By: Kevin Sigrist, Editor-in-Chief

It is nearly certain that you have heard people in your life claiming that they do not care about politics or that they choose not to be involved. At the surface level, this may seem understandable, especially when you consider the ever-growing hostility within American politics and the sense of dread that comes with any discussion of it. Despite the normalization of this opinion, it is incredibly important to understand that this belief – that politics are something capable of not being given your attention – is a fallacy and a total misunderstanding of what politics are as a concept.

​The fact of the matter is that everything is political. This statement is not a commentary on modern social politics or the attitudes of a specific party, but an objective assessment of what politics truly mean. A general definition of politics would be the activities and systems related to the government and its responsibility in the governance of the people. As we live in a highly industrialized and developed world with incredibly advanced governments capable of inconceivable ways to both control and provide for us, every aspect of our lives is, by design, related to politics and the actions of our government. 

​If you are a person of color, a woman, a queer person, have a medical condition, have a job, plan on buying a home or retiring, are attending school or did not inherit $1 billion, political choices old and new have substantial impacts on your life and your livelihood. Whether it be through taxes, human rights, welfare or censorship laws, you are never truly capable of not caring about politics, because politics certainly cares about you!

Rick Kiefer, Professor of Political Science and History at Waubonsee Community College, has seen this misunderstanding in his life in and out of education, and finds it important to understand the broadness of government.

​“I think as you move through life, sometimes you see these things in a different regard. You know, politics, it can mean different things to different people, but there are also different layers. So like the local, the state level, the national level. And in general, what the media covers is national politics, and that can be pretty divisive. So some people disengage for that reason,” Kiefer said.

​While the goal of this opinion is not to villainize individuals who feel this sense of complacency, it is incredibly important to understand that this idea ultimately comes from a place of privilege on multiple levels – a privilege that very few are truly able to have.

​“There’s people that think that both parties are corrupt or not reflective of what they want. 
And I think a lot of those people lose sight of the perspective globally that in some countries, you don’t have a choice, and in some countries, you’re just given the policy the government decides, and if you don’t accept it, you can be punished or incarcerated. Persecuted,” Kiefer said. “So I think in the United States… People just think, ‘well, this is just, you know, something that doesn’t really affect my daily life.’” 

​Our opportunity as Americans to participate in government is one that should not be taken for granted, but international comparison is not solely where this idea applies. If you find yourself capable of not caring about politics and still getting by, the conclusion to be made is more so that you should use your voting and civil power to help those who are not capable of this same situation.

​This argument is in no way limited to the current circumstances of our country, but it serves as an apparent example. We are currently seeing the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) commit borderline abductions and mass deportations of just about anyone who could be considered non-white or some form of immigrant, even those who are fully legal residents or citizens. This is a moment where the voice of those unaffected is needed to protect those who do not have the safety to speak out, rather than using their lack of association as a means to be uninvolved.

​An incredibly applicable piece of writing that represents this argument comes from the era of Nazi Germany during WWII. Pastor Martin Niemöller wrote to explain the issues of complacency in his poem “First They Came.”

​“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,” Niemöller wrote.

​To modernize this quote to the current day, YouTube social commentator and masters-holder F.D. Signifier spoke in a recent video discussing the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk on what the true meaning of racism is.

​“Racism isn’t about hate. It’s about indifference to harm being done to people that don’t look like you. Especially if that harm is useful for how you maintain your own status quo.”

​This point is somewhat difficult to comprehend without establishing a foundational understanding that the American working class is currently facing large-scale undermining and that everyday individuals have far more in common with the immigrants and incarcerated than the ultra-wealthy or high-level government members. We are no longer capable of operating under this hyperindividualistic lifestyle that American capitalism and neoliberalism promote, as it is cannibalizing us – all of us.

​While many statistics can be used to demonstrate this, a select few stick out more than most as immediate indicators. According to the National Association of Realtors, as of Nov. 4, the median age of all home buyers in America is 59 years old, with the first-time buyer median age being 40. According to the Economic Policy Institute, since 1948, worker productivity has increased 243.1%, while the hourly compensation adjusted for inflation has only increased 108.9% – an astounding discrepancy. 

While its effect is more apparent now, capitalism has always been harmful to the working class, but different individuals face adversity at different times, specifically those within minority demographics.

​“I think some people do that just out of necessity, right? They just start to realize that maybe they don’t even think of it as politics. 
They just think of it as survival – day-to-day survival. But it is a challenge sometimes to get people to engage like that,” Kiefer said.

​Participating in and understanding politics is crucial for the sake of our unique privilege as well as representing those who do not have the safety or capabilities to do so, but there are even more fundamental reasons to participate beyond this: political participation is imperative for the proper functioning of Democracy.

​“Personally, I feel like if you don’t engage, you give more political power to fewer people. So if you don’t show up to vote in a primary, you get stuck with the candidates that other people have chosen,” Kiefer said. “If you decide ‘I don’t care, I’m not even going to vote in the general election.’ 
Well, then, when voter turnouts are low, you get stuck with the people in office that not a majority of the people even chose.”

​This may seem like a straw man, but it is an incredibly true part of our society. According to CNN, Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election with just over 81 million votes. This is a large number, but not in comparison to the approximately 260 million people of eligible voting age in that year. This problem is even more intensified with local elections, including those in and around Waubonsee.

“​I always use the example of Aurora’s municipal elections and local elections. It’s the 2nd largest city in the state, and it has pretty terrible voter turnout, if you look at it. It’s consistently like 20% of registered voters are participating,” Kiefer said. “And, you know, you do the math on that. You can get elected to mayor with essentially 12% of the registered voters. Is that reflective of what the people want? 
I don’t know, but… that’s marginal.”

​The ignoring of politics in daily life is not a choice that can be made in good faith. It does not demonstrate maturity or personal preference, but rather complacency. By not giving at least a small portion of your attention to politics, you are demonstrating your implied consent in the tyrannical and unjust actions being taken by the government against all kinds of individuals across the nation, of whom they may eventually be just like you.

This perspective can ultimately become overwhelming when thinking about the incredibly difficult uphill battle that comes with using your voice, but it is an inherent necessity at all times as a citizen, especially in times of authoritarian creep and corruption.

“I always tell people you should participate in every opportunity you have. 
The best way to do that is to be informed. So, you know, if you don’t even know there’s a governor’s election coming up or a mayoral election, that’s a problem. But you do need to make an effort,” Kiefer said. “I think everybody should have the opportunity to participate, but there is a difference between people studying up on the issues and feeling like they understand what the outcome is going to be and what’s at stake, versus somebody who might just go into a booth and vote their party line. They don’t even know what the position does, and how that might actually affect the policy that impacts them.”

Understanding and caring about politics is not a choice but a necessity in order to survive in the modern world. The act of being uninterested achieves nothing besides providing your implied consent for the actions being taken against those who are far more similar to you than you think. Your complacency can and will only work against you until you become the target of the same marginalization or tyranny that others before you experience. If we can begin to show empathy towards others and make an effort to understand those outside of our own experiences, the necessity to use our voices and our votes will arise naturally.