Someone may have voted for X because he thought he was the one who had the skills to represent him best. Someone else, however, may have voted for the γιατί candidate because the person in question, when needed, could have done him a favor, or unfortunately even helped him in a bribe. The choices of each citizen are made with different criteria. This is our society and so it has learned to function and to judge.
Now in this case. Is it worthwhile to take part in all this mess or the best thing to do is to discreetly follow the developments from afar?
One could say that even with the best and purest intentions if you enter this arena of public life, in the end the most likely development will be that the system will be able to assimilate you, become one with it and be forced to proceed indecent concessions in order to be able to cope or to be elected to a public office.
But what do we gain by inaction and compromise?
In fact, when, after a few years, our children come and ask us: "What did you do, my dear parent, to change this society?", It would certainly be better to answer them that we tried but for various reasons and reasons we did not succeed. many. This may not be a defeat. Assuming defeat would be to have nothing to say to them. Because we remained comfortable and inactive in our homes and on our couches, watching events happen without interfering, chewing our food at the same time and exercising as usual criticism from afar.
So the best thing to do, not for ourselves but for society and those who follow, is to take on and play the role of the Socratic horsefly, which the most important of our ancient ancestors gave himself. And I explain: To say our thoughts out loud, to be "annoying" in any form of power that goes beyond the dug, "vindictive" with bad texts and not to tolerate all kinds of "praisers" to impose their interests on us.
Thus, the role that we are called to play by each of us, those of us who do not hold public office, is important. The size of the stage can be small or large, this role can be limited to the narrow boundaries of our Municipality or it can be extended to the larger boundaries of our homeland. But it does not cease to be great. The best thing to do is to realize it and, far from selfishness, to take advantage of it.
If now this criticism will go to favorable ears it is another story to which we will return soon. But public officials should keep in mind what Thomas Jefferson said: "When a man takes public responsibility, he must consider himself public property." Those who, therefore, have decided to "expose" themselves to public office, in addition to having to act for the common good which, of course, must be a top priority, must also learn to accept constructive criticism.
PS 1. Good luck Paokara on Wednesday. And in order not to forget them, we owe something from last year.
Marios Adamou, journalist