How Politics Destroys Everything (And What to Do About It)

Politics is about power – who has it, who wields it, and who loses it.  Democracy is probably the best form of government that allows people to make decisions that concern them without resorting to violence. However, democracy itself is not a magic bullet.  It relies on something else – culture.  Without some set of shared beliefs and values that govern how we are to made decisions in the context of disagreement, a democracy can easily degenerate into a series of warring groups. Our political system is in crisis. In the absence of a collaborative spirit of respect and mutual engagement, politics divides.  Debates, elections, voting and other democratic institutions no longer function to solve problems; their function is merely to win – to gain and wield power.  This is not a formula for success. If we are going to survive as a democracy, democracy is going to have to evolve.  But how?  And in what direction?