As James Baldwin once wrote, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.”

So, if you say you’re “not really into politics,” ask yourself: how much do you really know about your world? How does politics shape your life? If you can’t answer these questions, it’s time to pick up a book, listen to the news—hell, even scroll through TikTok. It’s time to be conscious.

Many in the West believe that their geographical location insulates them from calamities, but reality paints a different picture. The cost of living is at an all-time high. Food poverty is rising to unprecedented levels. We are on the verge of an economic depression.

When someone says, “I’m not really into politics,” it usually reveals one of two things: either they are uninformed, or they are speaking from a place of privilege. Ignorance may be bliss, but it’s a privilege many cannot afford. To live unaffected by political changes and global injustices is a luxury.

The problem is choosing to remain unaware of the world around you—wilful ignorance—while simultaneously complaining about everything. Politics affects our livelihoods, our health, and every aspect of our existence.

Politics isn’t a trend, like clothes or shoes. It shapes our lives, whether we acknowledge it or not.