On Civic Slacking

I watched part of yesterday's Democratic debate and, somewhat like Wes, I came away thinking that the time I spent watching was lost forever, and for no purpose.  But hey, it's led to a blog post.

It got me thinking more broadly about the duties we are supposed to face as part of a republic, and how much I sympathize with the people who want none of it.  My experience has been that since grade school we're been taught by social-studies teachers and similar goody-two-shoes types that it's virtuous to read the newspapers and generally to be informed about world affairs, vote, debate public issues, and watch candidates.

Bah, humbug!  I can't imagine anyone taking any useful information out of that debate (at least the part I saw), just as I find it difficult to take useful information from campaign commercials.  Voting, of course, provides virtually no benefit to the voter except the psychological one resulting, in my estimation, from the years we've been told that voting is a virtuous thing.  And for the most part a single person whose job is unconnected to public affairs is unlikely to achieve anything by becoming politically aware.  Why not focus one's family and career?

So hurray for the civic slacker.  Ethan is sure to disagree, I know, but I can't blame the person who watches soap operas instead of listening to politicians take 90 minutes to say nothing.  Or was yesterday just a particularly bad example?