photo courtesy Pexels
For the past five years, my family and I have resided in Stockholm, Sweden, a country rightly looked to as an example of a socially-aware society with a gold star for its standards on human equality, inclusion, and environmental conservation. The United States certainly aspires to the same ideals.
Our family returns to the U.S. for summer break. This year, I was struck by how different things feel. In the way that being a fan of a particular team or sport can signify alliance with a “side,” everything seems politicized. It is like living fully within a damaging US versus THEM reality, following the “lead” of our own government.
I can make a long list of reasons why empathy, grace, and active listening are qualities needed now more than ever to bring civility and compassion to the political discourse. And while we indeed need these to move toward the gold star, even more so I believe a politically engaged and active population will influence and create an operative government that is accountable to our interests.
The age of reciprocal governing is here: active citizenship leads to a functioning system that is judiciously governed. The Swedish government believes in its people because its people are co-creators of the government they hold accountable. Voting turnout has consistently averaged approximately 85% since 1944. Compare this to the U.S., where there is a consistent lack of political interest among voting-aged Americans: averaging just 60% during presidential election years and a mere 40% during mid-term elections.
Clearly, we must do more to involve Americans in the democratic process, integrating active civic engagement into our days. We must understand how our government works, the issues influencing us, and the critical role we each play in the system of checks and balances. We must become critical thinkers and understand how our choices affect the world around us.
Simply voting as a civic responsibility is no longer enough. We must do more. We must inspire those around us to become civically active. We must use our voices and engage in peaceful political action. We must become knowledgeable, conscientious consumers of information, goods and services, and steer our purchasing power.
Above all, we must hold our elected officials accountable and hold for-profit organizations to a higher standard. Like the Swedes who benefit from consensus, ultimately we must find a way to engage the “other side” and appreciate that we are more the same than we are different.
We can start by doing our part to increase voter turnout in the next election, and require that our schools routinely teach civics starting in our elementary classrooms. Creating an expectation of government participation among our youth will establish a politically active population going forward.
And for certain that will move us closer to the gold star.