Not a game

Parliament opened up this week in Canberra. After the last federal election, this was the first time for the re-elected and newly elected people to meet in the house. It was a rowdy affair. Members of political parties from all political stripes were trying to prove that they were better than the other parties. There was a lot of name calling, a lot of heckling, a lot of jeering. I can't say that much will get done in this first 27 sitting days of parliament, other than trying to outdo each other who can get the best jab in and who gets the most headlines belittling their opponent.

This seems to be the way with politics right now. Too often we vote against someone rather then truly voting for someone because we support their policies. It is more about keeping some people out of office rather than keeping some people in office.

It is sad really. I think most politicians get involved in politics in the first place to make a difference. I know I will disagree with many of them on their views, but I think that each politician really does get into that profession because they believe that they are doing the best thing for their city, their state or province, or their country. They may have diametrically opposed views on what is the best thing- but still they do hold common welfare as their primary goal- at least in the beginning of their careers. Then sadly, very quickly, the primary goal of the politician changes from doing the best for society to being re-elected. In order to be re-elected, they need to prove that they are the best person for the job and not someone else. And so very soon after politicians are elected to office their prime motivation moves from helping others to besting their opponents at all costs. Hence the heckling and name calling that we see in parliament and the like.

 It is not a good way to be motivated. In life, someone who has as their prime motivation making themselves better at the expense of others has a low sense of self worth at best to a horribly vindictive and cruel character at worst. Psychologists would not call this a healthy way to view the world. If I were to apply the golden rule, I would see that I suffer when another suffers. I am built up when others are built up. My self worth is healthy only when it allows the self worth of others to increase. If my sense of self worth is unhealthy, then it will be based upon how much I can put down others.

I am not naive enough to think that everything will be wonderful if the politicians and the like just stop the name calling and decide to work together. There will always be debates. There will always be people who are forgotten by society. There will still be hundreds whose cries are not heard. There will still be those who are smug enough to believe that they are better than those who disagree with them. But just imagine, if we put less energy into the name calling, the one up man/woman ship, less energy into the game of politics and the keeping ahead of the Joneses. What might happen then? Maybe there would be a bit more assistance for the poor, a bit more working together to finding solution to problems rather than placing blame on those who are on the other side of the house. Maybe things might be just a bit nicer. Blessings.