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Politics: It’s Just a Ride

Proof that current events are fun.

“As scary as the world is, and it is... it’s just a ride.” – Bill Hicks

I pulled that quote from the opening pages of Andrew Mueller’s book I Wouldn’t Start From Here. It follows in a long line of obscure books I’ve gotten hold of – borrowed, purchased, stolen from unsuspecting social studies teachers or otherwise commandeered – and read as background for this blog.

As a foreign correspondent travelling the world’s most hellish locales, Mueller is exactly the writer I fantasize about being: a journalist-come-rockstar, constantly on the move, with a few scars to show from close-call encounters with bandits and rebels. In my two years as Youthink’s current affairs blogger, there were times when I risked scalding myself with a hot cup of tea while also trying to type...

Does that count?

So there may not have been many cool stories or on-the-job injuries, but my time writing for Youthink has been memorable, nonetheless. The Afterword has given me the chance to investigate and learn about so many current issues on the world stage and at home here in Canada. The ability to form an opinion on something is awesome. Being able to voice it this way is another privilege entirely.

It also doesn’t hurt that I find this stuff so fun. I have a teacher who says that human history is just one long, dirty story – full of intrigue and drama and romance. And it’s totally true!

Canadian PM William Lyon Mackenzie King used to try and commune with the dead spirits of his Irish Terriers. Imelda Marcos, the widow of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is said to have once owned 2,700 pairs of shoes.  Russian President Boris Yeltsin, a struggling alcoholic, used to appear in public drunk, often dancing. Political history, right up to the present day, is chock-full of wackos and crazies. That’s what makes current affairs so cool.

So whether you’re a social studies junkie, or experiencing politics for the first time through The Afterword (like I did!), just remember: it’s meant to be a ride.

Thank you for reading!