Democracies only survive through the combined effort of the people in their battle against the anti-democratic forces – on a national and international level.
However, that isn’t enough. We also have to strengthen and improve our democracy by relentlessly advocating for more active involvement (direct democracy, reduction of bureaucracy), transparency and easier access to education (from books to universities).
You, the person who reads this entry, you’ve got the power to push for more democracy too. Be it through political exchange with existing parties, establishing new contacts, convincing others to engage more actively in politics, or else.
The internet makes it possible!
Connect
Speaking of establishing new contacts; it is of great importance to build up a democratic network which is easily accessible. Those who want to participate must be made aware that there’s a contact point waiting for them. As someone who lives in a village far away from the big cities, and even the smaller towns, I know how frustrating it is to engage in politics. When there’s no one who listens, then the enthusiasm quickly erodes.
The internet opens up a possibility for a democratic revolution the world has never seen before!
Connect through Discord, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, MySpace, WhatsApp, Internet Forums and slowely, but surely, cement a strong network.
Connect in the non-digital world by organizing meetings (during the pandemic you shouldn’t forget to wear masks and adhere to social distancing rules, as well as other safety measurements regarding group sizes), discussion rounds, and else.
After the pandemic, it will be easier to do it (we may have to wait until late-2021 though) and then festivals could be organized too.
Perhaps, there’s something I forgot that one can also do. That’s it from my part on this point.
Combine and Grow
Through combined knowledge, resources and talents the democratic movement is able to grow larger and larger. A healthy public discourse is ensured by being respectful and polite (it doesn’t mean that heated arguments don’t occur, but merely that it should always stay in a civilized framework), as well as admitting when one does not know enough about a topic or was wrong. It shouldn’t be considered weak or shameful; we constantly learn, and making mistakes or being in the wrong is part of it.
Topics like climate change and international relations are complex, but we have to embrace the complexity in order to fully grasp it and argue reality-based. Experts who have studied a certain field are of great help to understand the world around us (e.g. climate scientists explaining how global warming affects us and what the main causes are; or mathematicians showing how statistics work, what is important to remember and the criterias for a good one). Questions should be asked! Let your curiousity reign free!
The larger the network grows, the better it is to remain open-minded and uphold the constant exchange between various group – whether they are politically different or simply have a different religion or ethnicity. Talking about ethnicity: cultural understanding is very important to better comprehend the position of the counterpart and avoid sandtraps.
Many, if not all, prejudices can be tackled this away and thus slowly wither away.
Conclusion Sentence
At the time of writing this article I had barely success with in-real life connections and online connections. I do not know how it is going to develope – if at all.
And, who knows, maybe my WordPress website simply doesn’t get out there and drowns in the flood of information and offers.
On the other hand, six to seven years ago I only had science in mind and never thought I would get politically active. Life is unpredictable.
Baroque 