it's all so...political

sitting at lunch today, surrounded by college students and faculty alike, i realize that i no longer discuss politics with my friends. the thought was triggered by a christmas letter i got, talking about how obama had gotten elected president. for all i knew, most or all of my friends and family were FOR obama getting elected. but this person seemed to indicate that it was not the way they'd hoped it would all work out. not sure who they thought would have done a better job, but that's besides the point.

i learned, while in minnesota, that one particular friend and i could just NOT talk politics. it got him really heated and stirred up, and there was no calming him down afterwards. so, just avoid the topic and everyone stays happy for happy hour.

most things i politics i don't understand. it's better that way. i don't like to debate and i don't like to think about how people in power can make decisions over my head. in fact, i try to keep politics out of my daily life altogether. except, sometimes they just happen in there.

of late, i've been reading the political cartoons with jon. sometimes i have no idea what they mean and i have to ask for an explanation. sometimes we can figure it out. sometimes, we're left with numerous possibilities about what the cartoonist really meant. i like this form of reading and learning about politics. no one is going to war over a cartoon.

i also don't like that politics, on the whole, end up being influenced by others with power and money. i will give you a lot of money so that you support the causes that will make me more money. you get elected, i get rich, you get rich, aren't we all happy? i'm cynical enough, now, at this point, to know that everyone out there has an agenda, and it's usually to make themselves more money or give themselves more power. and lobbyists? forget it.

more locally, however, there are also politics involved in almost everything that we do. committees, for example, are a great example of where you can't just say what you want. you have to think about how to get what you want, and say it in the kindest and possibly most manipulative way you can. i don't like this. unfortunately, everyone is different and not everyone responds to, "do this now, for me, ok?" it all has to be tiptoed around, and treated gingerly.

i'm both the villain and the victim in these situations. sometimes i would really like some help, or sometimes i'm trying to collect news from classmates. the only way, it seems, is to reach out to these people personally. or else i simply don't get what i want. on the flip side, when i have a good idea, and i try to get what i want, the situation can be reversed, because i'm not in a position of power. i think my idea is great, and why don't others like it? who knows. maybe they don't want to put effort into it, or maybe they don't want things to change too much. or maybe they're exerting THEIR power over me.

my mom gave me good advice. first year on a committee - don't rock the boat too much. just do whatever needs to be done. in coming years, you can try to change things up. but don't force it down their throats. it doesn't do any good and it makes everyone mad at you.

here here, mom.