I am not sure. I think the people were cyncial about politics/polity/policies pretty early on. But it wasn't this intense compared to nowadays. The internet culture contributes to it. Don't believe in anything. All of them are corrupt. It doesn't matter. Don't vote - they are all the same. And other lies.
I think this political cynicsm is worse in the US compared to Germany. But we are approaching US levels. I think the majoritarian political system of the US doesn't help. The two party system is very flawed. I won't speculate what will happen at the next major election or 2028 at this point.
There is a degree where skepticism is very healthy and the right thing when dealing with politics. In contrast, don't vote it doesn't matter isn't a good advice though. Panel samples show rich and highly educated particiapte more often in elections than poor people. And these people already rig the system in favor of their positons.
I am no political activist. I considered to join a party but eventually didn't do it. And I would never help in door to door campaigns and stuff like that. I would only do that if I had own political ambitions and not because I sympathize with a party. But this year for the first time in my life I joined political protests. And with my friends it felt pretty good.
I don't think my contribution will change anything. Statistically, it is more likely to die when you vote at an office than that your own vote makes a difference in a national election. But it feels good to contribute to something. For something where my values align.
And in Germany there is literally only one major extreme party. And as long you don't vote for that party you are contributing to something good.
We are in very dark times politically. But it always can become worse. And it can become better. I think maybe the US hit a rock bottom and this is why people are losing hope. Germany hasn't reached that state yet. But it might happen at the next major election. Friends of me are seriously considering to leave the country.
I can see why people are demoralized. Especially, people from the left. It is easy to destroy a country, but to build it back up is way harder and takes more time. I am interested about the outcome of the mid-terms. Maybe people voted for Trump in 2024 because they disliked the status quo. And now Trump is the status quo. Who knows?
I don't have much hope for a leftwing utopia. I am also not a socialist. I am a socialdemocrat. I would prefer the Scandinavian model where I live. And even if some policies make my life a little bit easier I am glad about that. But the right-wing disruption might will end all of that. People are catastrophizing the current state of my country. I think this is part of the narrative tech libertarians and right-wingers want to indoctrinate. I am certainly not a de-growth sympathizer. And there are parts where I think leftwing ideas don't align with my posiitons. (Whether de-growth is a lefwing policy is debatable). There are people in Germany though who claim it is good the economy isn't growing- more economic growth isn't good for the CO2 emissions. I think such positions are ridiculous. But painting the current state in the worst possible way helps one agenda. The agenda of the party that wants to destroy the system. And on social media this is very popular and so many people fall for it. People shit on Germany all the time. Some of them openly sympathize with the AfD. Some of them distance themselves from the AfD. But this narrative is pushed by the far-right, media outlets who want to see the AfD in power. Even if people don't like the AfD they push this false narrative. But people don't see through that. It is pushed on social media so much. Partly also in mass media. The narratives of the far-right are more powerful and the overton window shifts to the right continously. Leftwingers aren't good at playing hardball. But I am also very thankful I live in Germany and not in GB or the US. Poor people get treated even worse there.
I think this political cynicsm is worse in the US compared to Germany. But we are approaching US levels. I think the majoritarian political system of the US doesn't help. The two party system is very flawed. I won't speculate what will happen at the next major election or 2028 at this point.
There is a degree where skepticism is very healthy and the right thing when dealing with politics. In contrast, don't vote it doesn't matter isn't a good advice though. Panel samples show rich and highly educated particiapte more often in elections than poor people. And these people already rig the system in favor of their positons.
I am no political activist. I considered to join a party but eventually didn't do it. And I would never help in door to door campaigns and stuff like that. I would only do that if I had own political ambitions and not because I sympathize with a party. But this year for the first time in my life I joined political protests. And with my friends it felt pretty good.
I don't think my contribution will change anything. Statistically, it is more likely to die when you vote at an office than that your own vote makes a difference in a national election. But it feels good to contribute to something. For something where my values align.
And in Germany there is literally only one major extreme party. And as long you don't vote for that party you are contributing to something good.
We are in very dark times politically. But it always can become worse. And it can become better. I think maybe the US hit a rock bottom and this is why people are losing hope. Germany hasn't reached that state yet. But it might happen at the next major election. Friends of me are seriously considering to leave the country.
I can see why people are demoralized. Especially, people from the left. It is easy to destroy a country, but to build it back up is way harder and takes more time. I am interested about the outcome of the mid-terms. Maybe people voted for Trump in 2024 because they disliked the status quo. And now Trump is the status quo. Who knows?
I don't have much hope for a leftwing utopia. I am also not a socialist. I am a socialdemocrat. I would prefer the Scandinavian model where I live. And even if some policies make my life a little bit easier I am glad about that. But the right-wing disruption might will end all of that. People are catastrophizing the current state of my country. I think this is part of the narrative tech libertarians and right-wingers want to indoctrinate. I am certainly not a de-growth sympathizer. And there are parts where I think leftwing ideas don't align with my posiitons. (Whether de-growth is a lefwing policy is debatable). There are people in Germany though who claim it is good the economy isn't growing- more economic growth isn't good for the CO2 emissions. I think such positions are ridiculous. But painting the current state in the worst possible way helps one agenda. The agenda of the party that wants to destroy the system. And on social media this is very popular and so many people fall for it. People shit on Germany all the time. Some of them openly sympathize with the AfD. Some of them distance themselves from the AfD. But this narrative is pushed by the far-right, media outlets who want to see the AfD in power. Even if people don't like the AfD they push this false narrative. But people don't see through that. It is pushed on social media so much. Partly also in mass media. The narratives of the far-right are more powerful and the overton window shifts to the right continously. Leftwingers aren't good at playing hardball. But I am also very thankful I live in Germany and not in GB or the US. Poor people get treated even worse there.
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