Stop Watching, Please Start Acting

By Marina Avilova ’23

We treat politics like a sport. The more scandalous a tweet, the more controversial a statement, the more attention we give it. In short, we latch onto the most sensational and viral, as if they were some highlight reel in sports. Think about it—in a country that was supposed to be built on civilized discourse, the main topic of the vice presidential debate was a fly. And, even if we choose to discuss matters more relevant to us as Americans, we talk about the most convenient things. Who’s winning in the polls? What are the optics? What’s the political strategy? Who scored political points? Who had the viral line? Amid all of that, I think that we too often lose sight of the actual issues facing America today. Political hobbyism—a public discourse not intended for understanding issues and acting upon them, but for the sake of appearing to be politically active—has taken over our lives. 

The biggest danger of political hobbyism, as I see it, is in its irrelevance. Young people are part of the problem, as much as we might not think we are. According to a study done by Tufts University professor Eitan Hersh, more college-educated adults are involved in politics than the general population, but less than 2% of that time is spent participating in actual political organizations. Worse still, the people who are more likely to spend most of their time silently judging the government are the same ones with no incentive to fight for their rights. If our jobs—or our lives—were at stake, would we just shake our heads at another tweet and walk away? Or would we stand up and act? As shocking as it may be, true activism is more than watching the news as some distant observer. 

Democracy is the rule of the people. But the people, as the Romans rightfully pointed out, want our bread and circuses. And boy do we get them in modern America. It is virtually impossible for a politician to get any votes if they lack national fame and aren’t remembered as remarkable (the word, here, having multiple connotations). We demand showmanship from our leaders, and that demand distracts us from the real issues. It might bring more people on to the scene, sure, but flashy speeches don’t always even try to create action these days.

 So, is the lack of political action among American political hobbyists just a product of a well-oiled system? Or is it a matter of how much they can lose? How do we explain why so many Americans treat our political system like a perverse sport? 

This election year holds the answer. 

2020 cannot be compared to 2016, which featured two polarizing candidates and boasted a stunningly low voter turnout. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone. It is no longer possible to separate the actions of politicians and their intentions. For many voters, I think, the veneer of showmanship has fallen off by now—the issues are just far too real. Coinciding with the election, this crisis will (hopefully) draw more people to have substantive input on the direction of the country. The dog and pony show is very much alive, but maybe this moment will draw some people off the sidelines and out of their armchairs for good. 

Still, the issue is bigger than our four year election cycle. 

Sure, as long as politicians give speeches and pass bills, there’s bound to be some political discourse in the public arena. But the political activism wanes when campaigns stop. Here, we return to the concept of American politics as a gladiator fight. People won’t watch it unless someone is killed—at the ballot box or otherwise. 

If our democracy is based on buzz and decoration, we are defying its purpose. And if we want to live in a place where people’s rights are respected, we need to do more than the system expects—we need to push past the showmanship that corrupts and obscures our politics. We need to stop watching and start acting.