The Price You Pay for Not Being Interested in Politics (Part 1)

Article writer – TBR Commentary November 7 The Deception of "Being Neutral" "I'm not interested in politics... Whoever is in power, I just need to earn my own living... Politics is dirty, and it has nothing to do with me." This phrase is one of the most heard and most spoken phrases around us. Sometimes, this phrase might seem to represent a person's "neutrality" or their desire to "live peacefully." But... is it really so? In fact, the moment you say, "I'm not interested in politics," you have already made a political decision. This is because... there is no place in the world that is free from politics, not even in a cemetery. Let's think about it. The amount of chlorine in the water you turn on to wash your face when you wake up in the morning is decided by politicians. The reason your internet connection is slow, or why it's expensive, is a political decision. When you put gasoline in your motorcycle to go to work, the price per liter is decided by the policies of a group of people in parliament or in offices. You may say you are not interested in politics, but politics is constantly interested in the money in your pocket, your child's schoolbooks, and the quality of the road you travel on. Let me give you an example. Suppose you are a passenger on a large ship sailing on the sea. You can say you are not interested in whether the ship turns left or right. However, when the ship is about to hit rocks, or when the captain is drunk and has lost his way, to say, "I am just a passenger, steering has nothing to do with me," and remain silent is to commit suicide. This is because if the ship sinks, not only the captain but also you, who said you were "not interested," will sink together. In the current situation of our Myanmar, saying "I am not interested in politics" is actually a luxury phrase of the privileged class. Or, it could be a kind of despair, a resignation that nothing can be done. But what are you losing from your life by ignoring politics?