Why is it so easy to devote time and energy to supporting our favorite performers or sports teams, but so hard to participate in our own governance?
A growing preference for short-term gratification has displaced the long-term value of active participation in ruling ourselves.
In some ways, it’s understandable that apathy toward citizenship and participating in our governance would have set in.
The amount of time and energy required is high.
Having a real depth of understanding about complex issues requires that we do our own homework.
Self governance starts with breaking free intellectually by reducing our consumption of media sources who serve as government stenographers rather than actual journalists.
This isn’t sticking our heads in the sand; it means that we stop giving credibility to the political idolatry and theatrics that epitomize mainstream news.
This frees us to improve our understanding of the world on our own terms and not according to someone else’s agenda.
It means turning off the TV and making time daily to deeply study the issues we wish to understand.
How well we comprehend what we study is more important than the number of pages we read.
In this sense, information is power.
When we choose to free our minds, our lives will naturally follow.
Understanding sound principles and actively living them without compromise is essential to self governance.
Skills for Self Governance