[bigstrat2003]

No dude. Most things are not, in fact, political. When I enjoy a meal, that isn't political. When I hang out with my family and friends, that isn't political. When I sit down to read a nice book with a cup of cocoa, that isn't political.

The notion that "everything is political" is an indicator that someone has an extremely toxic relationship with politics. Basically you're projecting your unhealthy level of political engagement onto everyone else, and insisting that we all have that manner of thinking (but are just denying it to score political points). Well that isn't true, and for your own sake I encourage you to stop that. You'll be much happier when you stop making life about politics.

[andor]

> No dude. Most things are not, in fact, political. When I enjoy a meal, that isn't political. When I hang out with my family and friends, that isn't political. When I sit down to read a nice book with a cup of cocoa, that isn't political.

What do you eat and what do you refuse to eat? Which restaurants would you go to or not? Which companies do you buy from and why/why not?

Who do you meet with and who do you avoid? What do you talk about and which topics do you avoid?

Where is your cocoa grown, which brand do you buy and who ends up making money on your purchase?

[xigoi]

I don’t eat food that I am allergic to or don’t like the taste. What does that have to do with politics?

[andor]

Even if you reduce it to that, you still endorse (or at least accept) the side effects of the production of what you eat.

If you eat meat, you are okay with the effects it has on climate change, and that’s political. If you do the opposite and don’t eat meat, that’s also political.

If you consume food from non-organic agriculture, you are okay with species extinction, especially insects.

If you buy the cheapest foods, you are okay with the working conditions and low pay necessary to reach the price. If you buy a more expensive option, who in the value chain benefits from the increased price and who doesn’t?

Almost everything that you do is political in some way.

[hogwasher]

That's disregarding that the people in power routinely make it as difficult as possible to have a choice. If you buy the cheapest foods, maybe it's because you want to eat and pay rent, and spending any more than that would render you homeless. Becoming homeless will not save the poor in another country, even if your purchases to avoid becoming homeless would have contributed a vanishingly tiny, indirect amount to their plight.

I agree that everything is political, and it's good to make choices as ethically as you can, but sometimes it simply isn't possible to be perfect. You can't even know about all the problems without studying them like a full time job. Ain't got time for that. Gotta eat.

The "agonize over every purchase and vote with your dollar" paradigm gives the most votes to billionaires.

Should people think about ethics when buying stuff: yes.

Does failing to recycle a bottle properly, or buying a cheap chocolate bar that may have involved underpaid or even slave labor somewhere in its supply chain, mean someone is evil? Nope.

I wish people would spend less time agonizing or moralizing over what individuals do (even though an individual is easier to influence quickly) and more time going after the broken systems, stupid laws, and malignant CEOs that actually lie at the root of the problems.

[inigyou]

People in power removing your choices is definitely political.

[surgical_fire]

Oh boy, how wrong you are.

> When I enjoy a meal

What food do you eat, and where do you eat it? How much does it cost? Culturally, where does it come from? Who works the kitchens? Who cleans the place?

> When I hang out with my family and friends, that isn't political.

Where do you hang out? Who else goes there? Who even are your friends?

> When I sit down to read a nice book with a cup of cocoa, that isn't political.

What book are you reading? Does the country you live produce the cocoa you are drinking? Do you know where it comes from?

Everything is political to an extent, even the reason we have this discussion in English when English is not my native language.

I am not saying you have to think about those things all the time; that would be exhausting. But ignoring it and pretend everything is separated into its own nice little happy vacuum is too naive.

[wolvesechoes]

But the moment you step into social realm it becomes political, as Mr. Aristotle said.

[fluoridation]

What do you mean? If I talk to a friend about stargazing that's political? If a group of people meet up to play a game of cards that's political?

[notrealyme123]

So I am very pedantic here, but yes it "can" be seen as political. You made the decision that your free time is more important than working and generating value.

I understand "everything is political" more in a sense that we as a society have the burden to shape our own rules, and saying "I only live in the society, but ignore the burden of making rules" is not really possible. In that case you actively decide to let someone else decide for you.

[fluoridation]

>You made the decision that your free time is more important than working and generating value.

How is that political? It's just a decision based on competing priorities. By this interpretation an animal's decision to either sleep or eat is also political.