I have friends who pay absolutely no attention to politics or

[Raven]

world affairs, for that matter. These are really good people, smart people, caring people. They just don't follow any of the things we do. They trust that their elected officials will do the right thing and are shocked when they don't. They are not right wingers or rabid republicans, they are just uninvolved. They are doing other things that, to them, are more important...raising young children, taking care of aging parents, volunteering at the local soup kitchen. Politics are for others. In my case, they leave it to me and they almost expect me to alert them to outrageous events, and I do and they listen. I love these people and I respect them and I would happily get in the lifeboat with them....

We all know these people, they are almost 50% of the population...we work with them, recreate with them, maybe live with them. We don't need to work on eachother, we need to work on them and we need to do it patiently and respectfully. So, in your own life, pick them out and begin because they are the future of this country.

[ClassWarrior]

1. These are the ones who so many here foolishly call "sheeple."

But, contrary to legend, they're not stupid or hateful. They just aren't paying attention. The stupid and hateful ones make a mighty noise, but they're really just a fraction compared to the simply "tuned-out" ones.

K&R for an excellent reminder! :thumbsup:

NGU.

[calimary]

2. Good reminder!

I have friends like that, too. They ask my opinions from time to time and/or from election to election. It's because they know I spend far more time in the political-junkie world than they do. Um... I guess maybe they ... er ... have a life...

;)

[patrice]

3. Yes, Thank you Raven, everyone should do this! Take the responsibility to help

them in a way that works for them.

To me this translates into Issues, not Politics directly, and being ready, willing, and able to sponteneously and briefly inform people in non-pushy appropriate ways whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself. This usually takes the form of saying things in a friendly, or even funny, manner, but lately I have begun to notice how standing on a busy street corner, preferably one with a traffic light, with an appropriate and briefly worded original sign causes people to think a little. Yes, it's about the war right now, but I think this model could also be brought to bear on other issues, especially Racism and the Environment.

[Raven]

4. Right! I yapped and yapped and yapped to my friends

this fall about the congressional election in NH. They knew that every saturday I was manning a lit table against Charlie Bass the repub who voted with Bush on every war vote. Finally, one of these folks said "so tell me about Paul Hodes (the dem candidate) and why I should vote for him". To me that was a golden moment!

[patrice]

10. Someone parked their car and came over to talk to the group

I stood with yesterday, because of my sign she said. It was a small group I don't see that often and they're usually out in the streets, on an official group basis, only once a year, but I went to help them yesterday in a part of town that I don't frequent. The traffic was high and the conditions ideal for reading my sign from any direction. I was the only person there holding a sign, so probably several hundreds of people read my sign, plus there was a young-men's choir that came to sing for the closing invocation, who would quite likely never have seen someone standing with a sign on the street otherwise. Anyhow, this lady stopped and found out who was sponsoring the demonstration, because my sign ("Jesus is still here and WE are still killing him") made her think. The group also had about a hundred pairs of soldiers' boots and shoes representing dead Iraqis, from the Quaker exhibit "Eyes Wide Open", which I think made my sign more effective.

So this lady stopped. Yes, I know some people would say "One person isn't very many", but that's the attitude that got us into this situation to begin with, plus she had 3 children with her and will probably tell many of her friends and family that we were there.

[stellanoir]

5. I think about this issue a whole lot.

Like most, I too have friends who are completely oblivious to national political machinations and subsequent malaise and frustrations.

Some of them are just immersed in community, some of them are more spiritually oriented.

I marvel over their happiness, and know if I turned my back on things political in nature I'd be far more content.

Still my 50% 13th generational blood has been rumbling at a slow boil since 12/00, and I'd feel remiss if I didn't pay attention to what's happened and continues to happen to our country.

However I don't think such concerns are inherently in everyone's nature.

One of the funniest people I've ever met who sees the humor in EVERYTHING startled me with uncharacteristic seriousness in late '00 when I was talking about the public's apathy. He said, "things won't change until people start starving."

Hope he is dead wrong.

Public awareness of this "misadministration's" deceit is growing though.

I hear strangers complaining more and more.

I'm prayin' for a "see change" real soon.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=443035

[babylonsister]

6. I often find myself hiding or toning down my political interest as I don't

want to seem like a bore to people who don't share my interest. Then I get to thinking, we should all be as involved and concerned as I am; it's not a character flaw to feel the way I do. I do have to give myself a pep talk every once in awhile.

[mtnsnake]

7. Excellent post

Good things happen when we can get the word out to where it's needed. It doesn't really take much effort and there are opportunities to do so practically every day.

:thumbsup:

[Faux pas]

8. I have a sneaking suspicion that the clueless are happier than

the rest of us.

[DemReadingDU]

11. Ignorance is Bliss

:eyes:

[TwilightGardener]

23. Another twist--If you're not angry, then you're not paying attention.

[Faux pas]

31. LOL but only until reality smashes the facade. If they weren't

so damned irritating, I might feel some sympathy.

[Tellurian]

9. You're right, Raven,

I have several friends similar to the ones you mentioned. They are both self-employed, one a RE Agent and golfing partner, the other, owner of a decorating business. I jog with the RE Agent mornings. If I discuss politics or describe the next economic intrusion, she becomes upset at the thoughts of any bad news that may affect her livelihood. Same with the decorator. I have not mentioned it again, with the exception of the severe economic downturn for-casted last fall. They now are both succumbing to the economic distress all are feeling from the crash of the RE market. The RE Agent has tons of listings but no buyers. I've suggested to the decorator to sell her building and business while her numbers are still high..and get out of debt as quickly as possible. You can only do so much to help people that basically are repulsed in fear by bad news. The RE Agent has had but one closing since Jan/07 in an affluent area with a high turnover of corporate transients. From all the economic indicators, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. Yes, they say they have no interest in politics!

they never watch the news, only watch soaps and AI, don't read a newspaper, don't read anything online except their email. Go to work, talk about American Idol and come back home, eat and go to bed.

[ClassWarrior]

14. Then it's up to US to help them understand its relevence...

...to their everyday lives. They won't just snap out of it by themselves.

NGU.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. it's like talking to a wall

[ClassWarrior]

21. Even walls crumble eventually, with persistence.

Like a tide on a stone, to quote The Tubes.

NGU.

[calimary]

32. Yep. Certainly we haven't forgotten the proverbial Walls of Jericho?

...And the walls come a-tumblin' DOWN!!!"

NGU Absolutely!!!

And keep on visualizing IMPEACHMENT!!!
Then go DO something (or is that DU something?) about it.

[patrice]

25. N! - G! - U! n/t

[Mojorabbit]

13. That describes my hubby

He watches Countdown with me at dinner though so he gets some exposure. I watch his reactions to get an idea of what the general population is buying re talking points.

[DemReadingDU]

17. That's most of my family

If it's not on tv on the regular suppertime news, then it's not important to them. Most of the time, they don't pay attention to that either.

[Joe Chi Minh]

15. What a superb post and rare insight.

[butterfly77]

16. The way I give them information is...

when I am waiting in line somewhere like grocery store, getting a license,or any place where I have to wait and I will bring up something that has to do with our world today.I relate it to something in the world and usually I get " really" and then there ears perk up and I slowly talk about it and how it will effect them. Sometimes,I give and example or talk about something that is on the news that they don't even realize is happening and usually they start to get angry or worried that it may effect them in some way.

[OwnedByFerrets]

18. I would suggest that they are MORE than 50%.........

80% of the people I work with, mostly smart-well educated people, fit into this group.

[RoseMead]

19. I understand what you're saying, However, I have a real problem

with the willfully ignorant.

For example, I also have a friend, who is a very nice person. She and her husband are generally good people, they work hard, they have a nice home, and so on. But when it comes to political matters, my friend just doesn't want to know what's going on. She doesn't watch or read the news, because in her own words, "It's all just too depressing."

I also have a home, and children to raise, and a life to live. But unlike my friend, I feel it's my *duty* to pay attention to what's going on in the world. It is, literally, the least I can do, and there is no excuse, in my mind, for putting one's head in the sand.

On the other hand, I was offline for a couple of months this winter, and since we have no TV, my contact with news was limited to what was available in our crappy local paper and what I picked up by word of mouth from other people. And it *was* bliss, let me tell you. I slept better at night, and when we got back online, it was actually hard to start reading everything again. I actually had to ease back into things, including DU.

But - and this is the key, in my opinion - no matter how much happier I was while being temporarily uninformed, reality was still out there. Pretending something isn't there because it's nicer not to look at reality doesn't change reality.

So yes, we should encourage everyone, even those who don't want to know, to learn more. And no, we don't get anywhere with people by being mean to them. But willful ignorance is still willful ignorance, no matter how nice the ignorant may be.

I have sympathy for those who, for whatever reason, cannot grasp what they read or see in the news. I have sympathy for those who have no time at all to read or watch news reports because they are too busy working to keep food on the table.
But those who *could* be paying attention and just choose not to because the truth isn't pretty enough - I have a really hard time feeling sorry for those folks.

[ClassWarrior]

24. That's just one person.

And if you feel that her case is hopeless, don't waste any more time on her. Move on to someone else. There are many more who are just as uninvolved, but not nearly as stubborn.

NGU.

[AnneD]

22. Those that don't pay attention...

are the ones that get caught with their pants down. Like the decorator or the RE agent. I hate to imagine how much worse shape I would be in if I didn't pay attention. The Stock Watch Thread here has shown me the connection of politics and Wall Street. Just that alone has opened my eyes and protected me. I let folks know that politics affects EVERY aspect of your life and you ignore it at your own peril. I am happy to give my opinion and I try to explain but that old adage is true...you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think (no typo) ;)

[eridani]

26. Just keep being one of the people out there in the know

Your friends and neighbors will remember and know that they can come to you to get clued in. Nobody can be an expert about everything--with no kids, I rely heavily on parents, teachers and retired teachers in my local Dem legislative district to advise me on school board elections, and state education legislation.

A lot of people are just doing what they can. Last year, a local environmental worker (Vietnam vet) died comparatively young. He had essentially cured himself of alcoholism and PSTD (or relieved the symptoms at least) by deciding to just do one thing--clean up and restore a local creek that is a small part of a big watershed. He hauled debris and planted native foliage for several years by himself, and then people from his neighborhood and his church joined in. After seven years, salmon were spotted there for the first time in anybody's living memory. He had not the slightest interest in going down to the state capitol to testify on environmental legislation, though. That's just who he was, and he got plenty done anyway.

[AshevilleGuy]

27. They are the ones who decide most elections.

We have got to understand that most voters do not analyze and process politics the way we do.

[alarimer]

28. Ignorance is bliss

They are not paying attention while the world goes to hell. We are in this mess partly because of people like this, who don't pay attention, who selfishly go about their own business while this country is dying. They consume, consume, consume, and then when it's time to pay the piper, whine about the cost. Inattention is WORSE than voting Republican. It could get us all killed.

[shortcake]

29. Are they happier? n/t

[Digit]

30. No, they can't figure it out why their children can't find jobs and why their husbands get laid off

So, no they are not happier, just oblivious.
For instance, my neighbor's son when a junior in HS just before the 2004 election said to me that Ralph Nader deserved a chance since he has been trying for so long.

The mother admires Laura Bush because she was a librarian.....they are clueless.
Oh, they watch Faux.

Sidenote: the mom must have lost her job as her car is there always now, and I know for a fact her husband's overtime has been cut out completely (she told me).

[orleans]

33. i'm reading this and thinking if i couldn't talk politics then what the

hell would i talk about?

then...i realize, of course, there are people which i know professionally and we never discuss personal issues (such as politics / religion / etc)

but for those who do know me personally the conversation always gets political (i admit it's mostly my doing)

however, i do have one relative who has admitted she pays absolutely no attention to politics, is completely clueless and could give a shit about any of it.

she is in her seventies and apparently never cared about it.

it is simply amazing to me that she is that way. it is hard for me to imagine a life so free of current events & politics.

she is a happy & carefree person (who wouldn't be?). but i find it amusing when i think that someday my obsession with all this will pass--

(i know it's different strokes for different folks, but those "folks" are a bit of a mystery to me)

[Greyhound]

34. These people are the reason we are in the dismal situation we are in.

We are so incredibly lucky to live in this country and it is absolutely incumbent upon us to pay attention to what is done in our names, so that America doesn't go the way it has.

These people brought us everything from Imperial adventurism throughout the world to the drug war, to Vietnam, Nixon, Raygun, creating the most horrid dictatorships, toppling governments, you name it, the list is endless. All so that they don't have to "bother their beautiful minds" with unpleasant realities.

So far they have gotten away with it because the people that have paid the price for their ignorance are mostly brown and far away, but now things have gone so far, for so long that it will come into their lives. Those under 50 or 60 will start to see the results of their negligence and their children and grand-children will pay a heavy price.

So 80%, or more, of the population doesn't care what is going on if it doesn't intrude on their inconsequential existence and more than half of them vote, but oh how they scream and whine when it does.

So no, they are not really good, smart, or caring, and millions suffer and die because of them.