Politics

People don’t usually like this term. They think it is dirty and that politicians should be idealistic, righteous and linear. They may even somehow link righteousness to pragmatism. For them, being pragmatic is doing what is right and nothing else.

However, I have always found the idea of politics to be fascinating. It is the balancing of limited resources against the self-interests of many groups. For example, if there was a limited budget and there too were many avenues and advocates for the use of that budget, no one would be properly appeased when given only a potion of the budget itself. They would have to stretch their own means in order to fully utilize it. If they had been given what they had requested from the budget, they would be able to fulfil all of their objectives successfully.

This lack of success – due to the limitations of a resource – is what causes people to lobby or influence others. One may state that some sort of compromise or creative steps must be involved in order to further many groups’ goals as possible. And this balancing act is the art of playing politics.

For example, you have a car. You have a dear friend who requires a car. However, you are in a financial crunch. Would you just give your friend the car or ask for money? What if a buyer comes up to you and is willing to give you x2 your friend’s amount? What about x4? x10? What if your friend says they will pay you and never does so? What should one do? There will always be self-interest whether it is for the betterment and furtherment of your friend or for your savings.

There is always a pragmatism and ideology to those playing politics. Whether this is self-serving or many-serving, is a deliberation. But politics is a game which must be honed and played in order to make an actual impact.