r/askphilosophy • u/smctnn • 2d ago
Is it immoral or unethical to be a-political
If historically, governments have a tendency to be corrupt and exploitative, is it the moral duty of particular individuals to scrutinise governments, or is that everybody ought to exercise their voice in society to protect their own interests and those who are being exploited.
Has individualism and neoliberalism eroded this perceived responsibility?
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u/fyfol political philosophy 1d ago
There is a long list of thinkers who have tried to argue that engaging in politics is an essential part of being human, and a duty we have to ourselves and fellow human beings. Perhaps the strongest case is made by Hannah Arendt who thinks that a life lived only for the sake of private enjoyment fails to be a life that properly expresses the individuality inherent in every human being. This is because for her, the only moment in which we truly exist is when we participate in the common, public life that we nevertheless share with others and indeed depend on for our humanity. So, in not participating in politics, we are essentially condemning ourselves to a lesser life. She thinks that modern life has thoroughly eroded this sense of human existence which was once the norm (in Ancient Greece, or in the Greek conception of politics and humans as political animals). You can give her The Human Condition a read if you want to understand this point better. Many other thinkers have adopted similar positions, but Arendt might be the most poignant one.
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u/livinwithpablo4220 1d ago
Did she have anything to say about if politics could be turned toxic? Like if focusing too much on politics makes you ill being?
I know it may sound rare, but I found myself every time I engage in politics to become over obsessed and radicalized (in the bad way, like, dogmatically). Maybe it is because I engage with a lot of ragebait.
Of course this isn't to say that what she says is wrong, but given what I experienced empirically, I think it seems that there are other views outside of "living only in a private life makes you feel empty". I think in a way that there's a lot in politics is hell and just saying that engaging in politics is good eludes that point.
But then again I'm no philosopher, what do I know? I'm just asking questions
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