Re: What is political?

[Lance Harrop <lharrop@mrj.com>]

Poster: Lance Harrop <lharrop@mrj.com>


Greetings all,

> 
> I wrote:

> >Perhaps questions only become political when they ONE: cause the 
> >fractionalization of a social entity, and TWO: are decided by 
> >institutions which govern some activity of that entity, and THREE: hide 
> >within the question some motivation, or suspicion of motivation, not 
> >directly applicable to the question.

To which Master Malcolm wrote:
> 
> I will state my disagreement with this interpretation
> of politics. I tend to agree with the ancient Athenians
> that politics is the art of free people living together.
> They had a word for one who was not political. That word
> was idiot. I agree with Leifr that when we currently use
> the word 'political' we usually mean bad politics. By bad
> politics I mean those methods and attitudes that make the 
> coming together to achieve common goals difficult. What
> makes for good politics is respect. I mean both self respect
> and respect for others. 

I fear that in the greater mundane culture we seek to escape, temporarily 
at least, politics has come to mean "bad politics".  Maybe that is 
because we are not taught to use the tools of politics, retoric, 
consensus, and so on, in positive ways seeking group goals.

But as the term Chivarly can have the meaning of exercising power justly 
(that's what a Chivarlious knight does, is it not?) maybe the Society 
needs to work rather harder to exercise its politics in a positive fashion.

So aren't we obliged, in seeking both Courtesy and Chivarly, to engage in 
"good" politics?

Yek, Heavy thoughts ;-).

Leifr
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