Politics

I want to be more involved and attentive to local, national and global politics. I admire people who know what's happening and are able to speak coherently about the important decisions that are being made that affect our lives.

Unfortunately, I just don't have the mental capacity to do it. I want to say I care too much, but that's not really accurate. It's just that I get bummed out when I feel like the problems are too big, or when I can't see an answer. I don't know how people can continue to put their energy into causes that seem lost. I'm glad there are people who do it anyway, I wish I was better at it so that I could join them.

But the real reason, I think, is because it makes me feel dumb. I don't understand enough about how our political institutions work. I don't understand all the manoeuvring. Every time I try to make sense of it, it starts out ok, but quickly just becomes a jumbled mess in my head.

I feel like I'm throwing away my vote when we are required to vote (it's compulsory in my country). I know I'm not voting for the worst candidate, but I wish I better understood the ramification of the votes that I am making.

There are also local elections that are optional to vote in, but I don't, because I don't understand well enough what I'm voting for, or what I'm voting against.

I need a politics for dummies.