Winds of change

All the political parties that we have in Australia align to a specific power base.

The political parties have "their people".

Some parties are for the people.

Some parties are for big business. 

Some parties are for a specific issue, a hot topic.

Like the environment, animal justice, freedom, liberty, social justice or democracy. 

These topics supposedly define a person. Or so they would have you think 

Some people think it helps them to feel included and part of a familiar crowd.

But by choosing one thematic 'path', such as via a political affiliation, does that need to mean that alternative perspectives are excluded 

Apart from a small group of independent political players, who have a different but undoubtedly exclusive perspective, the affiliation to a political party in the current environment means you are automatically aligned with one group.

And by definition, the affiliation with one side means that the other side are considered opposite.

These "others" are left in a position of resistance, feeling disaffected. 

It is only by holding the concept of the other that the crisp separation between what we call 'them' and what we think of as 'us can exist.

It's not real in any objective sense of the concept. But it feels real, and we act on it as if it is.

It's a shady game to play.

And it influences behaviour.

The game is set up in a adversarial manner so it becomes less about making a positive impact.

It becomes less about providing good things

It becomes less about doing good things for people.

Instead, it becomes more about point scoring.

Got to make the others, the opposition , look incompetent.

Instead of working to make society better, which is the intention of politics and most politicians, the government I see spends most of its time fighting with the other side and managing perceptions.

It is ineffective and it is tiresome. 

For politics to change, it needs to evolve from being a " you and me" game. 

Away from "the government" and "the opposition".

It needs to transform into something else.

An approach where there is a different way of looking at things.

I know we've been fed on a story. 

Apparently democracy is freedom.

However the label of democracy does equal an experience of freedom.

And for most people democracy is flaccid. 

In Australia, most people experience democracy every 2 to 4 years.

They line up, put a little mark on a piece of paper, stick it into a big bin, grab a sausage and say that they live in a democratic society.

We tell ourselves the same silly story.

We are democratic, and our democratic freedom means making a mark on a piece of paper.

Not sure how that makes sense... 

I think we spin a convenient story in order to pretend that we are free, and in the same breath, we order something from an online store (democratic, of course) and purchase our own chains.

We buy them.

We defend our own prison bars in the form of credit cards, interest rates and inflation.

We then go off to work, all week, so that we can pay for the bars.

It somehow feels like we are doing the right things.

Keeping fit and healthy.

Eating well, and getting plenty of sleep.

Working hard doing good work that makes a positive impact.

Teaching children to do the right things.

Looking forward to the weekend.

And then realising that the weekend is just that.... the end of the week.

And the week is designed specifically for work.

It's tiring.

The faceless, headless system that we subscribe to willingly.

Off we go like mindless, dumb sheep.

Automated drones following what everyone else is doing.

As long as we don't rock the boat.

If we rock the boat, we are hunted down by the guardians of social and cultural norms on social media. 

Don't believe me?

Try rocking the boat, and you'll soon know what I mean.

You'll meet one of those enforcers, hunting down anyone who is going to rock the boat.

I'm not sure they know what they are doing really. 

I think they are happier defending the unconscious chains, because if the boat gets rocked, then it means they have to ask questions.

Deep questions, in the mirror.

Questions about the precious things that they hold near and dear. 

Questions about the things they have fought for.

Questions about the things that they set up.

Questions about the things that they have built their life around.

So it makes sense they would defend it vigourously.

That said, I don't think we should throw the baby out with bath water.

It is important to articulate what works, rather than throwing stones without cause.

What is the outcome that you seek?

Is that the thing that's in place right now?

If it isn't, how can we make the current situation better? 

Can we use this now like a stepping stone that will help us get to that better place?

There is no point destabilising the present to improve the future, if the next generations need to suffer.

Similarly, there is no point holding onto the present in the hope that the future will be a better version of today..

So it's time for a change.

More of the same won't do.

It starts with here and now, you and me.

One step at a time, choosing the most appropriate next step with our eyes firmly focused on the powerful positive tomorrow we can all be proud to contribute to.