Why do we elect a person, be it a drama teacher, real estate developer, business owner or community organizer, and then care excessively about what they say? We have legions of experts who study things for their whole lives and could communicate directly to the public. Instead of us arguing about what some politician said in order to “spin” things in their party’s favour.
I think we should stop referring to left vs. right politics. Instead, let’s identify what most of us reject — like authoritarianism and extremism. And let’s identify what we agree upon — like the fact none of us want a world at war, a police state at home, fake news and rampant propaganda, or anti-science leaders who cater to a population’s ignorance. Most of us agree on basic free speech, a free press, and civil liberties that prevent excessive government interference in individual rights, for example.
Granted, this already doesn’t include everybody. But I have faith in people. I think the vast majority are reasonable.
Then this “vast majority” could focus on breaking issues down, having citizens’ forums to hash out problems & solutions, and then create projects to TRY implementing solutions. When we fail, we learn, have a new discussion and try again.
This kind of open-source democracy would work. No more parties turning politics into 99% posturing and bullshit designed to malign “the opposition”. Instead, make politics like the medical community, and focus on collaboration.
The corporate world knows how to do this — a “learning organization”. The NGO world, scientific world, indigenous world, all do as well. Politics is humanity at, or close to, its stupidest. We are way, way more capable than the sheep that politics turns us into. Reject their frame. Let’s create a new one together.
Step 1 for addressing climate change, is to flatten the political hierarchy and reorganize it around citizen-input and collaborative problem-solving.
What do you think?
Wrt 1) could this work? (Not will it work, but COULD it work)
2) what steps could we take this year to best catalyze this process?