Keishia H.

Tabing

ID # 11424346

Date: May 30, 2014

POLISCI

In the video titled Randy David on Intelligent Citizenship, he discussed mainly about politics
its meaning, common misconceptions, and its true purpose. He talks about citizenship, the
origins of politics and citizenship and ideals related to both. He even talked about the history of
how politics came to be, and the certain requirements one has to be in order to become a certain
member of the polis.
What struck me most in his speech was primarily what he said in the first part of the video. It is
because he compared the old meaning of politics to what politics has evolved into today. In the
old times in Ancient Greece, politics was a gateway in sharing ideas that were primarily
concerned about the betterment of the status of most, if not all, of the people in the community.
Well-educated people, deemed worthy of going to the agora because of certain authority over a
household, would be sharing ideas that would more or less affect some aspect of the society in a
hopefully positive way. Politics nowadays, however, is used interchangeably with rulership, with
the definition that it is a link between those who rule and those who they rule over. Of course, the
people being controlled are reassured that they can exercise political freedom, but do they even
have the knowledge to exercise it responsibly? Because of politics evolution into something akin
to rulership, these rights are just theoretical. Almost always, its not really there to begin with.
In this manner, we are subtly advised what and what not to do or uphold. As part of the society
that deals with politics, we are all citizens who are expected to abide by certain aspects that are
valued in and active in the act for betterment. We are expected to contribute suggestions to
upgrade the state of living of majority of the people in the society we are in. We are expected not
to infuse other realms into politics, like science and religion.
Its just sad to think that a once enlightened idea for a council of enlightened people can be
turned into something that is such a far cry from the glory of the original. Although we know
that somewhere deep into what politics is in modern times is the spirit of the original context of
politics, its our job to at least to know what is best for our society.