Isn’t it about time we had some good news? As a recent graduate in Politics I find all the bad news in my subject exhausting. It’s not just the endless doom-scrolling that gets me down, but the real-life consequences too; What starts as flirting with political discussion can so often lead to the dreaded silence where it becomes painfully clear that a disastrous rift of conflict is beginning to form. When reflecting on politics, need there always be that looming sense of complacency or defeatism – maybe there’s a place in-between that rock and hard place? Maybe there are subjects, issues and movements that unite us more than divide us. I want to find those. I’m not saying we should all hold hands and never criticise our opponents, but gems lie in those rare moments where solidarity crosses the political divide; when politics is less like a sport and more like an orchestra, just as different instruments sit side-by-side, so can a variety of worldviews, talents and ideas, working as part of a greater whole.
Last November saw the COP26 summit on climate change held in Glasgow. And although the commitments pledged seem too insufficient to prevent further global heating, I’m trying to find positivity in the hope we do have for the future. What do I mean? And how could I possibly declare hope as we topple head-first further into a global climate emergency? To that I would respond that we should have hope, because in many ways, we are already doing our bit.
We all have our own ways of helping out; the same drive that makes us put the recycling bin out or start cycling to work, is also behind those that glue themselves to the road. You may go vegetarian or vegan, boycott palm oil or single-use plastics; all our own human ways of being good custodians and reminding the world that we have not given up on it. This is not to say that politicians and the biggest polluters should be off the hook, but the drive of normal people is inspiring and should not be met with rolled-eyes. Even if the people in power aren’t stepping up to the challenge, next time I’m buying my Quorn sausages, palm oil-free soap or getting a refill for my reusable coffee cup, that’s me…doing my bit.
Leave a Reply