To answer the oft-asked question, I'm not running. I'm not one to be fond of elections, for I fear self promotion as an assignment of assumed arrogance. (I apologize for the extended, though unintentional, alliteration). I deeply admire those who can place themselves in the clutches of inherent competition and politics without losing themselves, without losing their humility or sense of morality for the sake of winning. I am not interested in that type of exposure, and those who can handle it with absolute grace should be commended.
However, I am truly fond of helping people I support and love, and I have therefore found myself in the tornado of campaigning for others. This week, my Uni is in the midst of finding new leadership for the Student Union, a mostly ineffective and unknown governing body on campus. We really, really need some change that supports students, and it feels like a really dynamic election this year. I have been lending my support, footwork, and skill at charming harassment to the slate I think can really do a great job.
My other campaign has been that of helping a friend who is running for office in local politics, an office that has had an uncontested representative for 25 years. If anyone is crazy yet capable enough to do it, my friend Sarah is, and I quickly signed up to help her in any way I can.
This has given me some strange thoughts. The idea of helping others for what will essentially be, foremost, their own personal advancement, is an odd one. I am throwing myself into these helping roles to get someone else elected. Is it because I care deeply about the issues they want to fight for? In some regards, yes, though I am realistic in understanding the differences between campaign promises and practicum. Is it because I deeply care about the people running? That is another piece of it, because I know that what I have to offer will actually help them reach their goals. But, in the end, I don't gain anything immediate from their wins, besides a cursory satisfaction of my competitive nature.
This is different from volunteering, this kind of selflessness. At least in my perspective, I am not directly improving the fortunes of someone or something else. I think my involvement is valuable and important, to the microcosm it will affect. As I have always said, that is enough for me, even if my "enough" is just getting people to care a little bit about....something. I will not degrade my generation as apathetic, for that is a gross oversimplification, but getting any person from any generation to care about something outside of their narrow personal scope is a fight fought for the length of human history. It's a fight that is tough, and it's the toughest fights that are most worth it.
Really.
The most defeating fights, the ones that will cost lifetimes of many soldiers, are those that must be battled till their bitter victory.
Respect for every person? Equality among the genders? Kindness as a social norm?
Fight, fight, fight, and forget about thanks or satisfaction.
But, as I was saying, volunteerism is a different animal than this. Volunteering serves others first, and the personal needs of the soul second. It is perfectly satisfying and, to me, necessary. But not this.
This is...well, it's a lot of work. It's a lot of pride swallowing, shame burying, outgoing boldness that is, at it's core, completely exhausting. Being social is the most draining work that I do, which may just be an aspect of my personality, but it is a truth nonetheless.
I guess I just ponder the idea of helping people for no apparent, pinpoint-able reason, besides the internal idea that it just...feels...right. It feels like change and it feels like it all matters, somehow. That is motivation enough. Is that motivation enough? Are the candidates running for themselves or for the people they serve? As in a debate, in the game of politics, no matter the scale, there is no one answer to any question.
As much as I beg for straightforwardness, sometimes the hullabaloo and whirlwind can play its part. And, I don't really mind my work for naught. My naught is not for naught.
