Being Apolitical

Written by Eesha Gorti and Khushi Bedi in collaboration with World Citizens

Apolitical means- ‘having no interest or involvement in political affairs’, or ‘having an aversion to politics or political affairs’.

Living in a society where the elected government determines our basic rights as the citizens of this country makes it theoretically impossible to have “no political bias”. Unless, of course, said person has no interest in a Welfare State and improving the condition of our judicial system and attaining basic equality.

Arnav Sampigethaya says, “I was talking to a group of friends a few months ago and we were talking about some political issue and we asked him what he thought and he said, “I don’t care about politics lmao.” I was shocked. We are going to be registered voters in a year and there are people who are ‘apolitical’. The 2000 US Presidential election, where 500 votes in Florida decided the election makes me really scared for people who are ‘apolitical’ because they have the power to sway elections. We often say ‘every vote counts’ and it really really does sometimes. But it’s easy to see why people choose to be this way. Less research and the activism culture on social media is so one-sided and disproportionately represented that sometimes it becomes too much for people to take in and they feel like it’s not for them.”

Trisha Reddy says, “We live in a democratic country that is supposed to be run by the people, that's why it is our responsibility to contribute to the efficient governance of the country and this can only be properly done if each of us is politically aware, takes a stance and actively participates.”

Shivam Panda says, “People are apolitical because they don't agree with either of the parties claims, so they choose not to support. However, they should realise that it's for the better of community and there are some clear distinction between right and wrong”

Being apolitical comes directly as an effect of being privileged. It is important to realise that taking a political stance does not mean polarisation. There is a certain luxury in the idea of being able to afford not voting, or not being politically active in the discussions that you have, that basically says that it would not affect you if the government went from being a secular one to one with fascist propaganda. And this privilege is related to our social class. Your social class is defined by your standing and stability in society. This is determined by factors such as your income, level of education (which is also determined, in most cases, by your economic status) and your profession. In a capitalist society, class privilege is determined by your access to resources like property, financial assets and money.

Class privilege also says something about our access to social contacts and participation in society as a whole. For example, middle or upper-class residents can cash in favours with their local politician, without looking like they are a charity case, compared to what people tend to assume people from lower classes are doing.

Sayanth Shajith says, “Being apolitical is not being involved in your nation's government. For many, this may not even be a choice and having the choice is in itself a privilege.

Sometimes the choice to not participate is also taking a stance. This is something you are born into and a part of the invisible social contract you sign.

There's no grey area when it comes to genocide, you're either against it or for it. Politics is too often interpreted as something only government officials and leaders are involved in. When the reality is that politics is the implementation of your morals, values, ideals and principles in society. And these are simple things that you need to lead your life.”

Privilege is often invisible, which means that it is convenient for us to disregard it when we have it and convenient for us to ignore when other people do not.

Kushal Mital says, “Having political opinions doesn't make you a polarising or dramatic individual, it makes you a person with certain fundamentals and is at least the first step to becoming proactive. When people with our level of privilege actual take a political stance, most often for better than for worse we're able to use that stance to either get consensus on issues that need to be addressed or for those who truly believe in helping, actually get to work, we inch to shorten the disparity that exists in our country ever so slightly.”

Being apolitical is an indication of an implicit way of being okay with the current economic, political, and social structure of India, along with its oppressive caste system, patriarchy, and economic inequalities.

Riddhi Pant says, “I think people that say that they don’t care about the political process or politics believe that either because they think it doesn’t affect them - which isn’t true- or because they’re benefiting from the system as it is and they’ll only take on a political stance if they’re disadvantaged in some way by the system. Or, maybe they don’t want to get involved in the conflict because of the increasing polarisation recently, but again I don’t think that should be used as an excuse because you can have a political opinion and express it in more peaceful ways.

I don’t think apoliticism is a constructive ideology to support especially in the current age where the role of politics is becoming more apparent. I think it’s important to educate yourself and decide what you support so you can make the political decisions you need to as a responsible democratic citizen, and by doing so you have the power to bring about the changes you want to see. Apoliticism is a basically wilful ignorance right, and you can do much better than that.”

Politics are omnipresent. No, literally.

The government you elect dictates everything from how much money you are paying for petrol to whether or not you get to eat your favourite dish, because the ingredients are being imported. Every decision you make is a consequence of the government elected, and is the embodiment of the butterfly effect.

The boundaries of your political opinions are not drawn by just voting. It does not stop there. It is so much more.

Arohi Sachar says, “I think it's really important to have solid political beliefs. They form your perception of the world and you do whatever little you can to make sure no one challenges those beliefs. As someone who puts social issues on a very high pedestal, I respect opinions as long as they don't disrespect anyone's existence. Social Media is a good way but I feel that the actual meaning gets lost somewhere. The posts, the arguments become more about the people arguing than the actual issue. Do real things. Donate. Sign petitions. Just bc you're not publicly announcing what you're doing to support the cause doesn't mean you're not doing anything. But yeah, as a generation we really need to have solid political beliefs and accept that on some spheres, everyone might differ.”

As unfortunate as this may be, issues like rape and racism, especially in India, are political issues. We cannot deflect the role the government plays in the same by saying that 'rape is rape' because that is just it. It’s not. Prosecution of rapists, the importance that these issues are given, how seriously the citizens treat them all come from how the government treats them. The presence of the government could severely change the number of cases that go unreported. Do you want to live in a country where the government does not pay heed to a crime such as rape, or police brutality, until the youth forces them to not be ignorant, and forces them to hold themselves accountable?

Social media today is more than just connecting with people. Today, it has found the purpose of giving people a platform to share their opinions about the world they live in. It’s easier for people to do so online than in person because people would not have to face the consequences of their words in real-time. It is a platform that’s easily accessible in a world that cannot see itself run without a smartphone at hand. Unlike traditional communication media, social media is inclusive for everyone with the different languages and content formats available.

Sources (left to right): @soyouwanttotalkabout , @thepvblication on Instagram

We don’t wish to blindly praise social media for the heroic role it plays in our world because it doesn’t. There is so much out there to learn and it can get very, very, overwhelming. And most of the information cannot even stand valid! However, we believe that people want to 'stay out of politics' because they are either given the option to educate themselves and then they choose not to do so, or they have the wrong idea of what politics is. We know people who stay out of politics because they claim to not be religious. For them, and others who have such reasons to be apolitical, it is hard to see the bigger picture. Like mentioned before, politics directly dictates your life circumstances.

A/N: This article is supposed to be apolitical. We are supposed to assume a neutral stance and write it. And maybe a few years ago, that would have been easy. Safer, even. But how do we sit still when the nature of politics is engulfing the nation? Now, more than ever, your voice is important. Don’t undermine it.