Politics is becoming ugly through our insistence to focus on the negatives

Predictably, election fever has gripped the UK in the last few weeks, which will no doubt continue until we know the outcome of the December 12th election. It is a time where you get political propaganda emerging everywhere. Through the door in leaflets, on signs outside houses, on social media platforms, the list is endless. 

I was apathetic before campaigning for this general election began. In fact, I had been for a long time. Party politics is corrupting our nation, our leaders are lying through their teeth and, no matter what they will claim on each side, care very little about the people. To an extent, the chasm between politicians and people appeared irreversible. 

Yet now that an election has come to town, suddenly party identification is at the centre of discussion. Suddenly, everyone leans towards a party one way or another. Whether that is driven by the belief that they genuinely can change things, or attempting to choose the least worst option, the public have become more aligned to politicians.  

Somewhat obviously, the desire to have your political views represented in parliament is what drives this frenzy. No-one wants their vote to be rendered meaningless, have their future decided by people they don't believe are trustworthy or competent enough to lead the country. 

It is commendable to be passionate, but within these growing emotions lies a deeper, more troubling development. I have spoken vociferously about how divisive our society is, especially politically, but when the nation gets mesmerised by the prospect of an election and potential change, the most effective way of advocating for your chosen party's policies is to besmirching the opposition. 

 

In some ways, this may be necessary. After all, we all have to compare different political rhetoric to make a decision. But when Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnson and Jo Swinson are defaming each other's policies and character more than they are proposing viable policy options for themselves, we have to ask why political point-scoring has to be so viciously slanderous? 

Within this General Election, what positives have been talked of extensively? Political rhetoric is simply focused on apparent antisemitism in the Labour party, the supposed Conservative desire for privatisation of the NHS and the Liberal Democrats' suicidal policy of an instant revoke of Article 50 should they get into power. Labour's spending is criticised for its outlandishness, Johnson's behaviour attacked for appearing misogynistic and racist.  No matter what your political persuasion is, what your political views are - surely this is not how elections should work.

When a leader gets into power they are judged on what they do, what they change, the legacy they have. I couldn't give a toss about what Corbyn thinks a Johnson-led government will do, or vice-versa. I'm not a robot, I can make my own mind up about that, however favourable or damning that is. I want to know how they are going to change the country when they get in, so we can hold them to account when they naturally spout false promises. 

It is possible to find that, and granted, you do see some elements of party progression. But it is vastly overshadowed by the vitriol that undermines it. The issues that are naturally going to influence people's votes aren't progressive. Conversely, it is negative political coverage dominates mass media and social media. 

I'm not apathetic anymore. I am dismayed at how low people will go for power. At how low people will stoop to support their chosen party and leaders. It is nefarious and inhumane. It has got to the point where I see ordinary people coming to blows with each other over social media over the behaviour of a party leader who cares more about putting the opposition in its place than changing the country.

You can't solve anything through derogatory labelling. Nor through insults. Nor through plain arrogance. Yet all three are endemic within the political sphere and, particularly in the run up to an election, the social strata of the UK, and they render most political debate utterly meaningless.

Until we can't change the nature of how we conduct ourselves in politics and when our emotions run high, we will not progress at all. Politics will remain riddled with lies and corruption, which will leave most people dissatisfied anyway and create a more toxic, divisive atmosphere in our country and social circles (if that is even possible). 

That is not a political or social problem, it is a very severe human problem.