NationStates Jolt Archive

You got a really good point.

It seems to me that Americans are notably more politically motivated than Australians, and indeed most other societies in my corner of the world. I'm not quite sure what it is, but there is a near religious political party devotion in USA. They take their politics even more seriously than their sport. Not to suggest that we don't have bi-partisan to-ing and fro-ing he, just it seems to be a little watered down and rather unimportant in comparison to the other immediacies of life.

I can almost pick an Australian on these forums simply from his political opinions. It's not just Aussies, though. I mean, asians are the same. My wife is chinese malaysian, plus I have plenty of mixed asian friends. I can only describe their political interests as 'utterly disinterested'. This is particularly true of chinese. It doesn't matter whether they live in a capitalist paradise, or under the load of a welfarist leech state; they just want to work, make money, and live a good life. Kiwis are the same as Aussies, if a little more socially conscious and racist at the same time. Islanders just want to eat chicken and play footy. PNG is too cultrally backward to really make a comparison. In fact the only really politically inclined cultural group in South East Asia seems to be Indons.

It's just a little unusual, a niggling 'something' I notice. I personally am rather 'political' on the Australian scale, (other Australians would notice it as a fault), but not so much on the US scale. It is rather funny actually, when I talk to Asians about the politics in their home countries (often worrying; Burma, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia- they are all fucked up), and they are so ambivalent about it all. It's the same here, strike up a conversation about the state of government in Australia and the dialogue will quickly go cold. People just don't care, and when they do it is usually only in principle.

Political debates are very rare, and always looked down upon. Nobody walks around with Party pins or bumper stickers (or very few). It is considered rude to ask someone about their political ideas or affiliations. Most of this applies to religion too, actually. Ultimately I suppose it is a good thing, as people are far less nationalistic, partisan, and irrational as they would be if they invested as much energy and face into politics as Americans seem to. Perhaps it is a little unhealthy that they instead invest said energy and face into sport, though at the same time it is considerably less harmful to the public good.

So, your two cents? Have you noticed this? Is it a uniquely American thing, or is it prevlent in Europe, Africa, South America, or elsewhere? Am I nuts and imagining it all? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Yes this is a rant thread, and your invite has been sent.

Here in europe, I don't see that people have an opinion.
Yes, we do have the extreme people, but not that many.
Many people do enjoy the occasional debate...but that's it, I guess.

They take their politics even more seriously than their sport.

I think we take it just as seriously as our sports, and that's the problem. I think most Americans view politics as a sort of game of football and they cheer their side on, regardless of what their actual positions are. Of course, their positions tend to be hardly any different from each other..

<snip>I think most Americans view politics as a sort of game of football and they cheer their side on, regardless of what their actual positions are.<snip>
That's not just an American thing though, the same can be said in the UK. I know dozens of people whose political 'beliefs' (i.e. the party that they vote for) are a direct result of their parents (whether that means they vote the same way as their parents do/did or they vote in such a way as to rebel against whatever their parents voted for)

I'm pretty sure it's the same in most of the world.

Well, america has totally synergised their news with entertainment, so politics has become a sport there as much as anything.

It gets more people involved, but the extra people who get involved are then those dumb enough to think politics is a sport, with teams, winners and losers.

It does amuse me when posters on these forums refer to one political party as "you" and another as "we" - I don't see this kind of mindless obedience outside of football team supporting here in the UK.

They don't really understand what it's about, other than it's Team 1 vs Team 2. But that suits everyone in washington fine, because then the majority of voters aren't likely to care what they actually do.

Australia is a relatively peaceful and stable country, sadly when a country is like this, people don't have much motivation to care about politics when it doesn't really affect them.

Politics only matters if two things are met:

1) The people are educated enough to know that a government can do better
2) The government is pissing a lot of people off.

In many south east Asian countries, education is poor and life is simple, they don't have time to worry about their government as it probably doesn't seem like they could make any sort of a difference to them. They are more concerned with things like feeding their family.

You may ask where China fits in with all this, since it has educated and more wealthy people but with a terrible government, well tbh I disagree that people in China are not politically inclined. Protests and riots in China are actually increasing for example, and from what I have seen the people are very dissatisfied with their government.

Only like 40% or so of the U.S. population within suffrage votes, though.

Australia is a relatively peaceful and stable country, sadly when a country is like this, people don't have much motivation to care about politics when it doesn't really affect them.

Politics only matters if two things are met:

1) The people are educated enough to know that a government can do better
2) The government is pissing a lot of people off.

In many south east Asian countries, education is poor and life is simple, they don't have time to worry about their government as it probably doesn't seem like they could make any sort of a difference to them. They are more concerned with things like feeding their family.

You may ask where China fits in with all this, since it has educated and more wealthy people but with a terrible government, well tbh I disagree that people in China are not politically inclined. Protests and riots in China are actually increasing for example, and from what I have seen the people are very dissatisfied with their government.
Let me contest with a counter example. Malaysia. The Chinese there are all discriminated by the welfarist and racist government. Most of the Chinese there are well educated and in lucrative business. Yet, despite an apathetic resent for the endless shit they get shovelled from their government, they still don't care to be politically active and instigate some kind of change. As a minority they have the decent clout of about 30% of the nations population, and easily 80% of the economy. They used to effectively run Malaysia. Yet, they just deal with it and shrug. Most odd.

Same in Indonesia.

Politics is followed so rabidly in my family, we make soccer hooligans look mellow. My parents would disown me if I missed an election. We're mostly yellow dog democrats from way back.

Politics is followed so rabidly in my family, we make soccer hooligans look mellow. My parents would disown me if I missed an election. We're mostly yellow dog democrats from way back. Right, perfect example. See, that is weird (from my perspective). Not only do you have a family political party that you cheer for actively, but you are pressured to participate in this game. It's the opposite here; you are pressured to not have an opinion.

Right, perfect example. See, that is weird (from my perspective). Not only do you have a family political party that you cheer for actively, but you are pressured to participate in this game. It's the opposite here; you are pressured to not have an opinion.Since we're mostly atheists and agnostics, my theory is we needed something to irrationally devote ourselves to. Some people have religion, we have politics.

Some people have both. (Which could be a good or bad thing.)

Let me contest with a counter example. Malaysia. The Chinese there are all discriminated by the welfarist and racist government. Most of the Chinese there are well educated and in lucrative business. Yet, despite an apathetic resent for the endless shit they get shovelled from their government, they still don't care to be politically active and instigate some kind of change. As a minority they have the decent clout of about 30% of the nations population, and easily 80% of the economy. They used to effectively run Malaysia. Yet, they just deal with it and shrug. Most odd.

Same in Indonesia.

They are either more rational, given public choice economics, or stupid, given that organizing, voting, and other forms of political participation gets shit done.

Let me contest with a counter example. Malaysia. The Chinese there are all discriminated by the welfarist and racist government. Most of the Chinese there are well educated and in lucrative business. Yet, despite an apathetic resent for the endless shit they get shovelled from their government, they still don't care to be politically active and instigate some kind of change. As a minority they have the decent clout of about 30% of the nations population, and easily 80% of the economy. They used to effectively run Malaysia. Yet, they just deal with it and shrug. Most odd.

Same in Indonesia.

Well this debate isn't going to go anywhere without something to back this up.

I find it worrying that such a large proportion of people can have no interest in how they are governed, and even worse if they unconditionally support a party (or 'the' party). It just reminds me of the mindless adherence to totalitarian systems in dystopian novels and real-world examples like the Soviet Union. People don't seem to care unless it directly effects something they care strongly about, i.e. themselves or their family most likely; it's like the poem 'The Hangman'.