Solidarity and confidence

Democracy is a privilege, and we should have ideals—yes, we should fight for and work toward those ideals.

But: No one here likes to talk anymore about the concrete benefits that politics has brought us. Instead, politicians and “those up there” are blamed for everything across the board. Yet hardly anyone takes a good look at themselves:

• We complain about closed youth centers, but we don’t even volunteer to support the local sports club anymore.
• We get annoyed by parks littered with trash, but we can’t even muster the courage to pick up our own trash or pitch in during a neighborhood cleanup.

Community cohesion is falling apart, and there’s a lack of shared social projects. People don’t give a damn anymore about who they vote for—the main thing is to send a message, even if it undermines their own values. Disillusionment with politics is everywhere you look.

Don’t always blame politicians for your personal misfortune! Everyone should stand up for the community:

• Sacrifice & Consideration: Everyone has to make sacrifices sometimes. If a new shelter for refugees or a bike path is to be built in the neighborhood, it doesn’t help to reflexively shout, “Not in my backyard!”
• Social security: The poor and those in need must be able to live with dignity. A single parent shouldn’t have to choose between school supplies for her children and a warm meal.
• The common good before profit: It’s not about radically maximizing one’s own profits. When housing corporations drive rents to unaffordable levels or companies cut salaries just to increase dividends, this unchecked capitalism is destroying us.

It’s not about envy, resentment, and constant comparison (“Why does that person get something and I don’t?”), but about genuine solidarity and confidence. The crucial question is: What is truly best for all of us and our children?