makes it easier for some; at its best it humbles us, and lets us see our own flaws. That's not a bad thing.
It's odd, though-- this obsession is really a way to put our own fates in the hands of others. We imagine that who is president will profoundly affect our lives, but that is rarely true. After all, before this Democrat, we had a Republican, before that a Democrat, and before that a Republican... and life went on.
Really, we control our own lives to a much greater degree than the president does; what job we seek and how well we do it is much more important than marginal tax rates. Often, I notice it is those (on both sides) most disappointed with their lives who attach the most importance to politics.
If we want an outcome, that is mostly up to us, but we all make odd choices. For example, if you want to keep your house safe, you might think you need a gun. But the chance of a home invasion is remote; the chance of a fire is much more likely. Getting a smoke detector more directly serves the purpose of home protection than a gun. But the gun represents power, and that is something other than what we imagine we are really pursuing.
Accountability for our own lives is a difficult path. Faith makes it easier for some; at its best it humbles us, and lets us see our own flaws. That's not a bad thing.
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I've heard it said that if you really want to affect your world, vote in your local elections--school board, city council, mayor. Those citizens make the laws that most directly apply to our daily lives.
Control can also be an illusion. Having a child with an illness, having a surgery go wrong, even watching the homeless folks our church was housing this week (they're looking for control too)-- we all hope for control, but it can be tough to come by. But control or not, I'll keep voting to cancel out my brother's votes :)
I agree that I make far more of an impact in my life than the president. I also agree that a fire in my house is more likely than a thief. However, just because that's true for me doesn't mean it's true for all. A friend of mine feels called to live downtown in Waco. After an incident, the cops informed him that the house he's renting has been broken into 12 times. I think it's kind of like the 'secret smokers' post. While some of us are rarely exposed to indoor smoking, that's hardly the reality for others who live in other areas of the country.
Just a thought :)
Just a thought :)
Late to the party on this comment, but I think your post contains some profound and important truths. By the same token, I don't think we fully realize the power that can be harnessed by a community or nation united in a good cause.
Late to the party on this comment, but I think your post contains some profound and important truths. By the same token, I don't think we fully realize the power that can be harnessed by a community or nation united in a good cause.
Good post.
And this is to say nothing of the weight of your vote relative to the Electoral college and the rest of ones fellow Americans.
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And this is to say nothing of the weight of your vote relative to the Electoral college and the rest of ones fellow Americans.
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