The Founding Fathers of the United States, tired as they were of aristocrats and despots, designed a system that would empower citizens to govern themselves. In addition to the right to vote, they gave us a public mail system so we could communicate with each other, a free press so we could be informed about public issues, and free public schools so we could read and understand the mail and the newspapers. Later, private benefactors provided seed capital to start what became our government funded public library system.
Our system of government gives us the freedom to participate in the political decisions that affect our lives. The one thing it cannot do is force you to participate.
Democracy (noun), a system of government in which state power is vested in the people.
We call ourselves “the world’s oldest democracy.” Yet, while the average turnout of eligible voters in industrialized democracies is 80%, the average turnout in the US is under 50%.
As someone who has attended numerous party caucuses, been a delegate to many county and state conventions, served my union in both elected and appointed positions, and even run for political office, I must say that voting in every election is the bare MINIMUM that a citizen of the US should do.
Apathy (noun), lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
Sadly, most Americans do not bother to follow the issues and do not monitor what their elected officials are doing. People complain that Congress has been dangerously non-functional for a long time, yet the voters could have chosen to remove all the crazies, demagogues, and obstructionists from office at any election.
The current dysfunction of our government is the fault of the American people. Because we are a democracy, we always get the leadership (or lack thereof) that we deserve.
In a democracy, when the general public abrogates its responsibility to inform themselves and participate in self-governance, darker forces always step in. Criminals, and oligarchs WANT us to be apathetic because they prefer to do their work in the dark. They actually work hard to promote political apathy in the United States.
The right-wing learned this trick from autocrats like Vladimir Putin.
Apathy as a political tool
Apathy (is) a much undervalued political tool. Democratic politicians spend a lot of time thinking about how to engage people and persuade them to vote. But a certain kind of autocrat, of whom Putin is the outstanding example, seeks to convince people of the opposite: not to participate, not to care, and not to follow politics at all. The propaganda used in Putin’s Russia has been designed in part for this purpose. The constant provision of absurd, conflicting explanations and ridiculous lies—the famous “firehose of falsehoods”— encourages many people to believe that there is no truth at all. The result is widespread cynicism. If you don’t know what’s true, after all, then there isn’t anything you can do about it. Protest is pointless. Engagement is useless.
Anne Applebaum
This description by @anneapplebaum (above) is of Putin’s Russia, but it’s happening here as the GOP goes culture war crazy. Flooding the zone with shit. Nonstop attacks on the news media, teachers, experts. Half meant conspiracy theories. The effect is to make paying attention pointless.
Jay Rosen
Former Trump advisor, and now convicted criminal, Steve Bannon, openly admitted that his goal was to disrupt our government and sow confusion by spreading disinformation. He called it, “Flooding the zone with shit.” The purpose of deliberate disinformation is to make people confused, or angry, or frustrated so they will stop participating in our Constitutional democratic electoral processes.
This is why we have the constant flood of attacks by Republicans and right-wing media against mainstream news, doctors, scientists, teachers, and librarians. They want to divide people. They want to create suspicion, doubt and distrust. Anyone with knowledge, experience, or expertise is a threat to the fascist demagogues who want to run this country.
We must not let them win! The result will be disastrous! Apathy leads to neglect. Neglect opens the door to corruption and corrosion. Corruption and corrosion cause destruction and collapse.
Wake up America! Democracy is precious. We all must participate or it will die. Use it or lose it.
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
Doctrine and Covenants 58:27
Sources:
Anne Applebaum, “Putin is Caught in His Own Trap,” The Atlantic, June 25, 2023.
Jay Rosen, Twitter June 25, 2023.
The source of much apathy in Utah is the seeming rock solid Republican monopoly. But we are in the midst of some earth shaking events which may disturb this, e.g. the EPA revelations and the Tim Ballard scandal which has tenticles throughout Utah. Stay tuned.