“I hate politics. I don’t want to get involved in politics. Don’t wanna give a shit about it” are words that come out of many Cambodians’ lips. After years of sheer suffering and years of living lives worse than animals, Cambodians, especially the old generation become repressive. They are afraid to tell their real feelings. They are scared to be asked to give judgments about anything. Later, their children are taught to follow authority without questions, and after all they learn to do the same. No politics is blurted out at school or at home since their parents can blame or shoo them about any topic related to politics they talk about anywhere. Instead, this activity benefits the politicians who are given power easily and carelessly. They even more distort the true value of politics for every citizen of Cambodia and any country in the world. They directly and indirectly frighten the citizens not to ‘do’ politics or get involved in politics by giving an excuse that politics is for them to decide and sharing power is their responsibility. As a result, many people suffer from this. Those people are unconscious about their right potential. They feed their empty stomachs with little things and go to bed at night too quickly to forget pangs of hunger. The next day, they repeat the same action. Nobody tells them about their right because nobody thinks there is use informing them. The society becomes a benefit-for society. Many people unconsciously turn to materialism and no brother or sister-hood is admired and included. It is always a catch-22 situation where these things don’t work out if those things do not. But those things do not because these things do not! The circle of confusion and human suffering will never end if ones are not prepared to come clean and change!

What about politics in other countries around the world? A lot of people perceive politics as a dangerous factor they live with. No ordinary people want to play politics. Today, I argued with my friend and photography teacher about politics. People in the political stage dared kill each other due to power. One of the examples we raised was that Fidel Castro killed Che. They were both freedom fighters for their country. But why did one killed another? My teacher laughed at me for using the word ‘emotions and morals’ when it comes to politics. When you are prepared to do politics, don’t use your emotions or morals, he comments. Politicians think of no brothers or sisters; they kill whoever stands their way. And they always have very sweet excuses or so-called reasons for what they have done!!! Politicians have no nightmares after killing other people. Isn’t this very stupid? Has so far people’s life been trifled with? Who can give the answers? Animals killed each other for living. Are human beings animals? Are we people who suck blood from each other? Sometimes I think people seem to dramatize politics too much. Politics is for the people’s welfare of living. Many philosophers like to have politics controlled for the people but many people have used politics for their own sake. Why can they? Because more half of the people it and they let a group of elite have it without much control. Sometimes I try to find out how politicians were born.

Don’t let politics control you. You control it! Power is intoxicating but it doesn’t last long, just a blink if you think hard.