Issues fixable by legislation that everyday Americans face are not represented in popular media, which shows the lack of politicians addressing them. This can be attributed to the increased political polarization of the country coinciding with an equally polarizing media.
We have not heard much from popular media about most issues that many Americans face, like 43.1 million people in poverty, Americans owing more than $1.3 trillion in student loans and average household debt reaching 136 percent of average household income.
Arguments can be made about the policies and inabilities of every political party, but many Americans can agree that they are not pleased with those who lead this country. This begs the question: Where do we go from here?
Loyalism to party politics has failed because leaders do not respond to the grievances of their constituents. This is shown by extremely low Congressional favorability and the increasing inequity of our society.
Politics has become a spectacle for phatic language and wishful thinking. Though the odd politician can benefit a group of people by passing a legislation, the idea that politicians are public servants has become as laughable as the previous election cycle.
Election cycles have become a breeding ground for personal attacks rather than discussions of ideals as media outlets of various biases attempt to convince people that one politician will not be as terrible as the other.
A representative democracy means the government works for us; we do not need to settle for this perceived ineptitude from either political party. In the past when the masses felt disgruntled by their leaders, they would cry for revolution. A revolution of consciousness — rather than a revolution of violence — is necessary to continue bettering our way of life.
We must try to seek objectivity when examining our state of affairs. Our collective conscious must tend toward civility and evidence-based discussion of ideas rather than corporate-bought fanfare or the fanatical clinging to opinions that we currently experience when it comes to our political leaders.
We must openly consult with one another about our grievances and seek viable solutions. Power cannot exist without the consent of the governed; therefore we must go beyond casting a vote to solve our problems. We must engage our community, serve our fellow men, mentor our youth, teach our children and speak with our friends about our social concerns.
Service to a bevy of just causes are available to us, which goes beyond our individual vote. If we raise a generation that is respondent to their communities rather than seeking to glorify the self, then that generation could seek viable solutions to any problems that arise.
Opinion columnist Adib Shafipour is a biochemistry junior and can be reached at [email protected]
