Source: Wikimedia_By Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States
There are currently 167 countries in the world which identify as a democracy. The rest don’t have a democracy but are run by other forms of governments. The word ‘government’ is synonymous with other terms like royalty. It’s because all these terms have some things in common- they take care of the functioning of the country, they act as the ruling body, and are political in nature.
Politics is a theory which has transcended time and other ordeals to form different types of structures, philosophies, events, and more. There hasn’t been a single event in history which wasn’t affected by the political scene of the said country. It has always been there- always leaving an impact on its contemporaries.
What if someone decides they don’t want anything to do with politics? Maybe they got tired of it? Whatever the reason, they don’t want to get involved in anything political. Let’s talk about it.
What is apoliticism?
If you find someone who actually wants to leave everything related to politics behind, you would call them an Apolitical person. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the meaning of the word ‘Apolitical’ is ‘having no interest or involvement in political affairs’.
A lot of political debate today surrounds the idea of political apathy in the youngsters. This is not really true and it has been found that young readers- especially readers of dystopian literature- are immensely interested in discussing political themes and theories.
Who is apolitical then?
Being apolitical- A privilege?
Not everyone can afford to be apolitical. What does this mean?
Everything is shaped by politics. There isn’t anything left untouched by it. But it’s understandable if someone doesn’t like it. Politics can be disappointing sometimes; it can be pretty disenchanting when you understand how frustrating politics really is. People get irritated when they try to understand this endless cycle of voting, electing candidates, debating political theories, etc. etc.
Today, one in every ten people believe that they are apolitical. But instead of a privilege, its actually not even a possibility! It’s impossible for anyone to be apolitical as even choosing this option is a political in nature!
By becoming apolitical, you turn neutral to everything political around you which means you are accepting the status quo as it is. And accepting the status quo as it is also political in nature. Many people choose not to vote during their local elections because of their choice to remain neutral. This doesn’t stop the elections- they still go on and someone still wins.
So, if you are someone who is apathetic towards political issues, you are probably privileged enough to not care about political discussions and debates around yourself. This is why we talked about affordability in the beginning.
Is it any good?
It is up to you to decide whether you want to be apolitical or not. But is it encouraged? Not always.
There is one benefit to being apolitical. Adherence to a single set of political views and theories can be very restrictive. This issue can only be solved if you remain neutral and try to understand all political views with the same interest. This way you will be able to garner more information and stick to the opinion you deem right.
This is exactly why non-governmental bodies like banks, NGOs, and universities are advised to be apolitical. This will help them make policies which aren’t based on political ideologies but based on the requirements of the needy.
The benefit to disadvantage ratio is unbalanced though- there are way more drawbacks than benefits.
For one, it can invite criticism towards you. Embracing neutrality in a politically polarized world is a daunting task. You will be coerced to choose between differing sides to fit in with the crowd. You will be at risk of being the target of violent advances. And many times, there won’t be any favourable options to choose from.
If not you, then, your neutrality negatively impacts the groups which require active political support at all times. When you don’t vote and someone wins anyway, there is always the possibility of this ‘someone’ not being the best candidate for the position. Their policies can be inadequate and ineffective. This doesn’t seem good, does it?
Many experts, thus, argue that being political is your responsibility as someone who has the right to vote. It is your responsibility as someone who influences what happens to their community, their state, and their nation.
Resources
- Ames, M. (2013). Engaging “Apolitical” Adolescents: Analyzing the Popularity and Educational Potential of Dystopian Literature Post-9/11. The High School Journal, 97(1), 3–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43281204
- Orlin, L. L. (1981). THE CONCEPT OF AN APOLITICAL UNIVERSITY. The Journal of General Education, 33(2), 93–101. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27796846
- Amin, A., & Thrift, N. (2007). On Being Political. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 32(1), 112–115. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4640004
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2024, July 20). Merriam-Webster.com. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apolitical
- Why. (2020, August 27). Defiant. Defiant . https://thedefiantmovement.org/articles/2020/8/27/why-your-choice-to-be-apolitical-is-inherently-political
- thepoliticswatcher.com. (2023, June 22). The Power of Being Apolitical: Why Staying Neutral May Be the Key to Success. Thepoliticswatcher.com; thepoliticswatcher.com. https://thepoliticswatcher.com/pages/articles/congress/2023/6/22/power-apolitical-staying-neutral-key-success
- Konstantina Batsouli. (2020, December 3). Why Being Apolitical is No Longer an Option. A News Education; A News Education. https://www.anewseducation.com/post/why-being-apolitical-is-no-longer-an-option
- Democracy Countries 2024. (2024). Worldpopulationreview.com. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/democracy-countries
