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Originally Posted by Surreal Farber  bah... Contributing to the civic good doesn't make you a socialist. Do they even teach civics in high school any more? The concept that the government is ours and we are responsible for keeping it on the right track? |
Maybe in Switzerland, where they have a system of direct democracy (and even there politicians constantly try to worm out and do things against the popular vote).
I've been an activist for years. When I was a teen and still thought socialism was a good thing I was in many demonstrations and arrested a few times for riotting. But when you grow older you learn that you're not going to fix society by throwing firebombs and rocks at people's homes.
Then I became an ideological activist in the field of education here. I've spoken personally several times with our minister of education. When you are face to face with someone in the government, that's when you learn quickly all your illusions were wrong. The people don't own the government. The government owns the people.
I stopped caring about the system I live in, as I learned the hard way trying to do anything to improve it is futile.
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The society is ours too, and if we benefit, then we have a responsibility for contributing. Yes, working hard, being self-sufficient is an important part, but if you can't see beyond your own well-being, then you deserve to live in the results.
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If everyone contributed for their own well-being, noone would have complaints. The problems only arrive when certain people can't contribute for their own well-being.