Politics has turned into reality TV
Workplaces and school settings have an expectation of professionalism, respect and decorum. One would think that this would carry into the political sphere, especially with our current administration constantly preaching a new wave of “common sense.” However, it seems that civility has been thrown out the window and replaced with incompetence and hypocrisy. What some cannot see is that this is not only humiliating for government officials, but also destructive for democracy.
As we move into an era in which pivotal decisions in the sphere of American politics are posted on X or Truth Social, influencers and politicians seem to share the same philosophy: engagement over integrity. When educational and nuanced conversations are pushed to the side, the louder voice gains the most followers, while competency becomes irrelevant.
As a result, instead of accountability and change, we get excuses and consistent unprofessionalism. Contrastingly, on Aug. 9, 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned from office, following the tumultuous Watergate controversy, recognizing his betrayal of the American people. Now, it seems that incidents similar to Watergate occur weekly with the Trump administration, with nothing as much as an apology or a semblance of change to go along with it. Once impeachable gestures are now seen as politicians “subverting the status quo” and being “authentic” when, in reality, they are violating the ideals that America was built upon.
If this culture of unprofessionalism is kept in place, the polarization of American politics will only depend. When our political landscape is filled with ad hominems and blatant lies, younger generations will see this and correlate politics with theater—not leadership.
To counteract this movement, voters must demand higher standards from their representatives and look for sound, competent leaders. But, most importantly, politicians need to stop using their influence to uplift personal and corporate interests and recognize that civility is a strength.
