Politics has never been a major part of my life. I can vaguely recall being enthralled with the 1992 presidential election as a 9-year old (Paul Tsongas and then Ross Perot were my candidates), but by the time I was actually old enough to vote I couldn't even say who my own state representative was. I had other things on my mind -- isn't everyone apathetic about something? It just so happens that I was apathetic towards something that affected myself, my nation, and the world quite directly. Maybe I should feel ashamed or regretful, but I don't really. I do, however, want to change because I have decided politics is something that is worthy of my time.
The problem is I have a lot to learn. There are countless burning issues I don't have a strong opinion about. I certainly don't have any party affiliation. I've never voted in my life. I somehow wormed out of participating even in the innocuous elections at my college that named some lucky (???) girl "Junior Maid" and appointed others to scarcely more important offices. So, just how does one go about "learning politics" at age 24?
For one more semester, I can officially call myself a university student. I will unofficially be a student for the rest of my life. It seems natural to me to study politics just as I would study anything else. I will accumulate information, listen to diverse viewpoints, and think about both. I want to approach politics from two ends: it is simultaneously an academic subject pioneered by such brilliant individuals as Aristotle and Montesquieu centuries ago and a living reality, the force that regulates life in so-called "civilized" societies and the arena in which the Clintons and the Bushes have found glory and infamy. I'll look at politics in its sublime and seedy aspects; I'll seek it in the corners of books and streets alike. This blog will document my journey and perhaps resonate with those who are likewise seeking knowledge.
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