The Daily Emerald has run two columns this term that were both astonishing and insulting. The first actually argued for apathy, the second argued that political correctness is a “lost cause.” I wonder if the authors actually thought for a second about what they were writing. Did they actually advocate that everyone reading would stop caring about the world, or only focus on “pet issues”?
Let me state clearly, no two issues are unaffected by each other. There is a vast web of interlocking issues ranging from race, class, economic, gender and identity oppression. One cannot think of politics as just voting for representatives, or signing a petition, for this ignores all the underlying issues which define the political landscape; furthermore, the political landscape is our landscape.
Consider food politics. Where does your food come from? Was it produced ethically and at a fair price for farmers? What were the systems necessary to its production? Meat, for example, requires land for the animal, land for the feed crops, transportation costs of both and the slaughter industry. Similarly, transportation politics: How and how far do you travel, what is your method, and is it really efficient? Do you burn oil, or ride a bike, skateboard, rollerskate or walk? Clothing politics: Were the clothes you wear produced ethically, in non-sweatshop conditions with fair pay, or shipped from long distances? Land politics: At one time there was a proposal to flood the Grand Canyon to encourage motor boating! This was challenged by David Brower and the Sierra Club, and challenged today by Arundhati Roy, who fights against dams in India.
Individuals need to stand up, not step down. “The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men” was said by Plato. Caring intensely about one small issue would limit the examination or reform of structural problems. Even the great existentialist writer Albert Camus spent many years in the French anti-fascist underground. So even people focused on individualist meaning can derive merit from social capital and reciprocity. There is no excuse to deliberately avoid participation and shame on any authors who would say otherwise, as they promote bad citizenship and weak communities. You cannot have communities without communication, and promoting a lack of political correctness is tantamount to promoting bigoted communities. You want people to care in your community, so that if you are hurt on the street, they respond. When we live only for and unto ourselves, we have failed as humans, so be a good citizen and get involved.
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