Chant Down Babylon, Midterm Essays

Politics is something I will never subject myself to discuss with anyone I don't know very well. This is partly due to the fact that although I'm aware of current political issues, I don't usually read into them very deeply. It always seems to be the same story. They're wrong, we're right. If people actually discussed the topics that matter, in a way that was interesting and poignant, then I'm sure my ears would gravitate. I used to watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report pretty regularly, and I'd have to say I typically side with their views, only because they point out the the things that everyone else is too wrapped up in their own shit to realize is the truth. It's saddening, and I'd like to believe it wasn't as much like this before the advent of television.

Yesterday at the gym, an older man was riding the bike next to mine. On his other side, was an older woman, with obvious signs of plastic surgery. Obvious plastic surgery usually means only one thing to me: psychosis. Further signs of psychosis shortly presented themselves. She engaged this elderly man in a heated one-sided discussion about the healthcare bill. She must've started the discussion by asking him what side he was on. He gave the "wrong" answer and she berated him for who knows how long. I turned up the music in my headphones. I did catch her saying that she wasn't on either side, blah blah blah bullshit. I'm an independent as well, but I don't go around bugging people and asking them political questions that have "right" or "wrong" answers with premeditated reactions. It didn't end at the bikes either. When I was leaving the YMCA, I saw her pinning (figuratively) him against the wall discussing the same thing. AN HOUR LATER! Honestly, don't you get tired of listening to yourself...EVER?

I enjoy learning and hearing other people's opinions, but it seems anyone who really "cares" about "politics" knows everything there is to know. So, why would I ever engage myself with any political aficionados? I'll always "know" far less than them in their eyes and any statement, point, or insight I put a reasonable amount of rational thought into has a miniscule chance of being received in its intended form.

I'm just afraid that when it's my generation's turn to take the reigns, there will still be only 2 supreme factions in the metaphysical political realm: Those with psychotically skewed realities, and those disillusioned altogether with the topic.

Are you there Jah? It's me Ras Trent.