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We really need to start working to de-politicize as many things as we can. Maybe this one can be a start because the politicization of COVID has a literal body

by api 5y ago

We really need to start working to de-politicize as many things as we can. Maybe this one can be a start because the politicization of COVID has a literal body count. Next could be climate change, which should be reframed as an engineering problem not a moral problem or a guilt trip.

I-M-S 5y ago
Saying we need to "de-politicize" things is akin to saying we need to "de-human" them.
- refurb 5y ago
  Precisely. I used to look at politics as some “side effect” of humans working together when in fact it’s just a necessary component. Politics is simply leadership, persuasion, communication, debate all wrapped up together. It’s neither good nor bad, but just a necessary component to large groups of humans working together.
- dmatech 5y ago
  Hardly. Humans are not first and foremost political creatures. The notion that "everything is political" didn't get as extreme as it is now until recent years. It's made society far more combative because it's made life revolve around the accumulation of power. There's still room for curiosity. We don't have to focus exclusively on who gains or loses power in every interaction.
kspacewalk2 5y ago
Politicization of very consequential things is inevitable and desirable. If you say "don't politicize trade", and attempt to make it a technocratic matter about trade treaties and comparative advantage and such, you'd be rightly laughed out of the room. Why should a response to a pandemic be different? To put another way: "de-politicize" simply means "don't discuss in the public realm".
watwut 5y ago
Climate change is already politicized, because it costs money to take it seriously. Some people will loose money on taking it seriously, so they have to politicize it. The response to it have to be political too.
specialist 5y ago
Yes and: The enemies of science have agency too. I fail to see how being more reasonable is a winning strategy when the opponents are determined to be unreasonable. Simply "try harder" hasn't worked. Better messaging, better framing, active listening, empathy, patience, yadda, yadda. I'm totally on board with any and all ideas for mooting the efforts of those who actively politicize these things.

by api 5y ago

I-M-S 5y ago

Saying we need to "de-politicize" things is akin to saying we need to "de-human" them.

refurb 5y ago
Precisely. I used to look at politics as some “side effect” of humans working together when in fact it’s just a necessary component. Politics is simply leadership, persuasion, communication, debate all wrapped up together. It’s neither good nor bad, but just a necessary component to large groups of humans working together.
dmatech 5y ago
Hardly. Humans are not first and foremost political creatures. The notion that "everything is political" didn't get as extreme as it is now until recent years. It's made society far more combative because it's made life revolve around the accumulation of power. There's still room for curiosity. We don't have to focus exclusively on who gains or loses power in every interaction.

kspacewalk2 5y ago

Politicization of very consequential things is inevitable and desirable. If you say "don't politicize trade", and attempt to make it a technocratic matter about trade treaties and comparative advantage and such, you'd be rightly laughed out of the room. Why should a response to a pandemic be different? To put another way: "de-politicize" simply means "don't discuss in the public realm".

watwut 5y ago

Climate change is already politicized, because it costs money to take it seriously. Some people will loose money on taking it seriously, so they have to politicize it. The response to it have to be political too.

specialist 5y ago

Yes and: The enemies of science have agency too. I fail to see how being more reasonable is a winning strategy when the opponents are determined to be unreasonable. Simply "try harder" hasn't worked. Better messaging, better framing, active listening, empathy, patience, yadda, yadda. I'm totally on board with any and all ideas for mooting the efforts of those who actively politicize these things.